Why Is Your Team Not Performing?

The Challenge: You have spent time assembling the highest performing individuals who have a common interest and get their tasks done, but you notice they aren’t effective together and the common goal isn’t being achieved as efficiently and effectively as you would like. Maybe you should consider how that team was built.

Key Takeaways

Team expert Marty Martin explains that there are four attributes of effective teams:

A super-ordinate goal or transcendent function. Teams are inspired when they have a compelling purpose and a reason to exist that is clearly articulated. Without a higher goal or function, teams may waste time completing aimless tasks without considering the bigger picture.

Shared leadership. While a good leader can inspire the team, the team should be able to function without the leader. To create shared leadership, (1) encourage transparency — when all employees are aware of a company’s situation, goals and perspective, everyone involved is on the same page; (2) provide a safe environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their ideas in a culture of inclusion; (3) support autonomy, giving employees the freedom to make some of the decisions regarding their work.

Complementary knowledge, skills, and abilities. When team members come from diverse backgrounds, they bring different experiences, skills, and perspectives. A team made up of individuals from one area of the organization or with very similar skills and backgrounds may have trouble seeing different perspectives.

Mutual accountability. When everyone does their fair share and honors commitments, team members feel a sense of belonging and inter-dependence.

The Bottom Line: When building your team, consider how the individuals combine to meet the four attributes of effective teams.

Consider enrolling in AAPL’s Building and Leading Effective Teams course , presented by Marty Martin, MA, MS, MPH, PsyD, CHES. This course provides a step-by-step framework to not only build your team, but lead it as well.

More information about our educational offerings can be found at physicianleaders.org/education.