Thursday, January 17, 2008
When Team Members Don’t Care
I recently worked with a team leader who made this statement, “My team just doesn’t care about our goals.” That’s a pretty broad statement so I decided to explore and found the following situation.
1. Absenteeism and tardiness rates were high.
2. Employees said morale was low.
3. Employees were cynical, negative, and used sarcasm in every day conversation.
4. Employees deliberately put up road blocks to any suggested change. Their focus was on blaming others versus taking ownership.
5. Customer problems were covered up and team problems were ignored.
If you are the leader in this kind of an environment, what would be your approach to changing the culture for the better? With the chance of alienating you, let me suggest the following: Take a very close and very long look at your own personal behaviors!
Your team probably did not come to exhibit these negative attitudes overnight. It may have been a gradual morphing over time—time when you were neglecting the ‘care and feeding’ of your team. You, in essence, allowed these behaviors to exist.
So now what? Is it possible to turn-around a team? Sure, but it will take diligence and consistency on your part as the team leader. Here are some tips and techniques to get you back on track:
* Answer these questions: What negative things must I personally stop immediately? What behaviors are appropriate that I need to continue? What habits do I need to start immediately to make a positive difference?
* Review your team vision. Do you need to refine it? Resurrect it? Then, communicate your new direction with everyone.
* Evaluate every team member by identifying individual strengths and weaknesses. Build on their strengths and develop (AND implement) individual coaching plans to overcome weaknesses.
* Find yourself a mentor - a positive one - to align with. It’s harder to be pulled up than it is to be pulled down, and you will need to rely on that “cheerleader” to keep you in the proper mindset.
Until next time...live like you mean it!
Marjorie