Leading Difficult Teams

Have you ever had to lead a difficult team?

Although some teams can be difficult to lead, it is truly rewarding to see them get to the point where they are ready to take on the world together!

I like to think of difficult teams as character builders. They have often caused me to develop skills that I would not have, had I not been assigned those challenging teams.

If you have a difficult team at the moment, try not to focus on the challenges that come with leading them. Try instead to focus on the opportunity that you have to grow and develop as a leader.

a confused leader scratching her head.

3 Tips for Leading a Difficult Team

 Tip #1 Focus on building relationships with your individual team members. 

As leaders we experience the highest level of success, when we began to see the people we work with as individuals and not just as a group. The stronger our relationships are with our individual team members, the less conflict and issues we will encounter with our teams. If you are currently struggling to lead your team, began focusing on developing your relationships.

A female leader staring at a big pink clock.

 Tip #2 Know that things can get better but understand that it may take time. 

In a perfect world we would be able to build the perfect team quite quickly. In the real world however, this is something that actually takes time and intentionality. We must be willing to put in the time and effort that it takes to develop the team that we desire to have. It will take some work but it’s well worth it.

A drawing of our plan which is a straight path. A second drawing with the reality that there are often many obstacles in our path.

Tip #3 It’s OK to admit that it is hard. 

Leading a difficult team can be a stressful endeavor at times. So if you are experiencing feelings of being frustrated, overwhelmed, annoyed, or any other type of emotion just know that this is normal. Just know that by investing in developing your team’s skillsets (communication skills, conflict resolution skills, etc.) and focusing on building relationships will lead to great rewards.

When you intentionally put in the work and give your team time to grow, then you should reap the rewards.

Remember that once you learn how to master leading a difficult team, that you will mature as a leader. You will also be equipped to deal with difficult teams you may encounter in the future.

Are you feeling overwhelmed and frustrated as a leader? Click here to learn more about ways we can help.

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