Rocky Team Dynamics? How to Correct Them Before It’s Too Late

The importance of a stable and harmonious workplace is not to be underestimated. So when your legal department isn’t working well together, it can add stress and reduce productivity. Call a meeting. Often the quickest way to resolve issues is to get them out into the light of day. Give everyone a chance to air their grievances. If they aren’t forthcoming, schedule one-on-one meetings with each member of the team. Uncovering the problem and taking steps to address it is essential.

Open, ongoing dialogue is the hallmark of the most successful organizations. Consider these additional ideas for keeping your team on track and productive.

Reinforce common goals. When teams are not working, it’s often because they have lost sight of their goals. Take time to discuss the firm’s goals and how you can work toward them together.

Establish an environment of trust. People should know they are heard and that their feedback makes a difference.

Prune the grapevine. Insist that people talk out problems with each other rather than just gossiping about it.

Look for the problem. Often discontent arises because of one person. Don’t let a single person poison the entire team.

Have a clear chain of command. If anyone has an issue they can’t resolve on their own, they should know exactly where to go to get it taken care of.

Be a strong leader. Weak leadership can contribute to problems. If you are capable of identifying problems quickly and make tough decisions to resolve them, you become part of the problem.

Insist on respect. Even when people don’t get along, there is no reason that they can’t treat each other with respect.

Don’t tolerate bullies. They create a toxic environment that can cause the whole business to suffer and generate needless drama.

Re-evaluate job duties. Is everyone working to the best of their abilities? You may want to reassign people in a more effective manner.

Get rid of underperformers. Keeping people who are unmotivated or unqualified can damage the morale of those around them.

At Kent Legal, our staffing partners can help you plan and execute an interview process intended to identify the top legal support talent you need. Contact us today to learn more about our legal support recruiting services in Toronto and beyond.

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