We are a small company that has never really used the “team” concept before. Historically, everyone has had their little department to protect and promote. Now that we are growing, we need to foster a more united effort. We are getting a lot of resistance and undermining from the leadership staff. How do we shift the culture?

The Team Doc Says…

This is very common in small businesses. A lot of it happens out of necessity unfortunately so that the small business can accomplish its objective — selling stuff and making money.

You don’t say how big this small business is, so it’s tough to say how difficult this will be for you. But you do mention a huge red flag — resistance from leadership.

If the resistance is coming from the owner, you are sunk and might as well forget any type of team initiative. It just won’t happen. If the resistance is from another person on the leadership team, you need to get the owner on board, assess where you are at and develop a plan to move forward.

You’ll be met with resistance all along the way. It’s a normal occurrence in reaction to change — whether the change is perceived as a good thing or not. One of the best books on the market for dealing with change is Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change.

If you decide to move forward, make sure you involve your staff and prepare a communication plan that keeps everyone in the loop.

What do you think they should do reader? Please leave a comment.