Teamwork is the cornerstone of all of humanity’s greatest achievements. From the French Revolution to the invention of Penicillin – the most powerful way to change the world is to work together. However, when you’ve got a dysfunctional team, it can leave a huge dent on productivity. So, how do you make a dysfunctional team functional?

Maybe your sights haven’t been so high, but a functional team is something no business can afford to not have. At the end of the day, the way your team works is a reflection of how your business works.

Here are our top five tips, to making your team work as effectively as the Australian Socceroos circa 2006.

1. Leadership

A good team needs a good leader. This isn’t the same as being the most well-liked leader, but it does mean respect and trust. Too often people managing teams are worried about being liked and this results in a poor leadership. Essentially people want to be managed well and if this means having to take a hard stance sometimes, then do so. Your team will have greater respect for you in the long-run and take pride in working in a well-managed, sustainable environment.

2. Goals

Does your team know what the end goal is? Where do you see your company (and your team) in the next 3, 5, 10 years? Make sure to check-in and give people clear expectations about where they’re heading, and if their work is meeting the expectations of the company. Often, teams fall apart because not everyone is running towards the same direction. You can avoid this by checking in regularly (at least every quarter) – progress is not something that happens overnight.

3. Values

I once worked at a company where one of the values was: Don’t talk about people in a way that you wouldn’t if they were in the same room. It set the tone for the entire workplace and the way we related to each other as co-workers. Make sure your values are clear, and that your team is aware and is living them!

4. Roles and Accountability

Make sure everyone’s roles and contributions are clear. People want to feel purposeful and that they are contributing towards a large end-product. That being said, keep people accountable when they’re not keeping up. It is disheartening for a team to see bad work not be held to account and good work go unacknowledged.

5. Time and Resources

Your company’s talent is your most valuable resource. So don’t waste the time of your top talent in unnecessary meetings or micro management – we’re all busy, so use people’s time respectfully. Give people the tools they need to succeed. These can tangible i.e. materials, programs, professional development OR non-tangible i.e. contacts, information, flexible work hours, access to the decision-making process…the list goes on.

These are only some of the tips on how to make a dysfunctional team functional. Essentially, it’s about investing in your team, whether you’re working all on-shore or working with a mix of on-shore and offshore team members.

Investing your time, your effort, your trust, your respect. Any business is only as good as the people who work in it. Hunt and Hawk can turn any team into a dream team. By the time we finish we’ll be leaving you with a well-oiled, team machine! Book a free flying class for your business to discuss your team’s potential.