Every team tries to achieve their set goals, but they are often beset with barriers that hinders on job performance. Below are some barriers to effective team work.? Conflict- Interpersonal problem could occur between two or more members of a team.
This is because the team is made up of people with different characteristics and ideologies. Some members may like to impose their ideology on the team and this can be a barrier to the team. ? Poor communications- Language difference and accent can be a major barrier to effective team. In my former company where I worked majority of the employees were expats who spoke Russian. The Ghanaian counterparts had a difficult time communicating with the expats because there was no common language for them to communicate in. People from different countries have varied accent when speaking the same language and this could be a barrier to effective team example even though I speak English it is difficult for me to understand a Scottish speaking English.
? Remote team members – The location of the team can be a potential barrier to team’s effectiveness. Different time zones are a possible barrier to effective team. For instance, if I am in a team in Ghana, with someone in Japan the time difference will be a barrier.? Problem behaviour- Waldroop and Butler Harvard Business Review “Managing Away Bad Habits”. (2000) list some type of behaviours that pose as barriers to effective team and this include team members behaving as heroes, meritocrats, bulldozers, pessimist, rebels and home run hitters.? Disagreement – When team members have differences in opinion and find it difficult to come into terms, it can be a barrier to the team’s effectiveness in achieving their goals.
? Trust- when trust and confidentiality in a team is breached it makes it difficult for the team to be effective. ? Personal values – Personal values like religious believes, culture difference, personal preference, Age difference, differences in experience level can become a barrier to effective team work.
