Is Your Team making You sick?5 surefire remedies for bad teamwork blues

“Strength in numbers” is a popular saying but not universally true

If it was, then why do teams composed of equally talented, intelligent, creative, business-savvy people fail anyway?

One would think that having all that skill at the same table would be the surefire key to success

But many times it isn’t.

Luckily for us, a great body of research is shedding light into the dynamics of a well-run team

And is showing us how combat those teamwork blues

1. Dive Into the Idea Pool

The biggest strength of a team is that each member brings a unique viewpoint to the table

But each individual perspective has the potential to be overthrown by the opinion of one dominant member or the majority of the group

Remedy: Before anything else, have each member write down and share their initial thoughts and ideas before any group work happens

2. Test Drive Your Team

Just because a task calls for a team effort doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay attention to each individual

Because a group of talented individuals doesn’t necessarily equal a team that works well

“being known as a problem solver is a good thing. But when people start looking at you to put out their fires… that is different. They will keep coming back and you will soon be an expected service.

Remedy: Find members who score higher in “social sensitivity,” or the ability to read people’s emotions

3. Mix Up Membership

In general, a team that has performed well together in the past will also perform well in the future

But this scenario makes a team prone to “groupthink”

Groupthink occurs when the desire for a harmonious group dynamic results in incorrect and inappropriate decision-making

Remedy: Periodically infuse your team with fresh blood. This will also lead to a sustained level of creativity and innovation

4. Throw a Pre-mortem Party

Many teams fail because members become isolated and inward-looking

Make sure that your team is always aware of how external factors can affect the work plan or work flow

Remedy: A pre-mortem is a form of “ritualized dissent,” in which individual members are asked to visualize the project as having already failed, analyze why, and come up with solutions

5. Be On the Clock

Don’t forget that the time your team spends together isn’t free

Because the time your best people spend talking, planning, and brainstorming is time they spend NOT executing

Remedy: Make sure your meetings begin and end on time. Meetings held standing up instead of sitting down are also foundto be 34% shorter on average

So if your team has been making you want to call in sick

These easy remedies should be just what you need

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