The team thinks they have a communication problem. So they invest more in the latest technology to speed things up and collect more information.
The breakdowns in communication, however, are only a symptom of the real problem: What they really have is a human connection problem. The team has no bond, no unity, nor resonance. There are no relationships that matter; but there is alienation and isolation.
People long to belong, and when they can’t figure how to do that, they hide behind electronics. Consequently, the superficial interactions, smart-phone addictions, and email competitions continue. (And somewhere a boss sits confused, wondering why the team is losing.)
Not all teams suffer this way. Some possess members who have guts, people who are willing to step up and say, “It’s not more technology and data we need to perform better together. It’s consistent human cohesiveness, rich relationships that we demand.”
Technology, as an enabler of teamwork, is of little value for people who don’t have good relationships with one another. It can only be an effective servant to those who first care about the person to whom they’re sending the electronic communication.
Enable good people to get to know each other – really know one another – and amazing things happen.
