A Mini Case Study
Consider this situation:
From the minute the team for a major internal project was announced, several of the members were overheard telling their colleagues that they didn’t understand why they needed to be involved in this initiative. They wanted to continue to work alone, as they have been doing for many years. Some of the prospective team members were concerned they would no longer have any autonomy. Others were concerned that they would be spending so much time in meetings that things would never get done and they would have to work overtime. Yet others were concerned that they would not receive recognition for their efforts and would get “lost” in the team.
After the team was formed, it met for a few months without addressing any of these issues. “Gossip” is picking up. The team performance is not effective.
- What are the primary reasons for the team feeling as they are?
- What should be done at this point?
- What should have been done from day one when these issues surfaced?
Part II will share some ways to address this situation and avoid it in the future.
