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Repairing Broken Teams: Moving Beyond Manufactured Teambuilding
January 28, 2010
By Joe Frontiera and Dan Leidl
Many managers and executives are placed in difficult positions after having been promoted or transferred to an under-performing department. The intuitive executive understands that, while new leadership is in place, there may be fundamental flaws with the existing group. Because many executives are not fully equipped to diagnose the problem(s) and chart a path forward, they resort to what they do know—"manufactured teambuilding." Such exercises consist of taking a team out of its office environment and engaging in mental and/or physical activities (e.g., rope courses, paint ball, serene picnics), or hiring a consultant to come and present for an afternoon in an effort to promote further unification of the group.
Unfortunately, the mere mention of "teambuilding" causes many to cringe. It can promote the recall of past outings never followed up on, days of missed work, shared embarrassments of physical struggle and frustration, and superficial discussions that avoid the deeper issues that need exercising. At best such outings are fun, establishing a foundation for future efforts and more pointed discussions and team development. But too often the team returns to the office refreshed, but the same unpleasant dynamics lie firmly in place.
Leaders are justifiably perplexed, as they are putting forth an honest effort in striving to improve the team. However, there are fundamental principles at odds with such practices, and the following are included to suggest such efforts will never act as a cure-all for ill and dysfunctional teams:
1. Environmental Dissonance: Although being away from the office allows a group to avoid daily distractions, this is a temporary reality. The group soon will return, sitting in the same chairs, cubicles, and offices, under the same drab artwork. Yes, the change of environment is exciting, but temporary. An under-performing team needs to learn how to overcome and/or alter the barriers presented in the workplace, not avoid them.
2. Task Disparity: Not only is the environment different, but rope courses and excursions bring about a markedly different content than the day-to-day. Where most office projects require coordinated efforts that combine mental acuity, persistence, and emotional intelligence, many teambuilding activities require physical dexterity and overcoming fears of physical challenges (e.g., fear of heights, etc.). While activities and outings can offer valued metaphors to be drawn on during work, it can be difficult to draw vivid parallels, and many times opportunities are lost.
3. Unreasonable Expectations: Manufactured teambuilding often is preceded by hype. The organizers tout it as a fun day away from the office where the group will be able to truly come together. In some cases, leaders market the event as a fix-all. This serves to amplify disappointment after members return to the office to find that little has changed.
4. Lack of Developmental Integrity: Team frustrations, difficulties, and dysfunction cannot change after one day. Continual and persistent efforts have to be made to improve and maintain successful teams. Efforts focused on a couple of hours are inherently inappropriate if long-term change is a goal. More rational efforts rely on sustained plans that play out over the course of a sustained period of time.
Fortunately for training, human resources, and organizational development staff, there is a more substantive way to assist a team improve its performance. Outlined below is a seven-step process that can properly align a team of any size or shape so as to establish a foundation for success.
1. Listen: As basic as this sounds, this is a step many overlook. Rather than charging in with new and improved policies and procedures and the latest management techniques, it is critical to listen to the feedback of team members. Rather than burdening team members with new policy, listening affords the leader an opportunity to gain input and insight from his/her new colleagues. Additionally, this process provides individuals with a valued and integral voice.
2. Acknowledge Past Problems: Once data has been gathered, it can be helpful to publicly acknowledge the things have gone wrong. Chances are, past issues within the team were concealed in the hopes they might vanish, but this is the downfall of many teams. By gaining insight into what may have gone wrong in the past, efforts can be made to avoid similar problems while further unifying the group. For example, a leader can solicit public feedback on how past issues can be resolved and/or avoided, increasing buy-in and developing camaraderie through shared effort and commitment.
3. Form Shared Vision: Once the leader has gathered information from team members and publicly acknowledged past missteps, it's time to chart a way forward, to articulate a vision of what the team can become. Through this step, leaders leverage the opportunity to rally their team around a common goal. In merging team members' feedback with the leader's vision, ownership is evenly distributed amongst the group, and the likelihood of continual forward progress is greatly enhanced.
4. Outline Plan of Action: Most people not only want to know where they're going, but they want to know how to get there. Articulating a good plan of action can inspire broader confidence the larger vision is attainable, and knowing what steps need to be taken can help team members set individual and timely goals that can help propel the group forward.
5. Define Essential Behaviors: In step two, a leader implicitly outlines the behaviors not conducive to a high-performing team. Now is the time when leaders explicitly detail the behaviors that will lead to success. This is not micromanagement. In fact, clear expectations about appropriate behaviors can reduce anxiety amongst a team with a new leader, as they can knowingly work towards what is expected of them.
6. Model Desired Behavior and Hold Individuals Accountable: It is now time to execute. However, both the leader and team members have the potential to derail execution. The quickest way for a leader to disrupt execution is by modeling behaviors that differ from those he or she outlined in step five. If this occurs, the team loses trust and intuitively understands the leader is not serious about change, the established plan, vision, etc. The team also can derail execution in a myriad of ways, particularly through reverting to past behaviors. Although this form of regression will inevitably take place, when a team member exhibits past behaviors, he or she presents a tangible learning opportunity. By immediately and effectively addressing these behaviors, a leader can reinforce his/her message and further ingrain desired behaviors and efforts.
7. Celebrate Success: With any change initiative, it is important to celebrate success. This enables the team to see the changes are working. Initially, a leader may need to look hard, because positive traction can be difficult to find. Yet recognizing small successes with individuals and the group can boost a team's morale and confidence. Inevitably, smaller successes lead to larger, more tangible triumphs.
To be clear, the transformation of an under-performing team does not occur overnight. It takes time, effort, patience, and persistence. However, the above process is an excellent tool that can be used to equip trainers, managers, executives, and team leaders with the structure, skills, and confidence necessary to turn around under-performing teams.
Joe Frontiera and Dan Leidl are managing partners at Meno Consulting, a firm that focuses on team and leadership development. They also serve as adjunct faculty members in the Leadership Studies department at West Virginia University, and manage the My Generation Leader blog.
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