How to spot a dysfunctional team
Nobody wants to be part of a dysfunctional team so what steps can be taken to prevent this from happening? Executive coach, Sarah Parr looks at some crucial questions to pinpoint the effectiveness of your team.
I’ve worked with teams of all shapes and sizes over the course of my career. Some I’ve been a member of and others I’ve worked alongside. Having an independent perspective often makes it easier to form a view on the strengths and weaknesses of a team, but when you’re in the thick of it, how do you know if your team is as effective as it could be?
Research into Team Coaching
Some of the most well-known research into teamwork has been carried out by Patrick Lencioni, whose work on the five characteristics of a dysfunctional team is widely used within Team Coaching. Often Team Leaders (or others) will know that something isn’t working within the team but aren’t able to pinpoint the issue. More often than not, we’ll hear general problems such as ‘team morale is low’, ‘nobody is communicating’ or some specifics which may or may not be accurate – “it’s X’s fault, they’re not a team player”, or “the team leader needs to get a grip on things”.
Questions to ask about a dysfunctional team
Inevitably, it’s usually more complicated than this.
If you’re worried that your team isn’t as effective as you believe it could be, then try asking yourself the following questions:
Is it okay to make mistakes in this team?
Does the team have a shared purpose and so all members know what their role is in delivering this?
Does the team actively seek feedback, both within itself and from its stakeholders?
Does the team really know what success looks like for their customers? Have they asked them?
Do team members support each other when someone is struggling?
How does the team treat new members? Curious about their strengths and interests or viewed with scepticism until they’ve proved themselves?
Is there healthy conflict between team members? Do people raise their issues or try to smooth them over in case anyone gets upset?
Do all team members have an equal voice? And are they equally heard?
What’s the discussion in team meetings all about? Is there as much talk about people as there is about numbers?
Does the team see change as an opportunity or something to be worried about?
How do these 10 questions sit with you? A little uncomfortable? Perhaps it’s time to look a closer look and find out what other team members think. If there is a problem then engaging the team early on to collectively work out a way forward, is far more likely to be successful than telling them what they need to do.
Deep down you will know if you have a dysfunctional team or if one or more of the members are struggling. Being open and honest about the challenges you face with a dysfunctional team is the first step to being better. Coaching can be life-changing and team coaching can certainly help transform a dysfunctional team.