The Mental Edge 04 August 2023

Dysfunctional teamwork refers to a situation where a group of individuals (players and/or coaching/support staff) within a club or organisation fail to work effectively together.  The end result often equals poor performances and problems in achieving common goals.  There can be many causes of dysfunctional teamwork with 7 common characteristics that I’ve noted from my work falling into the following categories:

1. Lack of autonomy: We all crave a sense of control, therefore if players are stifled and not given enough autonomy, you’re unlikely to see a player take the initiate and express themselves fully.  As a result, their confidence may be impacted as well as their ability to contain their frustrations. 

2. Ineffective communication: Important information is not communicated well to staff and players.  Information often gets lost or is misunderstood, leading to mistakes and misunderstandings.

3. Leadership inadequacies: If a team, club or organisation lack strong leadership or if the key decision makers fail to guide and support players, confusion can reign.

4. Unclear roles and responsibilities: When players or staff are uncertain about their roles and what is expected of them, it can lead to more confusion, misguided focus and effort.

5. Unaddressed feedback and suggestions: When players or staff suggestions are not considered or acted upon, reduced commitment levels becomes evident.

6. Unresolved conflict: Conflict and disagreements amongst staff and players in sporting environments are very common, especially the higher up the levels you go.  What can lead too poor morale and impact effort levels, as well as causing tension and frustration? It is when these issues aren’t resolved swiftly.

7. Trust issues: If players and staff don’t have full trust in each other, how is it possible to create an open and honest atmosphere? It’s not possible and the blame game and suspicion can take over. 

Addressing dysfunctional teamwork requires decision makers in the club or organisation to take a step back and identify underlying causes.  Then ensure strategies are thought out to improve communication, clarify roles and expectations, build trust, resolve conflicts and foster a positive team culture.