6 Reasons Teams Under-Achieve

Year-End Realities

As 2024 concludes, many organizations are having their year-end meetings.  Unfortunately, some recaps are tough for the leader to deliver and also tough for their teams to hear.  

This is because the annual goals they set forth for themselves were not achieved.  Their organization, team, or department under-achieved. The question then becomes why?

An Under-Achieving Team

Currently, the Minnesota Timberwolves are under-achieving.  If the play-offs started today, the 11-10 Wolves would not be participating.

Recently, the team’s superstar guard Anthony Edwards gave some insight into why in this article saying, “We soft as hell as a team, internally.  Not to the other team, but internally, we soft.  We can’t talk to each other.  Just a bunch of little kids.  Just like we playing with a bunch of little kids.  Everybody, the whole team.  We just can’t talk to each other.  And we’ve got to figure it out, because we can’t go down this road. “I’m trying to get better in that aspect, figure out what the hell to say to get everybody on the same agenda because everybody right now is on different agendas.”

6 Reasons Teams Under-Achieve

From Edwards’ comments, we learn the following 6 Reasons Teams Under-Achieve:

1. Teams under-achieve because of a lack of resilience.

They are easily discouraged or sidetracked.  They do not respond well to unexpected problems.

2. Teams under-achieve because of a lack of communication.

They are not effectively talking to each other… or listening to each other.

3. Teams under-achieve because of a lack of experience.

Maturity is lacking.  Institutional knowledge is not where it should be.

4. Teams under-achieve because of an inability to solve problems.

Plans are easily disrupted.  Solutions are in short supply.

5. Teams under-achieve because of a lack of leadership.

John Maxwell famously said, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.”  We often discuss when leadership causes things to rise.  But sometimes, a lack of quality leadership causes things to fall… and miss expectations.

6. Teams under-achieve because of personal agendas.

The team is made up of individuals who have placed their personal agendas ahead of the team’s goals.

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Brian Dodd

Brian Dodd is the author and content coordinator for Brian Dodd On Leadership. In addition to overseeing this site's content, Brian is Director of New Ministry Partnerships for INJOY Stewardship Solutions where he helps churches develop cultures of generosity. Brian has also authored the critically-acclaimed book The 10 Indispensable Practices Of The 2-Minute Leader.