Highly Functioning Teams Vs. Dysfunctional Teams
- Brainz Magazine
- Oct 12, 2022
- 4 min read
Written by: Dianne McKim, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Have you ever been part of a team where a team member did something underhanded, and the team suffered? Or worse, were you the only one negatively impacted? What about a team where information sharing is far and few between, leaving team members to function in a silo? Have you tried to manage a team where these behaviors are what happen regularly?
Examples of dysfunctional teams can go on and on. Sadly too many teams work that way, and everyone suffers. It doesn’t have to be that way.
I have worked in positions where team members functioned on their own and did whatever they could to shine, even if it meant throwing other team members under the bus. At one company, the CEO encouraged this type of behavior which led to a lot of mistrust among the employees. As that environment of mistrust grew, there was an underlying current that rippled through all departments. Those days were frustrating and stressful. The job became more of a chore than an opportunity to make a difference. I learned that lacking trust in a team could be detrimental to every team member as well as to the company at large. I learned that the executive team could set the tone for how employees function.
Merriam-Webster defines trust as assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something or one in which confidence is placed.
Trust is the core of a highly functioning, productive team. In this kind of team, each member feels safe with every other member, so that they can be vulnerable. They share information with each other. There is a reliance on the character of the other team members that they are all in it together. Each team member confidently handles their role and shares the burdens to accomplish the team’s goals.
The team members in a highly functioning, productive team reveal weaknesses and mistakes so they can be strengthened and addressed. They don’t hesitate to ask for help because they know their teammates are there to help because then everyone wins. They give each other the benefit of the doubt rather than jumping to conclusions. They don’t hold grudges. They talk things through because they will be well received.
Imagine that you work for a team like that. How different would your day be for you? Imagine you manage and lead a team like this. How different would your day be for you?
This kind of team is not just a dream or unrealistic. It will take discipline and focus, and it can become a reality.
The first step is getting the stakeholders’ buy-in to take the actions needed to make changes. If you are a stakeholder in a dysfunctional team, it’s time to get help. If you are a team member in this kind of team, it’s time to talk with your stakeholders.
Because I know firsthand how detrimental a functional team can be, I am focusing my coaching on helping teams become better. So, If you want your team to be Highly Functioning, Productive, and Cohesive, reach out and let’s talk. We can get you there!
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Dianne McKim, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
A Certified Career, Leadership, and Life Coach, Workshop Facilitator, Author, Speaker, and Guest Interviewee, Dianne McKim has the professional training, personal experiences, and knowledge to help clients successfully grow and thrive.
Dianne enjoyed a long and impactful career in Corporate America, successfully leading teams, influencing peers, mentoring team members, and interacting at all corporate levels (including C Levels). During that time, she developed strong relationships with executives, management, peers, and team members, allowing her to successfully spearhead major projects while negotiating, and navigating bureaucracy.
This wasn't always the way, however. Dianne is an abusive relationship survivor, who navigated through a long and difficult divorce, which resulted in her running a household, working full time the whole time, and raising children as a single mom for 14 years. She dealt with family issues, job losses and job searches, loss of relationships, a lack of confidence, and very low self-esteem.
Over time, Dianne rebuilt her life, rediscovering herself and strengthening her confidence. As she did, she learned how to stand strong in her abilities, understand her value and embrace her identity. As her confidence grew, she discovered how to have professional success, personal contentment, and spiritual fulfillment.
Dianne has taken all that she learned, along with her unparalleled ability and deep care and compassion for others and began Precious Stones Coaching. Her coaching style is inviting, understanding, and encouraging with just the right amount of leadership, guidance, and accountability to help her clients focus on their priorities and accomplish their goals. Dianne wholeheartedly commits to helping her clients achieve and fulfill their calling, purpose, and destiny.
