Could Your Team Do Better? Here’s How To Find Out…

How is your team doing? A well-functioning team is important—not only for its success, but also for the wellbeing of its members. After all, the two are connected. When people feel well, they do better work. And when they are in a good work environment, they feel better.

The reality is many teams are underperforming. You could look at metrics, like KPIs, to gain valuable performance insights. However, teams consist of people, and people are much more complex than numbers.

Another option is to look at behaviors, and ask yourself key questions. Knowing how to spot problems quickly is the first step in helping your team thrive. Keep reading to learn how.

Why Team Performance Matters

It makes sense that a well-functioning team will be more productive. But what if your team seems to be doing okay? Not great, but okay. When teams are not at their best, it usually means something under the surface is causing a problem. 

And any kind of prolonged dysfunction can erode trust, morale, and productivity. In other words, things are bound to get worse. So, recognizing problems early can help you avoid trouble later. 

Here are key signs to watch for—so you can address problems before they escalate.

Identifying Problem Areas

Teams are complex organisms​​ with diverse personalities and skills. A Google study on team effectiveness highlights the need to define "effectiveness" beyond measurable data. Tracking metrics that monitor the number of widgets created, the number of leads generated, or customer satisfaction doesn’t reveal the full picture. 

Things like team dynamics and behaviors are harder to assess but often hide dysfunction. Let’s explore key areas where problems can lurk, along with questions to help identify them.

Poor Communication & Collaboration

Silos

How your team works and interacts with each other and the wider organization can tell you a lot about how well it’s performing. The term “silos” is used to describe a team or team member working in isolation, leaving little to no room for collaboration or innovation. 

Are you wondering if your team is collaborating as well as it could? Here are some questions to ask yourself.

Questions: 

1. Are some team members making too many decisions without the team?
2. Is anyone acting as a “lone wolf”, working apart from the team?
3. Is the team operating as a solitary unit, with little or no interaction with other teams?
4. Can I identify any missed opportunities for collaboration?  
5. Do we discuss team and organizational goals regularly, ensuring we all work towards the same purpose?

If you answered yes to any of the first four questions or no to the last, your team may be struggling with silos. Check out our article on Training Techniques for Enhanced Teamwork in the Workplace to learn how to foster a more cohesive culture.

Artificial Harmony or Frequent Conflicts

It may sound counterintuitive, but teams that always agree may be hiding something. A healthy team must be able to have lively conversations, debate, and respectfully disagree.

On the other hand, backstabbing or passive-aggressive behavior are definitely red flags. Backstabbing may involve complaints about teammates, while passive-aggression is harder to spot. The Mayo Clinic defines it as “a pattern of indirectly expressing negative feelings instead of openly addressing them.” Both create a toxic work environment.

Questions: 

1. Does my team agree on everything?
2. Or do members argue frequently, becoming angry or upset?
3. Do one or two people always speak up while the others stay silent?
4. Does anyone look uncomfortable during team meetings?
5. Are team members coming to me with complaints about one another?
6. Am I seeing comments, emails, or any form of communication that appears passive-aggressive?

A yes answer to any of these questions could signify a problem. Read 6 Training Topics (& Tips!) for Better Workplace Communication to learn how you can improve workplace communication through training.

Low Productivity & Accountability 

Late or Unfinished Tasks 

Sometimes, missed deadlines are unavoidable—caused by reasons beyond anyone’s control, such as illness. But, delays can be costly and have a ripple effect on other teams and departments. So, if it seems to be happening a lot within your team, it might be time to look deeper. 

Questions: 

1. Are projects/tasks consistently late or left unfinished?
2. Am I setting explicit expectations?
3. Are roles and responsibilities clearly defined?
4. Are workloads manageable?
5. Do team members have adequate time, training, and tools to complete their tasks? 
   

A yes to the first question indicates a problem, while a no to any of the remaining questions provides additional insight into the issue. 

Lack of Engagement or Initiative

According to Indeed, “employee engagement is the level of enthusiasm, commitment, and dedication employees feel toward their job.” Happy employees and teams contribute more and bring a sense of pride to their work.

Low engagement can lead to delays, poor work quality, and an unhappy work environment. Here are some ways to tell if your team could be more plugged in.

Questions:

1. Does anyone seem bored or uninterested in tasks?
2. Is the work sloppy or have a lot of mistakes?
3. Are any team members calling in sick more often?
4. Do any team members seem uninterested in growing in their roles?
5. Is everyone contributing to projects?
6. Are team members enrolling in training opportunities?
   

