Putting the right people together—ones who get along, who play off each other’s strengths and who support each other—can be one of the most difficult aspects of being a leader, as getting the formula wrong can be disastrous for team morale and productivity. While some signs, like arguing, can be a clear indicator of an ineffective team, others may not be so easy to spot.
To offer some clarity, 10 business leaders from Young Entrepreneur Council each offer up one thing ineffective teams tend to do poorly and what they would suggest they do instead to better their productivity and teamwork. Keep an eye out for these telltale signs that your team may be struggling more than you think.
1. They Lack Priorities And Get Derailed
Ineffective teams often lack clear priorities and have a tendency to stray off course. This results in them needing more time to complete tasks and ending up with mediocre-quality outcomes. Setting up priorities gives clarity to the team about what to focus on, ensuring optimized time management. This leads to an increase in productivity and a higher quality output. – Meeky Hwang, Ndevr, Inc.
2. They Fail To Communicate Clearly
One thing ineffective teams tend to do poorly is communicate clearly. One way this can be fixed in order to improve productivity and teamwork is by setting agendas for meetings. By doing so, meeting points can be addressed quickly and resolutions can often be found quicker. – Jordan Edelson, Appetizer Mobile LLC
3. They Struggle With Accountability
Ineffective teams often struggle with a lack of accountability. To boost productivity and teamwork, encourage a culture of accountability instead. Implement a system where team members take ownership of their tasks and deliverables. Assign responsibilities clearly, set deadlines and regularly review progress. This not only ensures that everyone contributes effectively, but it also fosters a sense of commitment and responsibility, leading to improved teamwork and overall productivity. – Devesh Dwivedi, Higher Valuation
4. They Forget To Document Their Processes
Ineffective teams do not clearly document their efforts. Consider how the finest programmers usually include comments in their code. This is because they know they will need them for future reference. Good teams keep documentation up to date, whether using a simple document editor or a sophisticated project management tool. A simple way to fix this issue is to create a central document that’s easy to comment on or edit. Use a cloud-based platform like Google Workspace to help with this. Your whole team will soon be back on track, they’ll communicate better and they’ll be aware of their progress and overall goals. – Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
5. They Prioritize Output Over Input
Ineffective teams tend to prioritize output over input. They focus too much on getting the work done and not enough on understanding it, leading to a lack of insight into tasks and projects. Poor communication can also lead to team members going off on their own paths, misunderstanding each other’s roles or sticking to one idea without exploring more effective alternatives. To improve productivity and teamwork, it’s crucial for teams to shift their focus from mere output to fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. This can begin with open and transparent communication, where team members are encouraged to ask questions, share their perspectives and listen to one another. – Jennifer A Barnes, Optima Office, Inc.
6. They Work In Silos Rather Than Collaborate
One thing ineffective teams tend to do poorly is collaborate. Rather than working together as a single unit where everyone is on the same page, the individuals in these teams prefer working in silos. As a result, their productivity is severely affected. There can be different factors that may cause it but, generally, lack of trust is at the top of the list. So, it’s best to cultivate trust among individuals comprising these teams. Once they start trusting one another, it will be easier for them to put teamwork above all else and collectively leverage their distinct capabilities to achieve common goals. – Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
7. They Lack Autonomy Over Their Work
One common stumbling block for ineffective teams is a lack of autonomy among team members. It’s crucial to empower your team to make decisions. When team members feel like they have no say in the direction or decisions of a project, it can lead to frustration and disengagement and ultimately hinder productivity and teamwork. To address this, encourage open communication and trust within your team. Let team members know that their input is valued and that they have the authority to make decisions within their areas of expertise. This not only boosts morale but also leverages the diverse skills and insights your team brings to the table, leading to better decision making and improved overall productivity and teamwork. – Abhijeet Kaldate, Astra WordPress Theme
8. They Feel Like They Can’t Trust Each Other
A lot of times, we come across teams that don’t trust each other and that feel uncomfortable sharing their opinions and ideas. This can hamper collaboration and innovation. So, creating psychological safety is extremely important to remove these potholes. You can do that by encouraging risk-taking and learning from failures. Make it clear that mistakes are opportunities for growth, not reasons for blame. You should also try to create an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are welcomed and respected, fostering a sense of belonging among team members. – Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
9. They Play The ‘Blame Game’
Ineffective teams play the “blame game”—that is, they don’t view themselves as a team. They put responsibility for tasks on each other and don’t work together to achieve their goals. When a problem arises, they look at whom to blame for the issue instead of getting together and working as a team to fix the problem. In such a case, the usual problem lies in the leadership. Sometimes there’s no assigned leader, or whoever is in charge does not work for the benefit of the team and the project. To fix this, there needs to be a cultural overhaul, a change in leadership or better communication. Also, create rewards for team spirit and collaboration. With time, such teams should get better and more productive. – Blair Williams, MemberPress
10. They Fail To Plan Ahead
Ineffective teams often work day to day instead of establishing actionable strategies that they can follow and use to find success. I suggest getting these teams to meet at least once a month to discuss their goals and roadblocks. Establishing a long-term plan, even by a few months, is an excellent way to bring a poorly functioning team together and rally them around common ideas, which can go a long way toward boosting productivity. – John Turner, SeedProd LLC
