The Real Reason Your Team Isn’t Performing (And How to Fix It Fast)

There comes a time in every company's life when the structure, responsibilities, and culture that got it to where it is now are not what it needs to move forward.

If you find yourself saying:

"They're not doing their job"

"Why isn't anyone picking up the ball?"

"We're not hitting our targets"

Then, in Dr Seuss' words, you've arrived at the 'waiting place' — where you have a bunch of people waiting. Waiting to be told what to do, waiting to get promoted, maybe even waiting for a redundancy payout. You don't want that. The waiting place is not where magic happens. You need a shake-up.

But what do you do?

There are lots of ways to tackle this and of course, every business is unique and the solution can be sensitive, but if you're brave enough to take action, I've outlined solutions I've used in the past to solve three common issues.

Problem 1: The Culture

If certain team members aren't acting in a way that aligns with your business values or you're finding that everyone is approaching work with conflicting attitudes, then it's time for a culture reset. And the fun part for this solution is that you can use this as an opportunity to bring the team together and get some good old-fashioned team bonding going too.

1. Get everyone together and explain you're hosting a 'culture revamp' workshop.

2. Ask everyone to think of three people who embody the very best of your business and the three characteristics these people share.

3. Have everyone share their three characteristics centrally on post-its (digital or physical).

4. Collate the duplicates and create a consolidated list of positive characteristics.

5. Invite everyone to vote for the three characteristics they believe are most valuable for the team moving forward.

At the end of this exercise, simply count up the votes and you should have three clear culture expectations that reflect the best of your business. And even better, because this was a group effort, your team will already feel invested and supportive of the new revamp. Set the expectation that this is how you expect people to act going forward, put it into your company wiki, share them with new team members, and take action when someone doesn’t align — whether that's a quiet conversation or, in some cases, recognising that a team member may no longer be the right fit for your business, and that's okay.

A quick note: Following writing this article, I stumbled across a post by someone I greatly respect (Dean Leak) who suggests that 'democratising values undermines your entire business performance'. I don't disagree with him — if this isn't run correctly. To do it right, clarify the business vision at the beginning of the session and make it clear that the values are about driving that vision forward. If you have smart people on your team who get it, you'll get the results you need.

Problem 2: The Structure

If the issue lies in team structure — the right people in the wrong roles, or the right roles without the right people — try this exercise:

1. Either alone or with your senior leadership team, ask yourself: "If I were starting this business today, what roles would I need?"

2. Ignore your current team for a moment and focus solely on the roles required to move the business forward.

3. Document these roles and their key responsibilities.

4. Once you're clear, start matching your current team to these roles.

This exercise can bring up some uncomfortable home truths — maybe that loyal employee who has been part of your business for years no longer fits, or perhaps you realise you have gaps in critical areas where new hires are necessary. Whatever information you uncover, this exercise will give you clarity on the team structure you need to achieve today's business vision and identify what actions are needed for growth.

While it may feel uncomfortable in the short term, the long-term benefits are a more aligned, collaborative team ready to hit big goals — not sleepwalk past them. Working in a role that's right for you, surrounded by a bunch of other people who are also in the right roles feels great. If you're willing to be brave and take the actions necessary, your team will thank you!

Problem 3: Burn-Out

If your team is overwhelmed and overworked, you may well have a combination of culture and structure issues at play and will need to look at implementing all three solutions over a period of time. However, here's what I'd recommend you do first:

1. Get crystal clear on what you're trying to achieve in the next 1-3 years. What’s the vision?

2. Review all of the goals/initiatives/projects/actions that are going on in your business right now. What drives revenue? What detracts from it?

3. Collate all of this into a simple, one-pager 'VISION - BUSINESS PRIORITIES - THINGS TO STOP DOING'

4. Then, once you are confident that this is the right path forward for your business, communicate this to all team members. Make it unapologetically clear what you will and won't be doing going forward, and empower them to action this within their own roles and departments.

The key here is doing less to achieve more. Strip back the overwhelming to-do lists and noise, and focus on what truly moves the needle. Just as important — stay disciplined. Don’t let new priorities sneak back in and burden the team again. Keep the focus sharp and the goals simple.

To sum up

Every business will face moments where the team needs a shake-up — it’s a natural part of growth. The key is to take action, no matter how uncomfortable it feels. Whether it’s resetting your culture, realigning your structure, or cutting the noise to fight burnout, these exercises will help you move forward with purpose.

If you’re ready to kickstart this process but want a guiding hand, I can help. Head to my bio and book a kickstart call today ☄️