Are “lazy” team members getting on your nerves? Are they really being “lazy” or is there something more to this behaviour?
There are many factors as to why team members may be underperforming. Being aware of and understanding some of these factors can help leaders win small battles in the war against “laziness”.
Here are some tips for effectively managing “lazy” teams.
#1: Be compassionate.
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”
― Brad Meltzer
Giving “lazy” team members the benefit of the doubt is more of a gift to ourselves than it is to the receiver. Through our work with more than 10,000 participants, we know that nobody goes about their day with the intention to be lazy.
People that seem to be less productive may be facing challenges that we do not understand. As leaders, bringing out the best in others starts with having the best intentions for them.
Showing more care towards the person instead of the task can shift the energy and emotions of the individual towards a more positive light, and most likely get more things done in the process.
#2: Ask better questions.
When someone seems to be underperforming, it is so easy for us to wonder what is wrong with them by asking “What is the problem with him/her?”, “Why can’t they do what everyone else is doing?”, “Are they even working?”. These assumptions are often negative and automatic, meaning we do it unconsciously.
Great leaders, on the other hand, would consciously ask better questions. Questions that revolve around the person in need of help. “What is he/her going through right now?”, “What is it like for him/her in this position?”, “How can I get them to open up about their challenges?”.
Asking better questions when managing “lazy teams” has the dual impact of helping the leader develop team members’ thinking as well as build better relationships.
#3: Match communication styles.
Each person is unique and has their own personality. However, there are some patterns in behaviour that can we can leverage on. Patterns in communication for instance can be categorised into what individuals are driven by i.e.: relationships, results, data, or energy.
Combining compassion, conscious questioning, AND leveraging on communication styles can do wonders to fix “lazy” behaviour. Psychology based texts state that people are more prone to like others who behave similarly to themselves.
By paying close attention, one can identify key motivators for the less than stellar team member’s personality and use it as a tool to persuade them into performing better.
Get started.
Like all game-changing skills, it takes time to bring out the best in others and help “lazy” teams do their best. However, don’t overthink it and try to achieve perfection. Just get started with any of these tips and watch improvements happen over time.
D Jungle People’s Maintaining Productivity While Working Remotely programme helps leaders boost remote team performance through a combination of tools, tested concepts, and best practices.
For more information on boosting your team’s performance whether online of offline, call +60378778008 or email : [email protected].
