Give two teams the same business idea, the same tools, and the same market. In less than a year, one team is growing fast while the other is stuck, wasting time and money and wondering what went wrong.
This isn’t a rare case – it happens all the time. From startups to big companies, teams with the same chances end up with completely different results. And it’s not a problem with the idea or the market. It’s how the team works. One team makes the most of every advantage. The other team holds itself back. Over time, that gap gets bigger and harder to close. Let’s dig deeper to learn what helps a team grow.
Table of Contents
- What is team growth, and why does it matter?
- What strong teams do right
- What kills team growth
- How to start your growth strategy?
- Conclusion
What is team growth, and why does it matter?
Before we dive into how, let’s understand what team growth means. Team growth does not mean you should hire more people. It means building a team that will bring more revenue and customers. Business success depends on execution, and execution is a team sport. Teams that perform well also stay strong under pressure. In today’s competitive world, team growth is not optional anymore, it’s your key advantage.
Research shows that top-performing teams are 1.9 times more likely to achieve their financial goals than average teams. Such teams operate with less friction, make faster decisions, and learn from experience. The result? Companies that prioritize team growth have more chances to succeed and leave competitors behind.
What strong teams do right
Great teams don’t happen on their own. They work hard to function like a well-oiled machine where everyone supports each other.
- They have a shared mission. Strong teams don’t follow to-do lists blindly. They understand the bigger mission behind their work. Everyone knows not only what they’re doing, but why it matters. This clarity helps them move faster and stay motivated.
- They talk and listen to each other. Good communication means honest, clear conversations. Teams regularly discuss what went well and what could be better, even after successful projects. People are not afraid of asking questions and raising concerns.
- They cultivate trust. It shows up in simple ways – people admit when they’re stuck, give honest feedback, and help without being asked. Automattic (WordPress’s parent company) operates with a “no meeting” culture and shows excellent results.
- They solve problems together. In strong teams, no one looks for a victim to blame when something goes wrong. They don’t see problems as personal failures. They treat them as team challenges and look for long-term solutions.
- Leaders guide, not micromanage. Leaders in strong teams don’t micromanage. They set clear goals, encourage new skills and certifications, such as the MS-102 exam, and trust the team to find the best solutions. The goal is to stay tuned but not overcontrol.
- Wins are noticed. Strong teams take time to say thank you for well-completed tasks. That energy keeps people going. Teams that celebrate even small achievements are motivated and aligned.
- They keep getting better. Good teams are always looking for ways to boost their performance. They take time to see what’s going well, what’s not, and then decide together what changes can improve the situation.
What kills team growth
Unfortunately, there are also enough bad team habits. Here is what you should avoid:
- No one has a clear vision. If your employees don’t know what they’re working toward, they will move in different directions. This greatly affects priorities and motivation because no one knows what really matters.
- Conversations are missing. Sometimes, critical discussions are avoided because they’re uncomfortable or time-consuming. Problems accumulate until they become crises. A lack of dialogue leads to misunderstanding.
- People keep their guard up. When people don’t feel safe to speak up or make mistakes, they spend more time trying not to get in trouble. The absence of psychological safety is one of the biggest problems in teams.
- Excessive control. Micromanagement prevents team growth. When leaders control too tightly, team members don’t think independently and don’t take initiative. The team loses the ability to self-organize and adapt.
- Toxic behaviors are ignored. Occasional interpersonal friction can happen, but strong teams address problems before they escalate. Just one toxic person can drag the whole team down. Over time, morale sinks and good people leave.
- Absence of accountability. It’s easy to miss things without clear roles or follow-through. People may easily avoid responsibility, skip deadlines, and ruin trust when no one knows who’s in charge of what.
- Conflicts remain unresolved. Every team has disagreements, but not all turn them into tension. When conflicts are tolerated, they become the norm and grow. People start avoiding each other, and cooperation suffers.
How to start your growth strategy?
The gap between a strong and struggling team is huge. However, you don’t need a full reset to make progress. Start small, with one step at a time.
Choose one strength to build – something your team could improve right now. If communication is your main issue, introduce regular brainstorm sessions or even after-work meetings. If trust is low, show up with honesty or follow through on a promise. If problem-solving feels like a problem, gather the team to rethink a common issue together.
Pick one weakness to fix. Maybe your team lacks business vision – work together to define what success really looks like for your company. If there’s too much control, introduce delegation practices. If you have noticed toxic behavior, don’t ignore it and deal with it directly.
Conclusion
Team growth is a process that never stops. The best teams win not because they are perfect from the start, but because they keep improving how they work together. In the modern, highly competitive world, you will quickly fall behind if you don’t act. So ask yourself: is your team growing stronger or slipping behind? Start with one small change. Build from there. Because the teams that grow together don’t simply survive – they lead. And in the end, that’s what sets them apart.
