Reader’s Question: Our team is working efficiently, except for the fact that one member is clearly not “pulling their weight”. What steps should we take?
Our response: It is extremely difficult when a team is doing well, but one person is not performing. Often times it seems as though the easiest thing to do would to get “someone new”. Well, often times that can be a hard task to accomplish. Sometimes it is easier for people to just deal with it and when evaluations come along, just show that person what the team really thinks. Often times this can discourage people to continue within the company on a team, especially if they thought they were pulling their weight.
Sometimes communication is the key area that must be pushed here; not evaluations or firing people, but rather, an environment should be created that works to improve everyone’s efficiency. First and foremost, team leaders need to pull together the knowledge that everyone possesses for the team’s benefit. When each person feels as though they have contributed, each individual has then contributed to the team’s goals and feel as though they are working toward a common goal that they helped to create. Secondly, the team leader should meet with each individual on the team, even those that are performing, so that no one feels as though they are being picked on, to discuss performance. Lastly, expectations should be set clearly to discuss current performance and expectation for future performance.
For the most part, it is communication from the leaders on the team that will create team unity and optimum team effectiveness to improve the overall team efficiency. To communicate expectations and get everyone on the same page is what can make or break a team’s effectiveness.
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/odalaigh/2533311083/
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