Fixing Dysfunctional Teams: Creating Shared Purpose
A recent Harvard Business Review article explores organizational purpose, what it can look like, and how to develop it. What it does not address is the absolute
necessity of Shared Purpose for a high preforming team within an organization. The more I work with teams, the more I come to recognize the dysfunction that can come from this gap in direction. Do you think everyone on your team knows what its purpose is? Ask them and find out. I think you will be surprised by how varied, vague, and two-dimensional the individual responses are.
Symptoms that a team does not have a clear Shared Purpose are:
- Members value their personal contribution more than that of others.
- Members are suspicious and lack trust in each other or form mini-alliances.
- A bunker mentality – members “keeping their head down” and getting their stuff done but disengaging from all other aspects of the team.
- Disregard for, undermining, or blaming others.
- Team members complain that meetings seem “pointless.”
- Outside stakeholders have a negative view of team’s abilities and outputs.
Developing a Shared Purpose takes time and considerable dialog amongst the team. I always tell my clients to be patient and recognize that it will get messier as team members contribute their thoughts and ideas.
Steps to develop your team’s Shared team Purpose:
- Establish with the team exactly what a Shared Purpose is:
- Purpose is not a goal. Purpose should be the ultimate reason for a goal.
- Similarly, Purpose does not have an end point. It is the perpetual reason why the team exists.
- Shared Purpose needs the commitment and contribution of each person on the team.
- Ask these questions to start generating conversation.
- What does the organization need from us?
- What is our role in the organization’s mission?
- What can this team do that other’s cannot?
- What can we do together that we cannot do individually?
- Why are these things important to the organization?
- When you think your team is distilling down to a Shared Purpose, ask them these questions:
- Is it clear?
- Is it concise?
- Is everyone on the team fully committed to achieving this Purpose?
Here is why a Shared Purpose is a key characteristic of High Performing Teams:
Without regard for role or title, each team member is equally responsible for the achievement of a Shared Purpose. Thus, when there are challenges, each individual on a high performing team feels the responsibility of getting through it. When a team is united in a Shared Purpose, it creates the space for deeper trust and psychological safety to develop over time because you sink or swim together.
If you recognize your team in some of the symptoms above and are unsure how to change, EMAIL ME. I can help you get started.
Kim@BlueWysteria.com
www.BlueWysteria.com
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