One would think that managing a team should not be that difficult, yet in reality there are many challenges. Here are 10 of the challenges I notice and have experience from managing teams.

1. Collaborating is not the norm. If you think about it, education, applying for a job and getting picked to represent your country in sports are all competitive. There are winners and losers.
2. Everyone has a view but not everyone is willing to take action or put in the effort to make the great idea a reality. It’s easier for some people to stand on the sidelines and criticise.
3. Trust is really difficult to earn and even tougher to maintain.
4. Hindsight is a great thing and people and the media are often always wise after the event.
5. People tend to remember the few times you messed up rather than the 99% of the time you did well.
6. People want to have influence but are not always willing to take responsibility for the consequences.
7. You rarely get the opportunity to hand pick your own team and more often than not you have to get by with what you inherit.
8. You have to be willing to delegate, which brings with it risk and insecurity.
9. People have short term memories and sometimes quickly forget what you have done for the team in the past.
10. You are piggy in the middle. By that I mean you have subordinates who have expectations of you as well as superiors. It can feel like a no-win situation at times.

The Bottom Line: Managing a team is both hugely rewarding and hugely demanding.

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1. Not setting clear expectations
2. Not delegating work
3. Failing to provide challenging or motivating work for staff
4. Focusing all of your attention on getting things done without considering the needs of your people
5. Failing to stand back periodically and look for areas where you could improve how you work

Do any of the above apply to you and what else would you add to the list?