There’s an African proverb that sums up the power of teamwork that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Legendary industrialist Andrew Carnegie is still remembered for his leadership philosophy, “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision and direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to achieve uncommon results.”
Teamwork on the job or on the sports field is about pulling together to achieve amazing results. But what causes teamwork to become “team won’t?” To address this subject, I interviewed International Coaching Federation (ICF) Certified Executive Coach David Achata. The first question I asked was why teams get off track. With a knowing smile, Achata replied, “There are three main reasons teams hit “work quicksand.” Firstly, people get more focused on their personal goals instead of what the team needs. They sometimes bring their personal issues to work which negatively impacts team performance.”
Next, I asked how leaders hinder team performance. Achata answered quickly, “The second reason teams derail is they are often led by leaders who don’t know how to effectively develop and coach their team. In our culture we promote leaders based on team performance only.
“Great companies, however, promote based on team success as well as a leader’s proven ability to develop team members. A large part of Japanese corporate success is attributed to their ‘Kaizen culture’ of continuous improvement and managers who go far beyond simple leadership to develop and nurture their subordinates’ growth.”
The third reason teams come unglued is again due to leadership failure. With a somber frown he shared, “The next reason a team fails to reach its full potential is because their leader hasn’t done his or her homework and leads from his or her ‘triggers.’ They can’t lead properly because they are simply trying to control people instead of empowering the team to do excellent work like a servant leader should. They protect themselves from being outshined by team members instead of allowing team members to receive the credit for hard work and innovation.”
Then I asked how a company turns around a struggling team. “Having collaborated with companies like Microsoft, Bridgestone/Firestone, and Coca-Cola,” Achata shared, “I know the benefits of bringing in an outside consultant. Sometimes company trainers are not equipped to assess team problems or are too close to be objective. When a company brings me in, I provide an objective assessment of their problems and create a strategic plan to correct team performance.”
I asked what his plan looks like. ‘When I work with a client, I implement a standard way of training managers, giving them a uniform way to lead with common tools to help develop their teams. I train their managers to help them shift from just being ‘doers’ of tasks to being developers of people.”
While he took a moment to enjoy another sip of coffee, I asked, “Can you tell me about your work with a current client?” He responded, “I’m under a year-long contract with an independent Coca-Cola bottling company. I regularly meet with a combination of 30 managers, supervisors, and executives. We’re working on understanding personality and team development, generational motivation, delegation, and strategic thinking. Implementing effective change is a cooperative and collaborative process that is worth the investment of time and resources.”
Author James Baldwin wrote, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” Team dysfunction occurs accidentally over time and proper corrective action takes an intentional investment of time and resources. But… you must want to make that change.
I love what Henry Ford said when asked by a subordinate, “What if the people we train leave?” as they considered the cost of a special training program. Ford wisely replied, “What if we don’t train them and they stay?”
If your teams are off-course, disgruntled, or “running in quicksand,” consider bringing in an outside professional trainer.
Another effective way to bring about positive change is to read and discuss books for key leaders and managers. Three excellent options are: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni, Tribal Leadership by Dave Logan, and Embrace What You Don’t Know: A Stupid Guide to Smart Business by David Achata.
Reen Waterman is an author, national speaker and business coach and trainer. A Charleston School of Protocol certified trainer, he trains businesses in customer service, etiquette and professionalism. He writes books for business owners and corporate executives and can be reached here.