As a leader, it’s your job to engage, inspire, and empower your team. You have either built a team or inherited one to help you achieve your operational goals. Each team member brings their own unique strengths and expertise. They also bring their own unique communication styles and, honestly, their own unique challenges.
What Are the Main Barriers to Having an Effective Team?
According to management expert Professor David Clutterbuck (2019), when a team isn’t reaching its full potential, the root of the problem usually lies in one of six categories within the “6 Pillars PERILL.” These pillars include purpose and motivation, external or internal processes and systems, relationships, learning processes, or leadership. This model was created to help teams identify what’s working well and which issues need to be addressed.
The 6 Pillars of Highly Effective Teams
1. Purpose and Motivation
What the team is there for and how eager they are to come to work.
2. External Processes and Systems
Listening to stakeholders, balancing their demands, and meeting expectations of the team.
3. Relationships
How the team works together, builds trust, and creates psychological safety.
4. Internal Processes and Systems
The process of good decision-making, reducing risk and duplication of effort, and creating sustainable solutions.
5. Learning Processes
Fostering a culture of continuous improvement while actively leveraging and expanding team strengths.
6. Leadership
The qualities and behaviors that moderate and link all of these factors.
Do You Know Which Barriers Are Affecting Your Team’s Performance?
Most people don’t know—or simply assume they know—what the issues are. This often results in spending a lot of time and energy trying to resolve symptoms rather than addressing the root causes shared by the team.
Pulse Check
Have you ever done an operational assessment with your team? Imagine what could happen if you could identify the real root of the problem. Often, there are clear common denominators affecting your team’s performance.
While each team member has their own way of expressing feelings, concerns, and observations, the underlying root issues are often commonly shared by the team. Identifying those specific issues, receiving actionable recommendations, and removing barriers will pave the way for collective success while improving overall productivity and morale.
Common Themes That Impact Team Effectiveness
Here are some common themes that often arise as barriers to effective teamwork:
- Leadership styles
- Purpose and goals
- Psychological safety
- Processes and systems
- Compensation and recognition
- Workplace culture and diversity
- Learning & career development
- Communication and collaboration
- Roles, responsibilities, and resources
- Clarity of vision and values within the team or organization
The Assessment Process
It is important to have a qualified and objective expert help you identify barriers to your team’s success by conducting a holistic deep dive into the situation. The assessor must quickly build rapport with you and your team so everyone feels safe sharing honest answers. They must also know how to probe for more information and translate findings into an actionable plan.
Where to Start
If you’re reading this, you probably already know that your team has incredible potential—and you want to become a more inspiring, engaging, and empowering leader. First, you need to know your starting point in order to drive measurable results.
An organizational assessment combined with a coaching plan may be right for you if you are a leader who wants to:
- Provide your team members with an outlet to share their thoughts or concerns.
- Learn from these meetings where there is opportunity for improvement along with realistic recommendations for implementation.
The Process
Here’s how the assessment process typically works:
- Consultation/Discovery Call
- Individual or Focus Group Assessment
- Detailed Report (including observations and recommendations)
- Leadership Reflection Exercise
- Suggested Resources
- Collaborative Action Plan (short-term & long-term goals)
- Leadership Coaching (to support change implementation & accountability)
Once you know where to focus your efforts as a leader, your confidence will soar—and your team’s morale and productivity will reach new heights.
Unlock Your Team’s Potential
I can help you unlock your team’s potential! Schedule a discovery call today—let’s get started.
