For many, team building conjures up images of campfires, over-sharing personal information, and maybe even group hugs. A consulting friend of mine refers to these kinds of activities as woo-woo. The term isn’t meant to be positive.

Typical team building activities can create strong positive or negative reactions. Some love team building activities and particularly like the good feelings they create. Others find them extremely uncomfortable, and they don’t see the results.

I experience a little of both. In general I find them to be fun. In terms of significant and lasting impact on teamwork—I don’t see it. Like cotton candy, all the fluff quickly dissolves into empty calories.

The problem is that a strong team is a function of many variables. Good feelings gained via shared experience (think high ropes courses) is one contributing factor, but a small one.

If you want to build your team, stop thinking about an event or activity and instead think about a process that will help move the group toward effectiveness. There are three phases in this process.

Phase 1: Vision

People are quick to complain about coworkers. They know what they don’t want, and will talk unproductively about it to anyone who will listen.

When I’m at home complaining to Marie about something I don’t want, she turns my thinking around with, “Tom, I know what you don’t want. So what is it that you do want?” While I’m rarely willing to admit it in the moment, she nails the perfect question.

In this first phase, your goal is to shift the group’s focus from problems to possibilities. They need to get unstuck. A compelling vision gives them a reason to move forward.

Over the years I’ve used a variety of exercises to help groups create this vision. Regardless of the approach, in the end, the group should have something to rally around, a common vision that all members want to achieve.

Phase 2: Plan

If phase one is successful, the team should be excited about its vision and energized to make it happen. The challenge is that reality is often a long ways from the vision. That’s okay. Think of the vision as the team’s long-term goal. It’s not going to be achieved easily or quickly. You want the group to start moving toward it.

Ask team members, “What must we do to move toward our vision?” Instead of a debilitating focus on all the problems, planning should be an energizing process of identifying and prioritizing goals, developing essential projects/initiatives, and solving the puzzle of how to get it all done.

The secret to creating a good plan is to not bite off too much at once. If people feel overwhelmed, they’ll be right back in complaining mode. Pick just one or two goals that will make a noticeable difference and work on them. When the group has attained a goal, use that momentum to tackle another.

Phase 3: Accountability

Once the plan is in place, it’s all about implementation. Individuals need to keep their promises. This is where the whole process typically falls apart. People don’t keep their commitments, and nobody does anything about it.

You can increase the chances for success by making sure your plan includes an answer to the question, “How will we make sure this works?” There are many strategies that can help. Here are some that should be used in most team building processes:

1. A system to measure and monitor all work.
2. Regular check-ins with team members.
3. A way to reward and recognize progress.
4. The skills and willingness to confront people who aren’t following-through on their commitments.

Build your team

Team building isn’t an event or activity. It’s a process that takes time and persistence. It’s about having an inspiring vision, a workable plan, and the systems and willingness to hold all parties accountable for keeping their promises. The goal isn’t happiness. It’s effectiveness.

We would welcome the opportunity to be your partner in your quest to strengthen your team or the organization as a whole. Schedule a free phone consult to discuss your situation.

The post Skip the Woo-Woo Team Building and Work This 3-Phase Process appeared first on LaForce Teamwork.

If you think your organization is plagued by more than its fair share of employee conflict, it’s time to investigate the underlying causes.

Sure you might have a few bad apples, but more often than not there are unresolved problems that act as massive conflict generators.

Tackling employee conflicts one-by-one is akin to swatting at mosquitoes. You know that smashing one might provide a psychological boost, but will do very little for your long-term comfort. If you want to have a lasting resolutions, you need to tackle the problems that are creating the conflict.

Here are eight reasons that employees fight. One or more of them are likely the root causes of your employee conflict.

1. Unclear goals

Are we supposed to do this or that? When people aren’t clear about the objectives, they get nervous. They don’t want to waste their time pursuing the wrong goals, and don’t want to get in trouble for it. Nervousness leads to stress, and stress leads to conflict. Everyone needs to be working towards the same goals.

2. Fuzzy processes

Some people are serious about following processes. Not only do they want to follow them, but think others should too. In many instances, that’s exactly what you want. But when the rules aren’t clear, the ambiguity surrounding the right way to do something leads to problems. Clean up those processes and make sure to communicate the official “right way.”

3. Undefined authority

Power struggles are a common source of conflict. When authority is not clearly defined, people who think they ought to be in charge go for it. If two or more people think they should be the leader, a fight breaks out over who will have control. Identify the leader and let everyone know who it is.

4. Extreme segmentation

More than 20 years ago I worked in an organization that was stuck. Functional silos were creating our problems. If you want to start a fight, divide people up, pit groups against each other, and then see what happens. Instead of drawing more lines, you ought to erase some. Tear down those silos.

5. Poor modeling by senior leaders

Many execs have moaned to me about all the infighting within their companies. “Why can’t my employees get along?” they ask. Maybe because their leaders are setting a bad example. If you want employees to work together, your executive team better be showing them the way.

6. Scarce resources

You’ve seen the movies. World War III has just ended, and now it’s an eat or be eaten world. They are coming for your stuff, particularly your food. You better be armed and strong to fight them off. When your employees don’t have what they need to succeed, this same sort of survival instinct kicks in. Things get ugly. If you expect people to do good work, you need to provide them with they need to carry out those duties.

7. Favoritism and politics

This is an oldie but a goody. Most people believe in the concept of fairness, unless of course they are the ones getting the good deal. When the politics are out of control, resentment grows. People start taking their frustration out on each other, even those who had nothing to do with creating the problems in the first place. This is a hard problem to root out of the organization. It needs to start at the top.

8. Unmanaged stress

Okay, I’ll admit it. When I’m stressed I will do and say things I wish I had not done or said. And I’m not the only one. If a high percentage of your employees are stressed, you are going to have problems. Work on the stressors, and teach them how to manage their stress. If it’s the latter, I’d be happy to talk with you about my stress management workshops.

There isn’t an organization in existence that doesn’t have at least a few opportunities in this list. Figure out which ones are causing problems in your organization, bring together some smart people, and do something about them.

If things have gotten completely out of hand and you need some help, let’s chat. I have more than 25 years of experience at coming in, figuring out what’s going on, and offering solutions that restore a productive work environment.

The post 8 Reasons Employees Aren’t Getting Along appeared first on LaForce Teamwork.