A SNAFU and Team Leadership Fundamentals

Unwavering Commitment Needed, Not Quick Fixes

A young doctor, just two months into his career, was tasked with a seemingly straightforward follow-up procedure — removing two tubes left in a patient after surgery. These tubes delivered painkillers deep into the body, and the process was simple: pull out the tubes, clean the wounds, and dress the site.

The SNAFU

The first tube came out without a hitch. But as he pulled the second, something unexpected happened. Blood began spurting from the site — a bright red stream, likely from an artery.

Caught off guard, the young doctor did what he was trained to do — he applied pressure to stop the bleeding. When that didn’t work immediately, he tried some other solutions. Finally, he sought his senior’s help. All the while, blood continued soaking through.

Upon arrival, the senior doctor calmly applied direct, sustained pressure to the wound. After what seemed like an eternity, the bleeding stopped. The senior doctor then applied a pressure dressing to keep it under control.

The doctors speculated on the cause of the issue and thought that the tube may have punctured an artery during surgery. Thanks to a phenomenon called “tamponade,” the blood had been held back — until the tube was removed.

This incident, not the junior doctor’s fault, was a SNAFU: an unexpected complication in a routine process.

And I was the patient.*

The Leadership Parallel

This experience mirrors what I often see in struggling teams. When performance “bleeds”, many leaders react like that junior doctor. While they may know what to do in theory, they often fail in execution by not sticking to the leadership fundamentals long enough to resolve the issues.

I have seen leaders try multiple quick fixes or seek out new, creative solutions (perhaps influenced by the latest trends or pressure from stakeholders). In challenging times, the fundamentals can be easily overlooked.

But often, what teams need is a return to the fundamentals with sustained commitment. Much like the senior doctor in my unforgettable experience, who didn’t rush into complex solutions but applied consistent pressure to stop the bleeding, leaders must ensure that the fundamentals of team effectiveness are in place and properly executed.

The Power of Fundamentals

Just as the senior doctor knew to maintain pressure until the bleeding stopped, no matter how long it takes, effective leaders understand that fundamental solutions require patience and persistence.

Consider some of the team leadership fundamentals:

• Alignment with a shared purpose: don’t just have a purpose or mission, but apply constant pressure to ensure every decision and action aligns with them.
• Ensuring psychological safety and trust: these take time to build but also need constant, intentional daily efforts to maintain.
• Continuous team contracting: clarifying expectations and reinforcing and refining them as the team and situation evolves.

Many teams don’t bother with the above leadership fundamentals. Some teams worked on them but see them as once-and-done. High-performance teams keep working on their fundamentals with sustained commitment!

“The fundamentals in team leadership are not once-and-done items — they require sustained, unwavering commitment and execution!”

Resist the Temptation for Quick Fixes

When your team is underperforming, it can be tempting to look for innovative programs, cutting-edge methodologies, or revolutionary approaches. These might seem more exciting than fundamental leadership principles, and they might even look better in presentations to stakeholders.

But just as my wound needed simple, sustained pressure rather than elaborate solutions, team effectiveness often requires returning to the fundamentals and maintaining them with unwavering commitment. After all, team dysfunction often stems from neglecting the fundamentals or poorly executing them!

What Can Leaders Do

When you find your team underperforming or showing signs of dysfunction, resist the urge to implement complex solutions immediately. Instead,

1. Take time to assess your team’s health, especially in the fundamental areas.
2. Identify which fundamental area(s) need attention.
3. Outline specific steps you and the team must take to improve each identified area.
4. Work on those action steps consistently and persistently.
5. Evaluate regularly and make adjustments to your action steps as needed.
6. Once the situation has improved, identify ways to sustain or continually improve the fundamental areas.

The fundamentals might be unglamorous, but they have real consequences!!

In leadership, as in healthcare, it’s always about the fundamentals. It’s not just about knowing the fundamentals — it’s about executing them with patience, persistence, and unwavering commitment!

What about you and your team?

How is your team’s health in the fundamentals?

What steps could you take to improve your team’s fundamentals?

* Note:  I had a medical emergency recently and was hospitalised. This unexpected event messed with my plans and caused quite some inconveniences. This article was my reflection during my stay in the hospital.