By 
Teamwork is the soul of organizational success. Successful teamwork enables teams to come up with creative solutions to complex problems and work efficiently toward the accomplishment of shared goals. However, building and sustaining a cohesive and high-performance team may not be a walk in the park, it can be quite challenging. This is because apart from uncompetitive wages that are easier to fix, they are many other things that bedevil the productivity of a team. If your team is underperforming and you are seeking to improve its effectiveness, it may be helpful to consider the following 7 things that may be making your team underperform.
1. Unclear goals
Goals help teams determine areas of focus and how to galvanize and maximize their collective strengths and talents toward the achievement of set goals. Without clarity of objectives, team members may dissipate energy and skill in different directions making motivation, cooperation, and collaboration impossible. A clear goal provides guidance and focus to team actions thus providing the needed guide for the measurement of results. Successful goal execution often begins with the establishment of a shared goal. To overcome goal miscommunication, teams can create a standardized protocol for communicating goals, analyzing them, and outlining workflow.
2. Empowerment gap
Is your team effectively equipped to deliver on tasks? Are they working with outdated technology? How often are they reskilled and retooled to remain competitive? Goals without adequate empowerment amount to nothing. After setting goals you should determine in clear terms what it will take to accomplish the goal. For example, what new technology is available that can enhance efficiency and effectiveness, and what new information would the team require? Would they require extra manpower? Will the present corporate policy not constitute a barrier to team effectiveness? A team suffers frustration and becomes highly demotivated when they are constantly and insufficiently empowered to do the job.
3. Lack of appreciation
Do not take credit for group work nor withhold credit from team members that merit them. Genuine appreciation is a motivator. It's a fuel of passion. When you celebrate your team for small successes they will develop the appetite for bigger success. This automatically results in incremental and sustainable performance. Conversely, when you find it convenient to throw queries around but choose to carry on as if nothing ever happened when your team meets the target you have indirectly sold them the perception that you are simply callous. Nobody wants to put in much labor for someone that doesn't appreciate him.
4 Conflict mismanagement
Team members come from different backgrounds so are likely to have different views and preferences regarding some critical operational procedures. When their divergent views are mismanaged it may result in a full-blown conflict that fragments the team and undermines productivity. Without a fair and effective conflict resolution system in place, the team will most likely fail. Periodic conflict resolution and communication training and a cohesive team environment that encourages professionals to overcome their differences and effectively work together are crucial in spiking and sustaining team performance.
5. Communication gap
Is there an effective information flow between the leadership and the team? Are the team views and concerns seen to be respected and listened to? Do team members respect each other's views? These are major communication indicators that every leader should keep eye on. For cooperation and collaboration to be sustained among the team and indeed the entire organization, team members must develop ears for each other and learn to respect each other's views. It will create an environment that encourages team members to connect with colleagues, relay their expectations, explain their perspectives, and have the opportunity of listening to other team members. When communication gaps are plugged cooperation and collaboration become more effective. But where it exists, the team will most likely underperform.
6 Lack of confidence in leadership
Team members look up to the leader for directions, inspiration, support, and care. When the team begins to perceive the leader as incompetent, uncaring, uninspiring, unsupportive, and without vision, their respect and confidence begin to fade. and it will most likely make team productivity recede. People want to know that they are following someone capable of the demands of leadership. Someone who knows where he is going and shares the concerns of his team. A leader who respects the feelings of the people, and also has what it takes to galvanize motivation and support for them. When they see these things in the leader their confidence and commitment to goal accomplishment receive a major boost. Moreso, the absence of this leads to a lack of trust that may result in miscommunication and conflict that may further impede teamwork.
7. Poor accountability
When team members are not made to take responsibility for tasks given to them they won't see any reason to live up to expectations thereby sabotaging the effort of other team members at goal achievement. Accountability makes team members aware of the consequences of their actions regarding the team's success. By creating strict processes for tracking specific tasks, expectations, rewards, and the specific individuals responsible for them, poor performance and mediocrity would most likely be tamed. People commit more to success when they know they are being measured.
Finally, the above tips are not a substitute for a competitive compensation plan. Rather, you are more likely to achieve the best results in your team's performance if the said tips are matched with a great wage package.
