Teams - The Five common barriers to effective teamwork

Successful teams produce extraordinary results in all areas of business, in sports, the community and voluntary bodies to name a few. Teams often fail to realize their potential because of barriers get in the way of success. What are these obstacles can be overcome and how?

Barrier 1: individual agendas

People are use to fend for themselves. We have all probably said or heard someone say that you need to look after number one. In other words, focus all your attention on your agenda rather than the next team.

Solution: When a team, focus on the unique contribution they make to the overall results of the team and put the results of the team at the forefront.

Barrier 2: Silo thinking

In organizations, the achievement of an outcome depends on everyone in the process of working together. Take for example a hospital. Someone needs to make the initial appointment for the patient to consult a doctor. If the doctor identifies the patient needs an operation, should rise to a waiting list to be notified when their operation is, to have the necessary pre-operation assessments. Once they are accepted, the provisions must be made to arrive at the theater on time, the plans made for their discharge, including support at home and drugs.

Each of these tasks require contributions from several departments and is all too easy, especially when people are busy and stretched to fall into silo thinking. In other words, the display challenges isolation without considering the impact on other parts of the process and especially the client (in this case the patient).

Solution: The time for teams to understand the impact of their actions or inaction on others and in particular the customer.

Barrier 3: Lack of confidence

Most people need to be sure that others will deliver to fully embrace the work of the group. In other words, they need to have confidence. Building trust takes time, effort, commitment and conviction. There is no magic formula, but actions speak louder than words.

Solution: Commit and follow through on actions that have agreed to build and demonstrate that they can trust to provide.

Barrier 4: vagueness about what must be achieved

The teams must know what they have to achieve. In other words, they need specific and measurable results. Teams are often formed with vague goals like improve retention, reduce errors and reduce the reporting cycle, to name a few. This vagueness is a guaranteed recipe for a dish called delusion.

Solution: Set specific and measurable results for the teams to deal with, for example, lower levels of disease by 2% by June 30.

Barrier 5: Lack of conflict

In teams, particularly in organizations that are performing well, the conflict that is often lacking. We are doing well, then we can rest on their laurels and not rock the boat could be the motto. Conflict should not be seen as something negative, but a constructive way to get the best from everyone.

Solution: encourage debate and constructive challenge to reach the best interest for everyone.

Successful teams will make a real difference to results. So what are the barriers they face to get the best results from your teams? ......