When Your Team Goes Behind Your Back: A No-Drama Guide to Getting Back on Track
December 05, 2024
-Karthik Gurumurthy
I just enjoyed reading the HBR article of "When your Team Bypasses you to get things done" by Jenny Fernandez. This is the gist of what was shared.
Ever had someone on your team go over your head to get stuff done? That's what happened to John, a nonprofit exec, when his team member Alex kept running straight to the big boss for feedback instead of coming to him. Talk about awkward - especially when an important partner mentioned changes John hadn't even heard about!
So why do people pull these moves? Usually, it boils down to three things:
- They're confused about who's supposed to do what
- They're not sure what success looks like
- They just want to get things done fast and figure the chain of command is slowing them down
But here's how to fix it without going full drill sergeant:
- First, get everyone singing from the same songbook. Use the "one message, one team" approach - make sure everyone knows the game plan and their part in it. Tools like RACI (that's fancy talk for who's Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) can help clear up who should be doing what.
- Next, make it about the team, not individual rock stars. Set up goals that everyone works toward together - it's harder to go rogue when you're all in the same boat.
- Give props when people do things the right way. A simple "thanks for following the process" during a team meeting can work wonders. John even started a "team player of the month" thing to celebrate folks who played by the rules.
Finally, find that sweet spot between letting people do their thing and keeping structure. Like John did with Alex - he started including them in key conversations while still maintaining the proper chain of command.
Remember, when someone bypasses you, it's actually a chance to make your team stronger. Handle it with empathy and clarity, and you'll end up with a more unified, high-performing crew.
In my corporate career , I have bypassed the chain of command on many occasions, driven by frustration at the sheer incompetence, lethargy, lack of courage/vision and lack of integrity of my immediate bosses. These initiatives worked out well for me and the company. What we must ask first is, why are team members behaving like this? That will uncover a lot of fundamental issues.
Posted by: Vinod | January 02, 2025 at 07:44 AM