When a team is not functioning well or when subcutaneous tensions are felt in a team, it is often tempting to focus on specific events, situations, or individuals. But in reality, these often turn out to be mere symptoms rather than the actual cause. And as we know from medicine, fighting symptoms costs heaps of money and therefore does not remove the cause.
So what then?
One of the first steps we take when dealing with a troubled team environment is to zoom out rather than zoom in.
In fact, there are 4 “unspoken rules” that everyone can sense, but is not always aware of. If one or more of these rules is not functioning properly, it can cause problems in your organisation.
So let’s put on a different set of glasses that allows us to look beneath the surface at what is really going on, instead of just looking at what is visible.
The 4 unwritten systemic rules
What are these rules? What are we looking at?
• Destination
• Place
• Ranking
• Exchange
Destination
This is about the team’s reason for existence and unique contribution. Is the team still connected to its reason for existence? Do team members know what the organisation would miss if they were not here? Can each team member respond positively to the question: why am I here and why do we exist as a team? Do I see how our team contributes to the company and does this excite me? Do I feel commitment and meaning? If yes, this is meaningful, if not, it is urgent time to nurture and clarify this.
An example: in an overheated job market, attracting people on the basis of financial ‘carrots’ and bonuses, without questioning their motivation as to why they believe in the company, backfires in the long run. They then work for the money and not the purpose (destination).
Place
This is about everyone’s position and added value in the team and the organisation, in short, their place. Every place or position in the team must contribute. Everyone wants to be seen in their place and no place should remain unseen. We therefore examine to what extent each spot actually contributes to the team. Is it clear what area of responsibility and action each team member has? Is it clear where my responsibility starts and my colleague’s ends? Or are we all watching the ball as it falls onto a pitch and no one is looking back? Are there colleagues taking up too much or too little space? Or are there colleagues with territorial urges? Are team members aware of their place and position in the organisation?
An example: an organisational chart may still contain the name of an employee who has left the company. This person has been carelessly parted with. As a result, the spot is not really vacant. It may even make it difficult to fill that vacancy.
Ranking
An unofficial, often unspoken ranking exists between team members. This is sometimes related to hierarchy or seniority, but often not. It involves social influence, expertise and service to the team result and people. It is important to recognise who has earned the most respect within the team. The golden rule is: whoever comes in last recognises who and what came before them.
An example: a new employee who has been performing much better since a year and adding value to the bottom line should be appreciated for this.
Exchange
This is about communication and balance between give and take. A healthy team is in a healthy and effective exchange with other teams and team members from other departments. There must be a balance between give and take. A temporary imbalance can be handled, but a chronic imbalance can become problematic. A good team atmosphere can absorb a lot, but eventually the bottom will crack.
The individual never wins over the system. That is why it is important not to swim against the current, but to move with it and gradually make small changes in direction that eventually lead to big, necessary changes.
Not the individual but the system always wins.
