How to Prevent a Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly of Your Team

Have you ever heard of an RUD? RUD is an abbreviation used in aerospace for Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly. Or, for simple people like me, an explosion! In the past few years, we have seen RUDs in a number of places including businesses, sports, churches, and, of course, politics! But we have seen RUDs in teams as well. Over the years, our Center consultants and coaches have been involved in a number of instances where there was a “disassembly.” But we have also been involved more often in helping teams avoid such damage and destruction. And yes, it really is preventable.

The past few years placed more pressures on teams than any other time in recent history. We care deeply about teams and believe that when a team is at its best, the vision of the organization will thrive and the team will flourish. Here are 4 ways you can prevent your team from experiencing a Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly, also known as an explosion.

1. Spend as much time on the health of the team as you do on the profitability and productivity of the organization.

Too many teams focus on task alone rather than on tasks and relationships. Similar to your body, a healthy team does not develop without a lot of attention and ongoing effort. So, invest in your team. Stay connected. Create a team that is emotionally safe and make sure you provide them with opportunities and tools that help them get to know, appreciate, and trust one another.

2. Show great caution and care to who is added to the team.

Imagine you have a daughter going out on her first date. As a parent, wouldn’t you wish you could do a background check, hire an investigator, or use an FBI interrogator to screen them? (I know, you are either thinking that is a bit over the top or you have actually done it!) Show the same caution to who you add to your team as you would to who is dating your daughter or son. Every time you add a member to any team, that member can contribute to its health or its disassembly. So, give serious attention to it because each member you add matters – a lot.

3. Be attentive to cracks, conflicts, and resignations within the team, addressing them now rather than later.

Just like your body, your car, or your computer, something will eventually go wrong in every team. It is natural and normal. No team is immune to conflict. But that does not make it any less dangerous and destructive. So, pay careful attention to the warning signs such as fighting, gossiping, undermining, and avoiding, to name a few. And act early when you see them.

4. Model the way for your team by living out the attributes that make teams great.

A team will seldom go farther than its leader. Leaders set the tone for the team and establish the culture for it as well. If you want your team to practice candor, you need to model it. If you want your team to work at listening to one another, do it. If you want everyone to feel safe in team interactions, ensure safety. And if you want your team to talk with transparency, be transparent yourself. Leaders must model the values they espouse and the culture they desire.

In our effort to promote healthy teams, we have put together an in-depth team building retreat that includes individual assessments and team reports.

It is time to go farther together, and we are excited to help you on that journey!

Jay Desko is the CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.