In our situation, we have a lack of progress due to inconsistent deadlines with no consequences. We have a lot of good ideas, and we may even start making progress, but because of outside pressures to do other things, it makes it difficult to complete any given assignment. The deadline is then moved or forgotten.
I also agree about the negative energy it is contagious and impedes teambuilding. Negative energy needs to be nipped in the bud. The concerns that are communicated by the person with negative energy need to be addressed. Sometimes ignoring issues can create negative energy.
Thanks Judy Morici
Judith,
You are right on point! Ignoring issues can create negative energy. Managers sometimes struggle with redirecting people with negative energy or addressing negative people, which have strong opinions. One on one coaching works well, as opposed to confronting them in front of the group. It is also important to be specific. Telling an employee to, "stop being negative" is not that helpful. Rather, focus on the specifics of the behavior and how it is impacting the team. For example, "rolling your eyes when other employees make suggestions is making people uncomfortable" or "I have noticed that you are not prepared for the meetings and your read your emails during the meeting. These behaviors convey that you are not interested in our projects."
The direct approach can work wonders for turning around or minimizing negative activities.
Good luck!
Dr. Jamie Morley
The negative comments and sarcasm leads to conflict within our meetings. The people that remain silent tend to do so becuase they do not want to address the issues.
Angelia,
People that make negative comments can be very distracting! One option is to set ground rules for the meetings. Another option is to speak to that person privately. Sometimes, asking the person to reframe the comment in a positive manner, is a constructive way to help them understand that the tone is not appropriate for that forum.
Best of luck!
Dr. Jamie Morley
I belileve that the team leader must understand a members concern's and address them in a way that convinces the member to join in and work with the team instead of against it. Sell the accepted approach to the non-participating team member. Assign tasks that may help bring them on board.
Larry,
There is always one problem person in every team it seems! A strong leader can mitigate many of the problems by doing as you suggest and addressing concerns head-on. Sometimes, concerns emanate because the leader did not ask for the team's opinion and get their buy-in. This is a step that some managers skip because it is quicker to give direction and opposed to finding consensus when possible. Taking the time on the front end saves significant heartburn on the back in.
Nice insights!
Dr. Jamie Morley
It's my experience that negativity, lack of interest and an inability to recognize the importance of other team memeber's opinion that vary from your own are the biggest and most common challenges to progress of a team.
Heather,
It is difficult to build camaraderie when there is disinterest and negativity. One suggestion is to set ground rules for the team so that they are easy to point to if you need to redirect a problem team member. Sometimes, giving the disruptive member a specific role that requires him or her to focus on one outcome is helpful. Often, approaching the person in private and expressing your concern about their behavior is enough to change their attitude and make them more of a team player.
Dr. Jamie Morley
So far the most significant challenge I have faced with my team is their varied backgrounds and education. They are all quite smart and think they know how to handle things (and they can). My challenge is to get them to handle it all the same way with the students (for the purpose of the students' learning) even though it can theoretically be handled a number of ways.
I think time and communication will handle this issue. Everyone is really trying.
Eileen,
Coaching educators can be challenging. Just like they say that "doctor's make the worst patients"; "teachers sometimes make the worst students." Usually educators understand the necessity for group process. Even when course objectives or textbooks are locked in stone, for example, faculty can work together to establish norms for handling students. Even if they don’t agree, they will tend to comply if they feel they at least had input.
Dr. Jamie Morley
I think that the most common problem is that some us do our jobs and a lot of others do not. It does make it hard to follow the team leaders when there is no acttion taken on the ones that do not do there jobs. So it does impede the team progress.
Robert,
It definitely hurts morale when team members see other not carrying their weight and yet there are no consequences. One way to ensure that your contributions are recognized is to complete a weekly or monthly status report. Even if your supervisor does not require a status report, submitting one will open his/her eyes about your impact. Over time, the capable team members will get the better assignments and the recognition that goes with it. Just be patient and be a good team player.
Dr. Jamie Morley
One of the biggest issues I have run into is an idea of seperate teams. To me, any corporation should have teams, but the goals of those teams should all be a common ground, and that is a success for the company, employees, and those we service (students). People get so fixed on this idea that, "my department is different than your department, so just stick with what you know." This is such a dead-weight on forward progress. What I really liked in this course was the idea of getting away from groupthink, and bringing together experts and newbies (for lack of better term). "Individual" goals get in the way, and it breaks down communication and eventually organizations.
Nicole,
You make many good points! Getting people from different departments to come together for one purpose is an excellent way to design a team. It helps not only to solve an issue but also fosters understanding of the other departments. Cross-training is never a bad thing!
Ideally, the corporation can select individual goals that support the department goals, which in turn support the mission of the institution. Having this alignment means that everybody has a vested interest in doing their best and helping others to succeed as well.
Thanks,
Dr. Jamie Morley
There are many challenges in todays work place with team building. The primary challeng is that in todays workplace, there are so many diverse cultures in the workforce with different opinions and backgrounds, it becomes difficult to get any kind of consensus in the workplace. It is my job as a manager to bring my team together and find common ground in order to achieve a common goal. Everyones opinions should be valued and digested by the management team in order to pull out the items that can be implemented.
Alexadner,
You are exactly correct! One of a manager’s primary responsibilities is to bring out the best in their team members by encouraging open dialog and respecting diversity. One way to drive consensus is to establish meeting norms so that everybody knows what to expect and understands that they will have the opportunity to have their opinions heard. Consistency makes team members more comfortable.
Dr. Jamie Morley
A resistance to change and also a resistance to different opinions.
People get comfortable with their own way of thinking. Someone who offers a radically different approach can be intimidating and threatening. Making sure that people are open to change and new ideas is a challenge every team faces.
A change in team leadership, uncontrolled rumor mills and organizational change viewed as a threat, the “I’m almost ready to retire so don’t bother me†mindset, and former experiences leading to negative or non-existent outcomes to name a few. Certainly, as mentioned in the course, group think also impedes team progress but there are as many impediments as there are members of any given team.
I note that other forum members have addressed the special challenges that come from being a new team leader and or forming a new team, and I reflected on my own experience about 18 months ago and the myriad land mines involved in working through the forming, storming, norming, and performing phases of team development. I attempted team building activities, direct intervention, created a motivating vision, and now have one team within a team and a second “group†(differentiated from team in this instance) who continue to remain passive and non-participative. Team development is a challenge when a substantial portion of the members want to retire, and the team leader must engage in formal performance management processes at that point.
Katherine,
It is difficult to motivate a team that has members who are close to retirement or reassignment. Establishing meeting norms is a good strategy to keep your team in line while still encouraging their participation. Determine the order of the meeting and set time limits for everybody to state their position, as well as time limits for discussion on each item. This lets everybody know what to expect. Consistency makes team members more comfortable and reminds everybody that there is an immediate job that needs to get done.
Dr. Jamie Morley
