We all know that a good team in our company is fundamental both for the productivity of the business and the working environment. Even for the quality of life of the workers. A good teamwork is a means and an end itself. But far from what we all want, it is often not an easy goal to achieve. You need to work really hard on the organization and on each employee to do so. One of the main reasons why it is so difficult to create and maintain a good team is simply because many employees don’t like or find it almost impossible to work in a team. In this post, you will know 7 basic types of bad team-members that will help you to understand why some of the teams are not working well in your organization.

The overrated

This person usually has been recommended by a long list of important people, is the friend of an exceptional manager or simply has worked in large companies. However, it does not mean that he has the quality nor that meets the standards that your company needs. In reality, the ego of this type of workers surpasses any achievement in their shinny curriculum. Usually, these people don’t work well as a team because they feel they are not taken seriously enough and they intimidate others with their apparent capabilities.

The wheeler-dealer

This type of worker is highly skilled in getting to know each team member (particularly their weaknesses, mistakes and problems) and he will try to take advantage of each situation by manipulating each one individually. This kind of manipulator is more concerned with his own benefit than the general situation of the equipment. He will do everything possible to benefit himself in some way, even by putting all the members against each other. For wheeler-dealers, situations of chaos are the most favorable, and they will not hesitate to trigger them.

The sour

They have a tough attitude, not only with their peers, but with customers. You know what they say: the image of a company is its workers and their smiles (well, these workers don’t have it.) They tend to be harmful because they create a bad working environment and can actually reduce your list of clients. These employees arrive every month with complaints from your clients and other team members (even complaints about you), but there are direct complaints from them all the time. They always have a bad face about any suggestion and they tend to be quite pessimistic about changes.

Related: Improving teamwork at your business: the basics, by Jason Hanold

The ghosts

These employees are those who don’t stand out for anything in particular, and it seems as if they want to remain that way: invisible. No one has any idea what their situation is, they are inexpressive and don’t offer any kind of feedback. They are passive and don’t come up with suggestions or ideas: they only look for a boss to obey and thus not leave their bubbles of comfort. They are often absent and no one notices if they are not there.

The condescending

They yes to everything. These people without any trace of assertiveness are fraught with great insecurity, mostly because a deep fear of being fired. Their attitude may seem beneficial to some bosses (especially the authoritarian and manipulative ones). However, they are pretty toxic. They are not able to say no, even if they capabilities are limited. One of their characteristics is that they never ask for help, because they fear to be judged, and it may affect the result of their performance.

The explosive

This type of employee is extremely explosive and tend to express his frequent emotional tantrums in a scandalous and sometimes aggressive way. They struggle to control their anger and often get upset with others. They are usually low self-esteem people who exploit when they feel threatened or vulnerable. They are usually quite paranoid and believe that everyone is plotting against them.

Courtesy of deanoakley at Flickr.com

Courtesy of deanoakley at Flickr.com

 

The bad boss

This is the worst of all and the most difficult to detect because of his high rank. These people are in managerial positions and seem to be untouchable; however, they can prove to be the most detrimental to any kind of teams. Their bad attitude, their lack of ability to delegate, their mistreatment with collaborators could affect the productivity of the team. The big problem is that this type of employees believe that they are above the team and that the rules don’t apply to them.

To improve teamwork, not only talent is required, but also organization and good predisposition. The “we” will always be above the “I”. It is not about enemies, but about comrades who row all to the same direction. No matter the size of the company, the number of employees or the type of task that must be done, it is always possible to work as a team for a common good. To do this, putting aside individualities and encouraging unity is the most intelligent thing you can do to get started. Get to know the members of the work teams, identify if they fit into any of these 7 types and help them to improve their performance.

Teamwork begins with good leadership: become the difference.

Recommended: 5 Ways To Fix Your Dysfunctional Team