If one horse can pull a cart weighing 6000 lbs, two horses should be able to pull 12,000 lbs – right? Wrong! That team of horses working together can actually pull 18,000 lbs. Three times the load of a single horse. It’s incredible! And with that, we have a powerful representation of the force-multiplying quality that a unified team can have on your organization.
In business, we often make the mistake of assuming that if we hire skilled people, everything will go according to plan. After all, finding those skilled people feels like half the battle! But it seldom goes that way. Just a hint of poor leadership and bad character is all it takes to bring about the kind of disunity that kills your team’s momentum.
A unified and cohesive manufacturing team is rare. The major challenge is that people do not naturally unify themselves. They must be led to do so. Good character and technical skills are great qualities to have, but they aren’t enough. As the Leader of your business, YOU must build and steward this unity within your team.
Here, we’ll delve into the five most common pitfalls that create disunity in manufacturing teams, and how employers can overcome them. Let’s dig in:
1. Breakdowns in Communication
Communication is the lifeblood of any team, and in manufacturing, where precision and coordination are paramount, poor communication can be particularly damaging. When team members are not on the same page, costly errors increase, efficiency plummets, and people feel frustrated. A simple misunderstanding can easily affect the bottom line and lead to time delays that damage customer relationships. More than that, toxic communication, slander, and gossip can have devastating effects on employee morale and company culture.
Solution: Manufacturing Leaders need to create and maintain business systems that promote clear and respectful communication. Regular meetings, documented processes, proven systems, and the use of collaborative tools can help. Encouraging a culture where questions and clarifications are welcomed can prevent small issues from snowballing into all-out chaos. Good communication also promotes integrity, and integrity builds trust. When team members communicate well and trust each other, everyone benefits!
2. Undefined Goals
REAL Manufacturing Leaders wake up every day and make things happen. However, without clearly defined and well-communicated goals, the rest of the team can feel lost and unmotivated. Undefined goals lead to confusion about priorities and expectations, making it difficult for team members to keep the boat headed in the right direction. Don’t let your team be confused. Doing so kills momentum and culture. Whether it’s increased throughput, better machine utilization, delivery or quality metrics—name those goals and create accountability within the team to achieve them.
Solution: Set goals that are specific, measurable, and time-bound. Clearly communicating these goals ensures that everyone understands what they are working towards and why it matters. Regularly reviewing and adjusting these goals as needed keeps the team focused and aligned with the company’s broader objectives.
3. Fear of Conflict
Manufacturing teams need to know when they’re excelling, and when they’re missing the mark. In order to know that, they need clear and consistent feedback from their teammates and their leaders. Without it, team members will neither realize their strengths nor their weaknesses. A lack of feedback leads to poor business performance too, as individuals are unable to learn from their experiences and course-correct when needed. Too often, giving honest feedback when improvement is required is avoided due to a fear of conflict. Make no mistake, you aren’t doing your team or your business any favors by allowing poor performance to go on unchecked.
Solution: Building trust within the team is imperative to overcoming a fear of conflict while allowing for constructive feedback. Conflict itself isn’t inherently bad so long as both parties are committed to resolution and finding the best path forward. In fact, constructive feedback often leads to innovative solutions and workplace improvements. When Leadership addresses issues promptly and with transparency, it models what healthy conflict looks like for the rest of the team.
4. Lack of Accountability
Unity suffers when team members aren’t held accountable for their actions or inactions. When there’s no accountability, responsibilities can be shirked, productivity goes down, and those picking up the slack can feel embittered. This is a culture killer that enables slackers to be slackers and causes good employees to leave. This leads to a decline in business performance as individuals don’t feel compelled to give their best effort. Don’t let a lack of accountability destroy your team.
Solution: Implement regular check-ins between team members and leaders with a structured feedback system. Every team member should be assigned key tasks and goals that pertain specifically to their role. Review their progress against those key tasks and goals to make sure they’re on track. Constructive feedback should be given in a supportive manner, focusing on improvement rather than criticism. Measure and recognize improvements made over time.
5. Unmeasured Performance
What gets measured gets managed. Without measuring progress, you won’t be able to tell if your efforts are paying off, or if you need to alter your course in order to reach the desired destination. Unmeasured progress can lead to a lack of direction and motivation, as team members may not see the fruits of their labor or understand the impact of their work. Without the motivation to make incremental progress toward a shared purpose, unity withers.
Solution: Use performance metrics and data analysis to measure progress on a regular basis. Setting up key performance indicators (KPIs) and dashboards allows teams to track their achievements and identify areas for improvement. Regularly sharing this data with the team during meetings helps keep everyone informed and motivated. Celebrating milestones and successes, no matter how small, can also boost morale and bolster unity within the team.
Other Activities That Build Unity:
To build a unified manufacturing team, employers need to invest in their people and processes. Here are some additional strategies:
- Training and Development: Equip your team with the skills they need to succeed. Leadership and technical instruction can keep everyone up-to-date with the latest technologies and best practices.
- Foster a Positive Culture: A supportive workplace culture encourages collaboration and trust among team members. Define your core values, live them out, and reward those who do the same.
- Empower Your Employees: Give team members the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work. This builds a sense of accountability and trust that fuels progress and keeps employees deeply engaged in their roles.
- Recognize and Reward: Incentivize good behavior. Acknowledge the hard work and achievements of your team. Recognition programs, bonuses, and other incentives can boost morale and motivate employees to go above and beyond.
Tie this back to your hiring strategy and consider how the pitfalls that create disunity in a manufacturing team can be avoided by knowing what to look for in potential candidates. At HireMFGLeaders.com we work hard to understand your exact requirements, values, and existing culture to ensure that you are only presented with hiring options that are compatible with your existing team.
Building a cohesive manufacturing team is hard work, and simply won’t happen without diligent effort and good leadership. When done well: productivity, culture, customer service, creativity, retention, and business performance all improve. Over time, you’ll become increasingly aware of the issues that create disunity, and how to overcome them. By addressing the common pitfalls described above, manufacturing employers can create a unified team that is not only efficient but also committed to excellence. Remember, a cohesive and unified team is the cornerstone of a successful manufacturing operation!
Got questions? Reach out to us at www.hiremfgleaders.com!
