Each “ant member” has a role to play in the colony (team). And each colony can’t survive very well without its leader (the queen). When teams are formed and even after they have existed for a period of time, it is necessary that each team member understand and be reminded in relation to their role and how they contribute to the team and the organization’s goals.
teamwork
Last week we got one of the biggest page views and responses we ever received on our blog to the post “Lack of focus on team rewards and appreciation.” Barrier number six on our top ten list. Today we will discuss obstacle number Seven – “Lack of spending time together as a team.”
I started asking myself one question at the end of each day. If I had a heart attack and could only work two hours a day due to doctor’s orders, what would I focus those two hours on? This is an amazing question to ask.
I have seen this with teams that I have developed over the years. The leader with good intentions decides that he or she will begin to introduce competition among the team. So individual productivity based rewards are introduced to the team based as a way to drum up “healthy” competition. What the leader gets instead are team members not willing to give help, ask for help, provide best practices etc… Much like many of the team based reality games on television today like the “Biggest Loser” or “Survivor” team members will turn on teammates if it means they might win the game.
Lack of clarity on team roles, and/or the purpose and vision of the team is an often common barrier to team effectiveness. When teams encounter this barrier they are less likely to have much passion, let alone commitment to the team.
