Here’s What You Don’t Know About Teamwork That Could Help Prevent Burnout

Burnout has favorites, and it takes residence in toxic cultures. A study published in June 2022 showed that a surge in teamwork quality leads to reduced emotional exhaustion and depersonalization while simultaneously increasing professional accomplishment. All fantastic news for preventing burnout and creating healthy work environments. But where do you get started? 

I touched base with Liane Davey, the "teamwork doctor." Through her global work, she has developed a unique perspective on the challenges that teams face — and how to solve them. She's also a New York Times bestselling author of You First: Inspire Your Team to Grow Up, Get Along, and Get Stuff Done. We discussed subtle signs associated with key teamwork problems, inspiring and connecting global teams, bringing teams together after an acquisition and more. I hope you'll uncover insights to improve teamwork and help prevent burnout. 

Rachel Montañez: In your experience, what do most people think of when working on teamwork skills?

Liane Davey: When it comes to teamwork skills (different from mindsets or behaviors), people tend to think of communication skills first. Half of the communication equation is whether a person can effectively articulate a point of view. The other half is about whether they can listen and understand someone else's point of view. Beyond communicating, collaboration skills are also critical to teamwork. Collaboration moves beyond simply conveying information between people toward creating value together. 

Montañez: You often say that two big problems emerge when a team is poorly led: the team failing and the team falling into an unhealthy interpersonal dynamic eroding trust and engagement. What are then some subtle signs of those problems? 

Davey: The subtle signs that alignment is suffering come from unclear priorities (often in the form of too many priorities), unclear or overlapping roles, or inability or unwillingness to make decisions. Generally, if it's the same issues coming up over and over, that's a failure to get aligned. The subtle signs that the dynamic is suffering come in the form of poor listening, personal attacks or gossip and side conversations emerging. 

Montañez: How do you suggest managers navigate social loafing in teams? 

Davey: Make it a priority to check in with people. When you have clear goals and measures of success, the lack of contribution becomes obvious. The first response should be to check that you had set expectations clearly. Next, ask the person to reiterate what's expected of them, so you know that they're aligned. If they understand what's expected and fail to deliver, the next step is to gauge whether or not there's a skill or resource gap. If you've addressed those possibilities, the next is to look at their motivation. 

Montañez: What would you say is essential when seeking to inspire a team?

Davey: Inspiration comes from making meaningful contributions to something worth doing. If you're trying to inspire a team, focus on both halves of that equation. Something worth doing is about understanding your link to the customer and to the purpose of the organization. 

The second half is making it clear that the individual's efforts are leading to something. Then, as a manager, help your team members connect their role to the organization's purpose, give clear goals and acknowledge what they accomplish and how that makes a difference. If you focus on those two positives and then remove the friction from barriers, obstacles and wastes of time, you'll notice people feeling much more energized about a day's work. 

Montañez: How are you seeing companies strengthening connections across global teams? 

Davey: I haven't seen anything that makes me feel like a company has cracked the challenge. Sure, there are lots of Zoom meetings, but that can only go so far in helping humans feel connected. One technique that I have seen referenced is called a communication burst. In a burst, teammates from around the world and in different time zones set aside a block of time (maybe 2-3 hours) where they all agree to work independently. During that time, if anyone needs to confer with a colleague or needs a quick response, they know they'll have access to that person immediately. It seems to help with the frustration of waiting hours and only connecting via email with teammates worldwide. 

Montañez: We are in a time where many companies have recently gone through acquisitions. What are some good ways to bring teams together after a big acquisition?

Davey: What's interesting about acquisitions is that they trigger a "them and us" response, which is baked into us as humans. As long as the framing is them and us (or even us versus them), the new team will struggle to get traction. Rather than fighting it, I use an exercise where colleagues start to see other versions of them and us that cut across the legacy organizations. For example, bring together all the people from the corporate functions of both organizations. They will feel a strong sense of connection as enablers who sometimes feel they don't get the respect they deserve. Or bring together everyone in a given city or region and forge a sense of identity for that group. Rather than fighting against them and us, start to sew together new groups and communities that cross the old organizational structures. 

As you continue to create a safe, secure and thriving workplace, seek out trusted and experienced support to help move employees from burnout to career fulfillment. Burnout can be prevented.

This article was first published on Forbes.com.