From Conflict to Performance

What are the best practices for effective team management?

Building high-performance teams and secrets from successful leaders. Over my career, I’ve had the opportunity to build a variety of teams. In some instances, I joined teams that were already established.

These teams were either high-performing, requiring me to maintain their success, or they were significantly dysfunctional, necessitating a complete overhaul.

The Conflict

Reflecting on these experiences, one particular situation stands out. I was assigned to a large team of about 50 people, where dysfunction was rampant.

I observed firsthand that three of my managers were at odds, unable to cooperate on any matter. Additionally, the distribution of tasks among them was alarmingly disproportionate.

One manager was overwhelmed with tasks, another had too few responsibilities, and the third was saddled with a collection of random, inconsequential tasks.

When I inquired about the rationale behind this setup, the unanimous response was that it was the legacy of my predecessor, and they had resigned themselves to this imbalance.

Curiously, no one had previously questioned this arrangement, even though it bred considerable hostility among the managers, which in turn permeated their teams, exacerbating the dysfunction across the entire organization.

The Sit-Down

To address this, my initial step was to extricate the managers from the immediate environment and engage them in a candid discussion.

I organized a lunch meeting where they could each voice their grievances and preferences. What proved invaluable was not just the airing of concerns but also the opportunity for each manager to listen to the others.

This exercise revealed shared frustrations and previously unacknowledged impacts of their actions, fostering a newfound understanding and beginning the process of realignment among them.

The Solution

Realizing the need for tangible changes, I proceeded to rebalance tasks. The manager previously burdened with an excessive workload saw their tasks divided among the team, ensuring a more equitable distribution of responsibilities.

The manager with previously scant duties received a significant portion of meaningful work, and the tasks of the third manager were judiciously shared among the group.

This redistribution was aimed at ensuring each manager had both substantial responsibilities and a share of the less significant, albeit necessary, tasks.

Furthermore, recognizing the inefficiency in team structure, I reorganized the teams to promote a more balanced distribution of team members among the managers.

This restructuring challenged the assumption that supervision required direct alignment of teams and supervisors, introducing a cross-functional approach to supervision.

This not only facilitated better communication between managers but also ensured that administrative and operational responsibilities were more effectively managed.

By delineating roles as either administrative supervisors or operational managers, we fostered a clearer understanding of responsibilities, enhancing overall efficiency and satisfaction within the team.

The Impact

The key to successful team development, as this experience underscored, lies in clear communication, equitable distribution of tasks, the opportunity for growth, and precise role management.

Following these adjustments, our team not only improved its internal dynamics but also achieved significant recognition.

We were honored with annual awards and distinguished as the best in our region for program management, a testament to the effectiveness of our approach in a competitive landscape spanning over 200 divisions.

This journey from dysfunction to distinction in a complex organizational environment illustrates the transformative power of strategic management interventions.

By prioritizing communication, task balance, growth opportunities, and role clarity, leaders can catalyze substantial improvements in team performance.

Such successes not only enhance the operational effectiveness of the team but also contribute to a culture of excellence and mutual respect, laying the foundation for sustained high performance.

Effective team management requires a nuanced understanding of interpersonal dynamics, a willingness to challenge the status quo, and a commitment to fostering an environment where every member can thrive.

Through strategic interventions and a focus on communication, task distribution, and role clarity, leaders can unlock the full potential of their teams, achieving remarkable results and setting new standards of excellence.