I work with tons of teams and there are a few pitfalls I often see team leaders fall into. So here are 7 mistakes I see people make with their team, why they are problematic and what you can do about it. It builds on a previous blog I wrote about how to build a high performing team.
Leading teams is not easy. While everything can seem entirely manageable on a 1-1 basis, when that collection of individuals comes together, something strange can happen – and it’s not always useful or positive. But do not fear! There is lots you can do to change this.
Mistake #1: Focussing too much on task and not enough on the relationships you have with the humans in your team.
The busyness of the working world and the motivation (and imperative) to deliver can often lead people to make this mistake.
Why it’s a problem
Being focussed on getting stuff done is natural, and most organisational cultures prioritise this. But they also often make the same mistake of always prioritising task OVER relationship with people. The thing is that it is people who will enable the work to get done. And if you are giving insufficient attention to the people that work with and for you, the results will suffer.
What you can do
Take time out to consider the quality of relationship you have with each of your team. How well do you know them? What is your understanding of how they are, what motivates them and what they need from you? When was the last time you had a conversation with them which was not about a task you needed them to do? Could you have a ‘recontracting’ conversation with them individually or even collectively as a team, to enable them to feel more enrolled in the business of working together?
Mistake #2: Paying insufficient attention to team culture and dynamics and their impact on performance.
The task or ‘the it’ of a team, is often your focus as a leader. But overlooking the behavioural dynamics and the cultural ‘surround’ is a serious mistake.
Why it’s a problem
Team culture, dynamics and behaviour can “eat strategy for breakfast” (Peter Drucker). In other words, you ignore it at your peril, as it can undermine the quality of the work that is delivered. The culture and environment that exist in your team, and the extent to which they enable people to do their best work – or not – is very much your business. Leaders who create environments of hope and belief, connection, clarity of purpose, and care, get the best results.
What you can do
Talk to your team about the culture and environment, and how they are experiencing it. If necessary, bring in an independent person to facilitate a session / series of sessions where you can explore the team environment together, and the dynamics that are present, and agree a better way forward together. Certain relationships may need more help (and time) to flourish.
I would also really recommend using the Enneagram as an accompaniment to any such team process. It is an in-depth tool that looks at core motivation and is designed as a developmental tool, not just a profiling tool. You can get team and individual profiles done. It is the only such tool I have chosen to become certified in as I find it hugely powerful.
Mistake #3: Being unaware of the less helpful aspects of your own impact on the team.
Most people want to do a good job. But we all have our less helpful sides, especially (though not exclusively) when under stress and pressure. Don’t make the mistake of overlooking yours.
Why it’s a problem
We all have our blind spots. However, when we are responsible for a team, we need to work hard to understand how these may be negatively impacting those around us. If, for example, your discomfort with conflict is leading you to avoid more difficult conversations with and in the team, this may be seriously affecting the ability of the team to tackle complex problems and create innovative solutions to them. Often our more unhelpful impact is unintentional. That does not make it any less unhelpful.
What you can do
You need to work on your self-awareness. Actively seek out feedback from your team and others that you work with, to understand the impact you have both when you are at your best, and when you are not at your best. Be explicit that you want ‘the bad news’ too. You can also hire a coach to help you increase your self-awareness and build your emotional intelligence.
Mistake #4: Neglecting to provide time for team relationships to develop and for people to get to know each other better, either virtually or in-person.
A strong team is a team where relationships are strong. It doesn’t mean everyone has to socialise with (or even like) each other. But strong relationships serve team performance well. Ignoring this is dangerous.
Why it’s a problem
I have worked with many teams – and been part of many teams – where people just don’t really know each other. And they have never been the high performing teams. Relationship is an essential underpinning of high performance. Teams that have a coherent identity, are ‘in it together’, share a sense of belonging, purpose and collective ‘care’ – perform the best.
