Business Teams Go Bad Why

. . . and what you can do about it.

Interaction Associates, Inc.

What happens when teams become dysfunctional?

What happens when teams become dysfunctional? Bad decisions

What happens when teams become dysfunctional? Bad decisions Poor morale

What happens when teams become dysfunctional? Bad decisions Poor morale Unacceptable cycle times

What happens when teams become dysfunctional? Bad decisions Poor morale Unacceptable cycle times Stuck and over-budget projects

Here are the top FIVE dysfunctions …

How to identify them … Here are the top FIVE dysfunctions …

How to identify them … And what to do about them. Here are the top FIVE dysfunctions …

Ready?

Dysfunction Number 1: “ Foggy mountain breakdown.”

The organization itself is not clear on how it wants decisions to be made by the team.

What does it look like?

It is not clear if the team is recommending or deciding .

It is not clear if the team is recommending or deciding .

It is not clear if the team is recommending or deciding . Management wants the team to come up with the idea management already has picked.

It is not clear if the team is recommending or deciding .

Management wants the team to come up with the idea management already has picked.

It is not clear if the team is recommending or deciding . Management wants the team to come up with the idea management already has picked. There are wrong answers , but the team has not been told what they are.

It is not clear if the team is recommending or deciding .

Management wants the team to come up with the idea management already has picked.

There are wrong answers , but the team has not been told what they are.

It is not clear if the team is recommending or deciding . Management wants the team to come up with the idea management already has picked. There are wrong answers , but the team has not been told what they are. Individual team members are expected to fight for their own functional role or position.

It is not clear if the team is recommending or deciding .

Management wants the team to come up with the idea management already has picked.

There are wrong answers , but the team has not been told what they are.

Individual team members are expected to fight for their own functional role or position.

What can you do?

Get a sponsor.

Get a sponsor.

Get a sponsor. Charter the team.

Get a sponsor.

Charter the team.

Get a sponsor. Charter the team. Create and agree on decision-making matrices.

Get a sponsor.

Charter the team.

Create and agree on decision-making matrices.

Dysfunction Number 2: “ Six blind men and an elephant. ”

The team has not effectively scoped out the decision at hand, and each team member is making a different decision .

What does it look like?

The group appears to be deciding six things at once.

The group appears to be deciding six things at once.

The group appears to be deciding six things at once. Lots of wheel-spinning and people talking about the same issue in different ways.

The group appears to be deciding six things at once.

Lots of wheel-spinning and people talking about the same issue in different ways.

The group appears to be deciding six things at once. Lots of wheel-spinning and people talking about the same issue in different ways. Confusion reigns!

The group appears to be deciding six things at once.

Lots of wheel-spinning and people talking about the same issue in different ways.

Confusion reigns!

What can you do?

Bring up the issue and get all points of view out on the table. Good graphic recording helps here.

Bring up the issue and get all points of view out on the table.

Good graphic recording helps here.

Bring up the issue and get all points of view out on the table. Good graphic recording helps here. Frame the issues as questions. “ Which vendor are we going to use?” “ What are the criteria we will use to select a vendor?” “ What will we put in the document?”

Bring up the issue and get all points of view out on the table.

Good graphic recording helps here.

Frame the issues as questions.

“ Which vendor are we going to use?”

“ What are the criteria we will use to select a vendor?”

“ What will we put in the document?”

Dysfunction Number 3: “ Alone again, naturally .”

The team has not effectively involved pertinent stakeholders in the decision making process.

What does it look like?

Decisions are highly politicized . Involved parties can lobby to get a decision they do not like overturned.

Decisions are highly politicized . Involved parties can lobby to get a decision they do not like overturned.

Decisions are highly politicized . Involved parties can lobby to get a decision they do not like overturned. Implementation is delayed or derailed because people don’t like the plan.

Decisions are highly politicized . Involved parties can lobby to get a decision they do not like overturned.

Implementation is delayed or derailed because people don’t like the plan.

Decisions are highly politicized . Involved parties can lobby to get a decision they do not like overturned. Implementation is delayed or derailed because people don’t like the plan. A “final” decision gets re-opened, and re-opened, and re-opened …..

Decisions are highly politicized . Involved parties can lobby to get a decision they do not like overturned.

Implementation is delayed or derailed because people don’t like the plan.

A “final” decision gets re-opened, and re-opened, and re-opened …..

Decisions are highly politicized . Involved parties can lobby to get a decision they do not like overturned. Implementation is delayed or derailed because people don’t like the plan. A “final” decision gets re-opened, and re-opened, and re-opened ….. Frustration reigns!

Decisions are highly politicized . Involved parties can lobby to get a decision they do not like overturned.

Implementation is delayed or derailed because people don’t like the plan.

A “final” decision gets re-opened, and re-opened, and re-opened …..

Frustration reigns!

What can you do?

Make a thorough stakeholder analysis of key decisions. Involve all appropriate stakeholders and tell them how and when they’ll be involved.

Make a thorough stakeholder analysis of key decisions.

Involve all appropriate stakeholders and tell them how and when they’ll be involved.

Dysfunction Number 4: “ Physician, heal thyself .”

The team itself is not clear on its own decision-making process (internal to the team, or external with stakeholders).

What does it look like?

Consensus paralysis . Lack of flexibility, meaning everyone must be involved in everything . Inability to move on (particularly on process issues). Frustration! Attempts to gather input from stakeholders do not result in buy in.

Consensus paralysis .

Lack of flexibility, meaning everyone must be involved in everything .

Inability to move on (particularly on process issues).

Frustration!

Attempts to gather input from stakeholders do not result in buy in.

What can you do?

Understand the Levels of Involvement . Ask “who is making this decision?” Let people know how input will be used. Close the loop with people once their input has been given. Delegate minor decisions. Set a fallback and a time limit for consensus.

Understand the Levels of Involvement .

Ask “who is making this decision?”

Let people know how input will be used.

Close the loop with people once their input has been given.

Delegate minor decisions.

Set a fallback and a time limit for consensus.

Dysfunction Number 5: “ Fire! Ready. Aim ?”

The team is deciding on a solution without having agreed on the problem .

What does it look like?

Lots of resistance that feels unreasonable . Hidden agendas. People are in “violent” agreement .

Lots of resistance that feels unreasonable .

Hidden agendas.

People are in “violent” agreement .

What can you do?

Get agreement on the problem before agreeing on the solution. Ask “what is the problem that this solution will address?” Position recommendations and suggestions in terms of the problems they will solve.

Get agreement on the problem before agreeing on the solution.

Ask “what is the problem that this solution will address?”

Position recommendations and suggestions in terms of the problems they will solve.

There are MANY MORE dysfunctions your teams may exhibit.

There are MANY MORE dysfunctions your teams may exhibit.

To learn more about launching and supporting functional, high-performance teams , contact: Interaction Associates.com

Interaction Associates, Inc. has been a global leader in performance improvement since 1969. Visit us at www.interactionassociates.com .