Yes answers to any of the first four questions or no answers to either of the last two could indicate low engagement. This problem area is often closely tied to employee wellbeing. Read Creating a Culture of Wellbeing at Work to learn more.

Resistance to Growth & Change

Resistance to New Ideas

Introducing new ideas can be daunting, and some pushback is normal—new things can be confusing and cause uncertainty. But when pushback becomes outright refusal, it signals a deeper issue.  

Questions:

1. Are team members quick to object when I announce new processes or technologies?
2. Are my ideas met with a lack of enthusiasm and cooperation?
3. Do I hear remarks masked as jokes or sarcasm?
4. Are tasks being ignored?

Answering yes to any of these questions could indicate your team is resistant to new ideas and change. Fortunately, there are ways to help your team become more adaptable. Read Resilience and Adaptability: How You Lead Matters to learn how.

High Turnover & Team Challenges

People Quitting/Leaving

People leave their jobs for various reasons, but frequent, unexpected departures or departmental moves can be problematic. High turnover is costly; you can waste time recruiting, training, and integrating new talent if there is chronic discontent. How does your team stack up? Here are some things to consider.

Questions:

1. Are people frequently quitting within my team?
2. Are team members moving to other teams?
3. Are exit interviews revealing any trends?
4. Can I identify any wider changes that could upset the team?
5. Am I having a hard time hiring new talent?
   

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your team may have a turnover problem. For additional insight, watch our free webinar, Quiet Quitting: Productivity and the Future of Work.

Team Challenges

Teams are how things get done—the ancient Egyptians could not have built the Great Pyramids without teamwork. Healthy interpersonal relationships, effective team dynamics, and shared goals are essential to high-performing teams. However, everything can fall apart if anything upsets the balance in any of these areas. 

Challenges can stem from personal issues, personality conflicts, or other problems that are difficult to spot. And people won’t always speak up about uncomfortable situations. So, as a manager, it’s up to you to keep an eye out for signs of trouble.

Questions:

1. Is the team aligned around the same goals?
   
2. Does it seem like only a few members are pulling the team's weight?
3. Is a new team member having trouble settling into the team?
4. Does something feel “off” that I can’t pinpoint?
5. Does a team member seem quieter than usual or appear distracted? 
   

Your team may be having trouble if you answered yes to any of these questions. And if a personal issue is the root of the problem, you need to address it carefully. For guidance, watch Dan Bernstein explain how to talk about mental health in our free webinar, Talking Mental Health and Addressing Challenges at Work (Without Accidentally Discriminating).

Ineffective Leadership & Decision-Making

Micromanaging 

Micromanaging is an example of ineffective leadership that can erode trust and autonomy and lead to disengagement. It happens when one person takes too much control over tasks and decisions. You may need to ask yourself some hard questions: Are you a micromanager? Or has a team member assumed this role?

Another example of ineffective leadership comes from the opposite extreme, when leaders do not provide enough direction or set clear expectations.

Questions:

1. Am I constantly checking in with my team?
2. Do I end up doing most of the work myself?
3. Do I tend to tell people how to do their job instead of just telling them what’s needed?
4. Could I set clearer expectations?
5. Is anyone taking on the role of manager within the team?
6. Are just a few team members doing the bulk of the work?
   

Answering yes to any of these questions may indicate​​ room for improvement. If you want to strengthen your management skills, check out How To Build Better Leaders Using 4 Simple Practices for guidance.

Top-Down Decision-Making

Top-down decision-making occurs when senior management makes all the decisions for the company. Bottom-up decision-making involves input from everyone in the organization and is often seen as a more democratic approach. The Top-down approach can also apply to teams if one person makes decisions that affect the whole team. 

When one senior member makes all the decisions, others may feel unheard and disengaged. A spokesperson or leader can be helpful, but it is also important to ensure everyone is heard and valued.

Questions:

1. Is just one person always speaking for the team?
2. Do I make all of the decisions for the team?
3. Are team members invited to share their opinions?
4. Do I encourage quiet team members to speak up?
   

Answering yes to the first two questions or no to the bottom two may indicate a top-down decision-making culture. Read Building a Better Workplace Culture to learn how to create a more positive team culture.  

Next Steps

As a manager, you’re responsible for nurturing a delicate ecosystem (a.k.a. your team). When cared for and supported, it can thrive and achieve incredible results. However, without proper attention, it risks stagnating or even falling apart. Regularly asking yourself the above questions will help you ward off trouble. 

Now that you know how to spot common team problem areas, stay tuned to learn more. Upcoming articles will delve more deeply into how to address each issue. Subscribe to our blog using the form below to be notified when the next article is published.