Reason 9 – Ideas to Try

They Make You Work with People You Can’t Stand

Some key questions to ask yourself and your team.

Basic, really important ones:

1. Have we looked after all of our task issues?

2. Are interpersonal issues really affecting the performance of our team?

3. Do the people involved in these issues want to resolve them?

4. Who can we ask for help?

Interesting ones:

1. Why do people not get along on our team?

2. Are the interpersonal challenges we have caused internally with the team or externally?

3. Are YOU the common denominator in the interpersonal challenges?

4. Do we engage in conflict effectively?

Key points of this reason to hate work teams:

1. If you are working with category 1 interpersonal issues, keep in mind you are in essence learning a new language. It takes practice and your team is accountable for that practice.

2. Most category 2 interpersonal issues will be deeply rooted in some kind of a power dynamic and are complex and personal. Get help.

3. For the rest of the organization, team performance matters more than if the team likes each other.

Discussion and comment points for this post:

1. How have you effectively dealt with a team where interpersonal issues override any other focus?

2. Do you have one good ‘I can’t stand my team mate’ story? Go ahead, VENT! (Names will be edited out, except for the poster’s name)

3. Have you experienced a situation where fixing a task issue has resolved what seemed to be interpersonal issues?

4. What’s your best tip on dealing with style or preference issues?

#teams #teameffectiveness #Teamwork #team #teamdevelopment