{"id":2694,"date":"2020-08-22T09:04:01","date_gmt":"2020-08-22T09:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intheloop.io\/blog\/?p=2694"},"modified":"2021-08-27T09:35:01","modified_gmt":"2021-08-27T09:35:01","slug":"5-warning-signs-your-team-is-nearing-disaster-how-to-fix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intheloop.io\/blog\/5-warning-signs-your-team-is-nearing-disaster-how-to-fix\/","title":{"rendered":"5 warning signs your team is nearing disaster and how to fix it"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

1. Communication takes a rude turn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While it\u2019s human nature to experience some form of negative feelings from time to time, certain emotions (especially if your team expresses them often) should set off red flags. Anger, <\/strong>for example, is very rarely a first-time response and it more often signifies an ongoing frustration<\/a><\/strong>. Note: these frustrations are often displayed with a few sarcastic remarks which can be easily missed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anxiety <\/strong>is another sign. It could stem from personal problems, but it can also mean your team members are overwhelmed, overworked, or bullied. Speaking of bullying \u2013 any rude, demeaning communication<\/strong>, even just a passive aggressive email has no place in a professional environment and points towards an issue worth addressing. Same goes for gossiping. <\/strong>While sharing information serves some function inside a team, this kind of dishonest communication has proven to be a truly toxic habit<\/a><\/strong> that tears teams apart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a rigorous orientation, employees are asked to describe things they hated about other places they worked. At the top of the list is always gossip and politics.<\/p>Harvard Business Review<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

And how about that super eager employee who runs towards you with insider information about every other team member? Not a good sign! Tattling <\/strong>on other team members signifies a lack of trust and respect towards others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. You have tasks that don\u2019t belong to anyone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The need to sync and get approval about routine tasks is the first, mild indication of lack of responsibility<\/strong> in a team. The reason behind it could be low professional confidence or prolonged micromanagement that makes people believe they can\u2019t do anything right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Shifting
Not my circus, not my monkeys!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Things get more serious if you notice that people are shifting blame<\/strong> or, worse, constantly blaming one unlucky scapegoat.<\/strong> Has it got to a point where certain tasks are ignored or forgotten and nobody is willing to put their hand up? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If so, then you could be dealing with diffusion of responsibility<\/a><\/strong> This is a psychological phenomenon in which people are less likely to take action when in the presence of a large group of people. It can easily manifest itself in the workplace and has a significant impact on the team\u2019s productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Nobody ever disagrees with anything<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps your team seems perfectly happy. There are no open conflicts, everyone is on the same page, and it seems as if people are functioning like a well oiled machine. That’s the dream team, right? Well, not necessarily! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you noticed any signs of self-censorship<\/strong> among team members? Perhaps someone starts a sentence only to stop mid-course and conclude that his idea is no good. Maybe those who dare to speak up and disagree are discouraged or even shunned <\/strong> – either professionally or in a \u00bbsitting alone during lunch\u00ab way (high school much?). The signs could be subtle or pointed towards the outside world – for example, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When teams become too coherent, they can start displaying a phenomenon called groupthink<\/a>.<\/strong> The essence of this decision-making trap is the irrational pursuit of consensus above all other priorities1<\/a><\/sup>. Groupthink is more likely to occur under a powerful and charismatic leader or when group members are a lot alike. Stressful situation and moral dilemmas also increase the manifestation of groupthink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Groupthink
Dare to be the black sheep from time to time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s understandable and a part of common human desire of acceptance. <\/strong>Yet this significantly lowers the potential for new, fresh ideas for solving problems and can even lead to some pretty spectacular mistakes, some of which we’ve witnessed in the past.<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A productive team needs different perspectives, members who challenge each other, and are willing to debate their opinions without the risk of being mocked or even penalized \u2013 it’s what we call the culture of critical thinking.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. That spark is gone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It’s utopian to expect that people will come to work at 110% every day. However, a drop in motivation over a longer period should not go unnoticed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signs of a disengaged\nteam are subtle at first \u2013 you may notice\na lack of fun around the office.<\/strong>\nWe’re talking no more excited chatter when a group solves a problem or simply\nno chatter at all. Or maybe you will\nstart noticing a drop of interest in\nlearning new things<\/strong> \u2013 your co-workers don’t want to attend any educational\ncourses or training they used to enjoy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some signs are more obvious than others such as; tardiness <\/strong>or an increase in sick days.<\/strong> Not to jump the gun (sometimes these absences are coincidental), but these kinds of events are worth keeping an eye on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 5% increase in employee retention can generate a 25% to 85% increase in profitability.<\/p>Sage Research<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Lack of motivation is\nalso evident if productivity drops<\/strong>\nfor no external reason or if you notice an increased\nnumber of complaints<\/strong> regarding the\nperson’ attitude or performance. Lastly, once\nyou get to the point where your workplace suffers from a large turnover<\/strong>, it’s time to think hard and act!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Problems are repeated ad nauseam<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You feel like you’ve heard it a million times before \u2013 and you have! If your team is entangled in the same discussions, mistakes or questions then your team needs improving. The keyword, in this case, is \u00bbsame,\u00ab meaning recurring issues that never get fully resolved.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Very often the reason behind this is a set of unclear goals, processes, responsibilities and poor collaboration. This means people are constantly shifting focus and wasting time on unnecessary tasks. They’re often looking for information for long periods of time and are constantly having to touch base on things that should already be clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how to tackle teamwork that seems to be falling apart? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set clear goals, vision, roles, and responsibilities and improve overall planning<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ask yourself: does every member of this team have a clear goal of where the business is heading and understands his or her role in the process? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes we get so caught up in the daily grind that we forget to communicate clear goals for a project. That makes it harder for the team to follow through and take the initiative when the team lead is not around to delegate. Does everyone know what their specific task and responsibility is? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empower your team with clear goals and a precise vision. Make sure the goals are SMART<\/a><\/strong> and communicated. If we’re talking about long-term goals, it’s more than useful to print them out and keep them somewhere visible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SMART<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Next, it’s time to delegate tasks to your team. This step greatly depends on your type of organization, but make sure you always to include a deadline and expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many tools for task management<\/a><\/strong> out there, make the best of them! However, don’t forget that sometimes the simplest solutions are the most efficient. Sitting down with a person and asking them about their role or checking if the deadline is feasible can work wonders. Same goes for writing general responsibilities on a board in the office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep meetings on point<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regular short meetings<\/strong> (so-called team huddles) are very effective if done correctly. Some people may not be fans of this approach simply because of how much time they can take. However, team huddles are there to help everyone understand what the tasks are for the day or week. To make sure team huddles never run longer than planned, you need to start by politely stopping people who are overrunning (you can agree to use a special word\/sign), and set another time and a place for a detailed catch up<\/g>. More great insights on this matter,<\/g> explained from a team productivity expert Carl Pullein:
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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