The Marshall's learning team is dealing with certain problems that are causing arguments and friction among team members. The team exhibits the five team dysfunctions: inattention to results, avoidance of accountability, lack of commitment, lack of trust, and fear of conflict. For example, Onyealisi's disregard for other members' perspectives and ridicule of their ideas demonstrates a fear of dealing with confrontation. There is also little acknowledgement of the opposing member's viewpoint, which contributes to unresolved conflict and numerous debates. Members are easily distracted, and there is no longer a motivation to attain the team's goals, resulting in little progress. Each member has a different idea on the functioning of the learning team resulting in a lack of the direction and unclear priorities. The lack of commitment by the members has led to the situation of repeatedly revisiting decisions and discussions, and the team is engaging in a lot of second-guessing. The constant disagreements amongst the members breed the culture of distrust where members are not willing to provide constructive feedback to each other, hesitating to offer help to each other, hold grudges, and form conclusions about the intentions of others without clarifying them first. A dysfunctional team lacks teamwork, encourages mediocrity, and the team cannot perform its roles and responsibilities.
Alternatives
Marshall should clarify the purpose and the goals of the learning team. Each member has a different opinion on the purpose of the team and this breed’s conflict. Clarification of the purpose and goals aligns the team efforts on common objectives and priorities. Shared goals build confidence and improve decision making as well as the ability of the team to adapt to situations. However, Marshall will spend significant time in this process considering the disrespect the members currently have for each other. The lack of trust discourages the members from spending any time together and the second alternative should be encouraging them to do so. Marshall should encourage them to meet outside the work environment to bond together and get to learn more about each other. From such sessions, the members will get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Such knowledge encourages accountability where an individual is willing to flaws and mistakes, can take constructive feedback, and is ready to help the other person. The third option is that Marshall should build an environment which welcomes and appreciates everybody’s opinion about a situation. Currently, individuals do not respect each other’s opinions with some assuming that they are superior to the others. Marshall should create a culture that promotes equality amongst the team, not the idea of a majority over a minority. If the members recognize and acknowledge that they are the same, they will be willing to compromise and appreciate each other’s views and ideas. Such an environment builds teamwork enabling faster decision making, members give each other the benefit of the doubt before forming negative conclusions, and focus time and effort on the critical issues and not politics.
Recommendation
Marshall should go with the first option of clarifying the goal and the purpose of the team. It is crucial that the members have an understanding of the team’s objectives, priorities, and the direction to take. Shared goals improve communication where the members respect each other’s opinions and listen to ideas on attaining the goals. Marshall should adopt the nominal approach to identify this common goal and purpose. The method works by dividing the team into small groups of four to five members, clarifying the purpose of the meeting, and allowing the members time to brainstorm all the possible ideas.
The groups then present the ideas without interruption and criticism, and anonymous voting is carried out to come up with the goals and direction to pursue. It is important to note that there might be some initial resistance, but with further communication and discussion, the learning team will arrive at a shared purpose.