What you can do
Introduce a practice of ‘check-ins’ at the start of team meetings. It can take five minutes or half an hour, depending on how much time you have, but it can be a game changer in terms of people learning more about each other. Everyone gets to speak. It is not a time for dialogue, you can ask people to check in around any question, and you can make it as ‘human’ as possible.
Commit to a team development process that is explicitly focussed on strengthening relationships and watch people’s investment in the team grow. Establish a practice of sharing something about yourselves as human beings. You might be surprised at the rewards. Social capital is a USP of effective teams. Make it a priority.
Mistake #5: Paying insufficient attention to your team as human beings, how they are, what they need to be at their best and how you can help with that.
The technical aspects of your job are one thing. But they have little to do with the job of leading people which is the most important and perhaps the hardest bit of your job.
Why it’s a problem
People follow people, not task masters or machines. When I was first promoted in my consulting career, I was told to start thinking about developing those relationships that would have people get out of bed for me on a Saturday morning. This was an invitation to start thinking about trust and followership. I never did have to ask anyone to come to work for me on a Saturday, but it did get me thinking.
Why should anyone follow you? The famous Trust Equation (see Charles Green) talks about Intimacy as a key ingredient of trust. People need to experience you as a HUMAN in order to trust you. And they need to trust you in order to follow you.
What you can do
Make time for the people in your team. Increase the amount of time you spend with them. Make yourself available to them. Employ a coaching style to elicit more about them, their motivation, values and aspirations. Talk less and listen more.
Mistake #6: Assuming people in your team feel purposeful and/or fulfilled in their work, or not really giving this much thought.
Clarity of purpose unlocks motivation, energy and drive. But just because it is written above the door of your organisation, does not mean that your team is feeling it on a regular basis.
Why it’s a problem
Daniel Pink (see his book ‘Drive’, 2009) talks about purpose as being one of the three components of intrinsic motivation (the other two being autonomy and mastery). People who feel purposeful, are more intrinsically motivated and energised to deliver on that purpose. However, it can be easy to get lost on the ‘Hamster Wheel’ of busyness and lose track of your purpose. So your ability as a leader to pay attention to levels of purpose in their team is critical. Leaders in the purpose-led sector are especially prone to make this mistake as they assume the sense of purpose that led people to join the organisation, is alive and well in the day to day.
What you can do
Be really clear about your own purpose, what you stand for and why, and the purpose of the team. Talk about it and in so doing, get the team talking about their own individual and collective sense of purpose. There is nothing more inspiring than being part of a conversation about purpose and what really matters to people. Then help your team make the connection between the tasks they undertake and the purpose of the team. Help create pathways to meaningful work for them. And celebrate together when you deliver on your purpose.
Mistake #7: Spending so much time on the ‘Hamster Wheel’ of busyness yourself, that you are not at your best more often than you are at your best.
The ‘Hamster Wheel’ is a bit of a killer. We all get caught on it, and not even realise it. And it can hinder our ability to lead well.
Why it’s a problem
Being at your best is a pre-requisite for leading well. You are not a machine so you can’t be at your best 100% of the time. But when you’re not at your best, it often has a detrimental effect on those around you, whether you like it or not. It affects your interactions with your team, how present you are with them, your patience, the quality of your thinking, your creativity and the degree to which you are a force for good, or not. All of this makes a huge difference to the team and its ability to work well together.
What you can do
While you may not be able to be at your best 100% of the time, you can get really good at noticing when you are and when you’re not at your best. You can get skilful in knowing the things that trigger you to not be at your best. And you can get really good at making sure you do the things that enable you to be more at your best more of the time.
And So?
You now have a synopsis of seven sneaky saboteurs of team performance that could be tripping you up. Have you spotted which of these seven mistakes you might be making with your team?
Take a moment to reflect and then turn your insight into action. It could be the key to unlocking a whole new level of success and fulfilment both for your team and for you.
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If you lead or are responsible for a team, and would like to discuss how you can help it work better together, drop me a line. I specialise in creating environments where the conversations that unlock the barriers to a happy healthy team, can be had. Book a 30 min call with me here to discuss.