Asking your team to reflect on how well things are going and share their feedback is a good idea, right? Well, not if you do it ALL the time, recent research now tells us.
Otte, Konradt and Oldeweme, writing in Small Group Research (Dec2018) looked at teams using team ‘check ins’ – a wizz around the table to gain comments. They found that performance of the group was not maximised by managers who went for ‘quantity’ – you know this boss, the one that ends every meeting with a round of “how did you find it?” while keeping an eye on the clock and the recently arrived sandwiches.
Instead, the research says, managers get best results with fewer, deeper team reflections.
So, take time out and lead a proper discussion. About how the group is functioning, making its decisions, generating its plans. About whether all views are being aired and considered. About how people find the time allocations, agendas and preparatory reading.
How do you get input from your team on how to make your team more effective?