First of all, let me define “falling apart”. A team that is falling apart means unhappy people leaving the team, people that are not motivated to do their job and make sure others are demotivated too, people that constantly complain, people that you see are constantly coming late to work, taking too many breaks, spending too much time on social networks or job portals, people who no longer do their job (but used to) and come up with silly excuses, people who stay home on sick leave too often, who no longer answer their phone after 5 pm, who no longer stay willingly in the office to help finish a team project if the clock is 5.01 pm, who miss team events outside the office, people who seem bored and annoyed around their colleagues, around you or inside the office. Sounds familiar? I’m sure you’ve had that in your team at some point…
At EPIC Adventures, we are committed to helping your team thrive and have designed our team building programs with this mind. Let us share some steps you can take to help you navigate the treacherous waters of a team in peril:
- Provide structure and accountability: Leaders often think that their teams need to just “do their own thing and get the job done.” I have never seen this work. Teams need structure…they need a dependable process to follow, and they need to be held accountable to that process.
- If you are the leader, take 100% responsibility for your team falling apart, and start changing your leadership behaviors. Ask yourself “What am I doing or not doing that is causing this team to fall apart?”
- Sit down with each person on your team immediately and map out a plan for the next 6-12 months using SMART objectives: Sit down and map out a plan for development for each person…an individual developmental map of what the next 6-12 months is going to look like and what you expect. What skills does this person need? What does she need to improve? What managerial skills are missing? What are both the hard and soft skills needed so that your team can win? Sit down, and write out a 6 month plan…a plan which focuses on strengths and how to use those strengths to pull up the shortcomings. Give your team members SMART objectives. Make sure they can measure at all times what their progress is. If an objective you give them can’t be measured in terms of progress, then that’s a non-SMART objective and can demotivate your team member who will struggle to achieve it but won’t see the end in their struggle.
- TAKE COMMAND! There has to be a leader in command (not sitting by in idle mode) when your team is falling apart. The old saying “If it’s to be, it’s up to me” is such a worn out cliche, but it is so true in this situation. When you take command, you have to be willing to take full responsibility for making the change, take tough stands and keep your cool.
- Include some fun along the way: The teams that “win” are working hard will tell you that it is not all fun and goofing off.. However, they will tell you they are having the time of their lives, because they are winning. They work, they perspire, they get in there with grit and get the job done, and at the end of the day, they celebrate. Sit down with your team and brainstorm on how to get stronger by using creativity and how to make it fun. Companies like EPIC Adventures exist today specifically to create fun team-building events for corporate environments. Most leaders never sit down and talk about how they are going to get better and have fun doing it. When the fun stops, teams fall apart. They lose their spirit. So, get in there, and work hard…and play hard!
- Get to know each team member really well – what their personality is (introverts, extroverts, ambitious, timorous, courageous), what their skills are, what their ambitions and goals are and important as well – get to know their personal life too – their parents, children, problems, hobbies, illnesses, whatever they are willing to share. I know it seems like a lot, but it is worth it. You will get to understand them better and use their skills in an optimum way and at an optimum time
- Spend enough time with each team member and the team as a whole – this will make them feel valued and important; get to listen to what they have to say, to their suggestions, reply in a realistic manner and use their ideas if they are good – you may never know who is the one saving your next project;
- Accept the idea that there may be people in your team better than you - Help them develop and support them. You will lose them eventually if you don’t and the image they will spread about you and the company won’t be a nice one. If you support them, they may be replacing you when you get promoted and the company won’t lose a great next manager; you may never know what lies ahead;
- Do your best to offer your team the resources they need to do their job – knowledge, office supplies, time, whatever necessary. Involve them in the process and they will respect you for trying even if you fail;
- Roll up your sleeves – don’t just sit there ordering them what to do. If there’s a big project that requires a lot of work that is beneath your level of expertise, but the team has to do overtime to finish it (and you have some spare time), leave the strategic thinking for later and help them. Team members respect their manager if they see that he is working next to them archiving dusty papers. Don’t be afraid you will fall from your throne! No way! They will just appreciate your effort and it will be great team building for them too;
- Accept the idea that staff turnover is good up to a point and that people need to evolve. Don’t panic and run like a headless chicken around the office if someone leaves. The rest of the team will panic too and moreover they will think that you don’t value them as much.
- Allow team members to enter your busy strategic world. Offer them information about the company, about what you are doing, about your projects. Let them see as much as possible of the big picture. This will allow them to better understand their work and their part in the company;
- Be honest – don’t lie and don’t promise things you can’t offer; empty promises will help on the short term, but they will backfire horribly on the medium and long term;
- Organize a team meeting and encourage the team to tell you about their problems. Try to improve at least of few items during this first meeting if you have the ability and power; they will see you care;
- Go to upper management with the problem if there’s something you can’t fix – maybe they want higher salaries, maybe there’s a new company on the market offering something more and you could fix it with their help, maybe you need to hire someone new to take some of the tasks the others can no longer handle; come back to your team members with