I have found that I have referred to this post regularly in my work with teams. I hope that you too will find it useful:
"Like individuals, teams don't magically get better. Improvement takes work. What are the signals that it's time for a team tune-up?
Some of the signs you might notice are:
* Lots of duplication of effort, or competition This can signal that it's time to do more sharing amongst the team and look at where there is overlap and gaps. While this may not necessitate a full blown team development process, practical planning can be added to any team development offsite or ongoing work.
* Water cooler talk - Water cooler time may not necessarily be gossip related, but it may signal that there are issues not being surfaced in regular channels. This can also be a signal that there may be a vacuum of lack of information, or a missing communication channel that the team is trying to fill.
* A new leader or many new members - Teams are usually not static. Waiting for "all the team" to be available can become a fallacy as team composition is often changing in today's world of what Amy Edmonston calls "teaming". What is the team process you can put into place this quarter, to get discussions going and skills developed to help the team in its' entirety, regardless of what it is going to look like six months from now.
* Lack of focus or direction. This can be a signal that the team is missing a common vision, or is not being updated on key priorities, goals and initiatives. It may also be a signal of communication breakdowns across the team, of from leadership to team members. When was the last time you focused on creating a shared vision for the team?
A fifth signal that it's time for a team tune-up is I can't remember when we last did one. Definitely a signal that it's time to come together to build relationships, learn a little more about each other and get the conversation flowing on key priorities and actions for the next 3, 6, 9 or 12 months.
Team development processes can be both fun and full of impact. Keeping a focus on building connection across the team, as well as focusing on goals, vision and results, makes for a robust and useful program, laying the foundation for the team to continue the conversations.
What are the signals you are seeing which indicate that it's time for a team tune up? Contact us to learn more about the different team tune up options we provide - from virtual events, to in person programs, we work with teams to help them boost their relationships and results.
What are the signals you are seeing on your team right now which might signal it ‘s time for some focus?"
Best wishes,
Jennifer
Leadership | Teamwork | Business Success
Author of multiple books including Effective Virtual Conversations (2017), PlanDoTrack (2018) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013)
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