2+2=5 Team*WORKS

Reader Question: I am a member of a subteam working on a specific piece of the overall project that many subteams are contributing to. It’s obvious to my whole subteam that this one specific group are underperforming. What do we do?

Our Response: A team in and of itself is difficult to manage, let alone multiple teams working towards the same goal, but this happens every day, in every business, whether we realize it or not. Just by showing up to a status meeting late gives the impression that one particular team is not performing up to expectations.

Ways in which to help avoid underperforming subteams or team members:

1. Outline expectations before the start of the project: When the team or teams get together in the beginning of the project to outline even the most basis expections (such as meeting agreed upon deadlines, showing up to meetings on time and prepared, maintaining open communication etc.) can really pay off as the project is underway. When all expectations are on the table, and addressed openly, the chance that a team member (or subteam) fails to meet these expectations is reduced.
2. Make each team member (or subteam) take ownership of a specific task or area. Each team member will take ownership of a task and report on the progress of that task at regularly scheduled status or update meetings. Every detail, even the small ones, must be assigned out in the “expectations meeting” and each team member must have something that they are specifically responsible for. Do not let anyone take a “passenger seat” on anything. No one should adopt the attitude, “I’ll help Bill if he needs anything and if not, I’ll help Sally or Sharon.” Everyone should leave the meeting saying, “I’m responsible for X”
3. Inject new life in the underperforming subteam: As the overall project leader, it may be necessary to move a star player from one high performing subteam to the underperforming subteam. This has the potential for re-energizing the underperforming team. The project leader must be careful about this as if it is not done properly, the underperforming team will resent the change and become alienated. Don’t move the team member over to “help them along”. Move them over for a specific task. For example, the underperforming team receives a new, additional task and Mark is joining your team to help you with that. This gives the underperforming team a task to focus on and unite around the new team member / new energy.

photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/donnagrayson/195244498/