Teams are the backbone of every successful organization. Yet, managing them effectively can feel like navigating a maze filled with obstacles like disengagement, inefficiency, or outright dysfunction. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. Let’s break down the art of team management—how to build, run, and, when necessary, fix your team—to achieve exceptional results.

Building Teams: Start Right or Struggle Later

The foundation of a high-performing team lies in its design. Too often, leaders inherit teams without questioning their structure, size, or composition and then wonder why performance stagnates. Let’s explore how to construct teams that drive success:

Size Matters

A team that’s too large risks inefficiency; one that’s too small can be overwhelmed. From experience, six members plus a leader often strike the perfect balance. This size fosters personal and professional relationships while allowing agility.

Beware of stretching a leader too thin with 15-20 direct reports—such setups often turn leaders into firefighters, leaving no time for meaningful problem-solving. If your team size doesn’t align with your goals, either break tasks into smaller components or consolidate roles to ensure a manageable workload.

Diverse Composition

Diversity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a proven driver of innovation and problem-solving. Build a team that spans gender, age, functional expertise, and geographic experiences. Diversity enriches perspectives, leading to better solutions.

Leverage your HR partners to recruit effectively. Craft detailed job descriptions, pitch the project’s importance, and onboard new members with care. Onboarding isn’t a task to delegate—team leaders must actively engage in integrating new members into the team’s culture and objectives.

Purpose & Planning

Clearly define the mission, goals, and success metrics from day one. Create opportunities for team members to connect, build trust, and align on objectives. Invest in early team-building activities, provide clarity on KPIs, and create a visual representation of the team’s progress to maintain focus.

Effective teams thrive on open, clear communication. Without it, even the most talented individuals can falter.

Running Teams

Effective teams thrive on open, clear communication. Without it, even the most talented individuals can falter.

Simplify the Flow

Forget the 50-slide PowerPoint decks that leave team members zoning out. Opt for simplicity. Whether through daily stand-ups, weekly virtual check-ins, or physical KPI boards, create spaces where team progress is transparent and discussions are action-oriented.

For example, a CEO I worked with transformed global collaboration by implementing a weekly one-hour call in which all team members presented updates on a single-page document. The result? Clarity, accountability, and progress without unnecessary overhead.

Engage Constantly

Team health isn’t something you monitor passively. Engage regularly with each member, coaching them through challenges and celebrating wins. Frequent, focused interactions ensure alignment and foster trust.

Identify & Address Issues Early

If a team member consistently underperforms or toxic dynamics arise, don’t wait. Early intervention—whether through coaching, reassignment, or even letting someone go—is critical. Unchecked dysfunction spreads quickly, turning high-potential teams into liabilities.

Fixing Teams

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a team struggles. Recognizing when to intervene is a critical leadership skill.

Diagnose the Problem

Is the issue structural? Are the goals unclear, or are the wrong people in the wrong roles? Step back and assess the root causes objectively. If the team’s composition isn’t working, consider rebuilding it entirely.

Develop Emerging Leaders

Spot potential leaders within the team and nurture their growth. Be transparent about their development paths to avoid perceptions of favoritism. Cultivating leadership ensures continuity and motivates team members to aspire for growth.

Recognize Contributions

Not everyone aspires to leadership, and that’s okay. High-performing team members who prefer to stay in execution roles are invaluable. Recognize and reward their contributions to maintain morale and productivity.

Disband When Necessary

Sometimes, the most strategic move is to disband a team after achieving its goals. Actively help team members transition to other key roles within the organization, ensuring their skills are utilized effectively elsewhere.

Final Thoughts

High-performing teams aren’t born; they’re built with intention, nurtured with care, and refined through experience. Whether you’re creating a team from scratch, leading one to success, or addressing dysfunction, remember that the strength of your team determines the strength of your results.

What are your experiences with building, running, or fixing teams? Share your stories or questions—I’d love to hear how you’ve tackled the challenges of team leadership!