Teams Work – does yours?

Take one look at the Labour party this morning and you’ll see, in glorious technicolour, what happens when a team goes bad.  Setting aside for a moment what you think of the Labour party, (or politicians generally), here are all the hallmarks of a team in serious trouble.

All teams have their internal niggles, egos and jostling for position: it’s how the team leader manages this, and the culture of the team, that defines what kind of impact this has on team performance.

At the moment, the team members have erupted into an unseemly squabble, some jumping before they’re pushed, others attacking the leader and others trying to defend him. The team leader seems to have gone into hiding.

Meanwhile, the team goals, what they are there for (in this case, our government), are completely forgotten. The mission, vision and purpose of the team are lost in the chaos and we, the unwilling passengers, are having to watch while the crew of this rudderless ship fight amongst themselves.

So, if you’re a team manager starting work for the day, take a look at Gordon and do the exact opposite of him.