{"id":4519,"date":"2019-06-13T14:41:07","date_gmt":"2019-06-13T19:41:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etereman.com\/remanu\/?p=4519"},"modified":"2019-06-13T14:41:07","modified_gmt":"2019-06-13T19:41:07","slug":"is-your-team-performing-or-storming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etereman.com\/remanu\/2019\/06\/13\/is-your-team-performing-or-storming\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Your Team Performing or Storming?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nWhen there\u2019s a lack of harmony on a team, chances are everyone is aware of it on some level, even if it\u2019s just a vague sense of something\u2019s not quite right. It could be really bad, palpable even from a distance \u2013 there could be internal turmoil, talking behind colleagues\u2019 backs (which is never as secret as you might think it is), unrest, and open unhappiness. Or maybe communication just isn\u2019t as smooth as it could be. There are hurdles like not being able to or wanting to talk face to face, digital communication dwelling awkwardly in the mystery tone-zone (was that sarcastic? mean? too informal?), or the relationships are professional but not much more than that.
\nI\u2019m on multiple teams, and right now, not one of them is in the sweet spot. It stinks. It feels discordant, unsafe, and in the case of the team I manage, it feels like failure.
\nThe four stages of team development as explored by my favorite leadership development tool, Officevibe<\/a>, identifies the journey teams make in the course of change.
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\nThe difficulty the teams I\u2019m apart of have had is that change is almost a near constant part of our workflow. We adaptably respond to the company\u2019s needs and alter teams where need be. Just when it looks like we\u2019re getting to \u201cNorming\u201d or if we\u2019re lucky, \u201cPerforming\u201d we have a change or a blow that sets us back to \u201cStorming\u201d.
\n\u201cStorming\u201d, what can be interpreted as dysfunctional teamwork, includes negative attitudes, competition, and breakdowns in communication.
\nMy teams are storming. (Hi, teams, I love you, please trust in me!)
\nOn one team, I can see as clearly as the words on the page the causes of our storms \u2013 staffing changes, work-life balance obstacles, and as ever, our ongoing Sysophisian challenge of figuring out how to effectively communicate with one another. Things are getting done, people are doing their own thing, but there isn\u2019t harmony.
\nOn my other stormy team, there\u2019s distrust, competitive leadership, uncertainty, and complex relationships. It\u2019s also, at times, highly effective. It\u2019s the type of stormy team that when the clouds clear, they can accomplish some beautiful things \u2013 it can\u2019t rain all the time! But it\u2019s spring in Wisconsin, so, yeah, it rains.
\nAre you a member or leader of a stormy team? What\u2019s to be done?<\/p>\n