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Establish Rules for Contentious Team Meetings

Teamwork can be an exhilarating experience. The rush of ideas and the possibility of solving a problem or creating a new product is heady stuff. A fully functioning team is a real powerhouse.

“When working effectively, a team can make better decisions, solve more complex problems and do more to enhance creativity and build skills than individuals working alone,” writes management expert Ken Blanchard in Leading at a Higher Level: Blanchard on leadership and creating high performing organizations.

But a team can also be a font of utter frustration. When underperforming teammates fail to meet deadlines or produce work that is decidedly underwhelming they nullify the advantages of working as a unit. You as a team leader may be forced to take corrective action as a deadline looms and the stakes are high and the pressure is on. Team meetings during this time could be downright ugly.

“Deadline might bring out the worst,” said Joanne, the Pittsburgh consultant. Rather than focus on teammates’ negatives when procedures break down at the 11th hour, focus on the members’ strengths. You will energize them.

“It’s always better that people feel empowered and that we are working with them to determine how we meet the goal,” Sujansky says. The difficult conversations on performance should wait until deadline passes.