The Results Are In: Poor Communication Number One Reason Teamwork Fails

RL09-10-15In August, we asked our readers to vote on the number one reason teamwork in the workplace fails. And with 29% of the votes, “Poor Communication” was picked as the most destructive force when it comes to working in teams. Coming in at a close second was “Poor Leadership” with 26% of the votes.

The rest of the results ranked as follows:

  • Disengaged team members (18%)
  • Unclear goals/strategies (17%)
  • One-upmanship (5%)

Another 4% of respondents selected “Other” and submitted their own thoughts on the top reasons teamwork fails, including:

  • Lack of trust
  • Everyone likes to talk, but few like to listen
  • Negativity
  • Ideas chosen based on contributors popularity within group
  • Cliques forming within the larger group

Essential Characteristics of Great Teams
Great teamwork is an essential part of successful, productive companies. In a recent Refresh Leadership post, we outlined a few of the key characteristics great teams share, including:

Strong Leadership: A team leader carries the heavy responsibility of ensuring everyone works well together, contributes to overall goals, and stays on task.

Common Goals: Without an agreement on purpose, a team cannot work in unison.

Diversity: Multiple points of view of the same problem can help shed light on potential paths to success.

Trust: Great teamwork hinges on mutual respect.

Check out the full article: 4 Essential Characteristics of a Successful Team

What are some other reasons teamwork fails? Do you have any examples of best practices for building a productive team? Let us know in the comments section below.

Refresh Leadership is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

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