Keep your performers close, get others off your team . . . promptly

Our experiences with COVID-19 have demonstrated something your grandmother probably already told you: A problem ignored is not a problem solved. While procrastination can sometimes be a good thing (e.g., brussels sprouts go bad, and then you don’t have to eat them), it also can set you up for failure, especially in the workplace. Consistently since last March, employment attorneys have heard about problems managers were having with various team members. “I know I should have dealt with this months ago,” one said. Or, “I really wish I had dealt with this before COVID-19 hit,” another added, demonstrating the additional stress and strain poorly functioning teams can have on simply getting the job done.

Ostrich approach

Many managers take the ostrich approach, hoping a problem will simply go away if they don’t pay any attention to it. Unfortunately, problems with teams and how they’re structured rarely magically disappear. We know it can be hard to focus on team structure and dynamics for a variety of reasons: