If a team shows persistent negative behaviors, which action is most appropriate to improve performance?

• A. Making team building a priority
• B. Increasing surveillance without team activities
• C. Assigning blame to individuals
• D. Reducing communication

Answer: (A)

When a team has persistent negative behaviors, the best move is to focus on improving how the team works together. Team-building activities help rebuild trust, open lines of communication, and clarify roles and shared goals. As people interact more effectively, they coordinate better, address conflicts constructively, and feel safe to speak up and support one another, which directly boosts performance over time.

Surveillance without addressing relationships can create fear and reduce psychological safety, making people less willing to share ideas or admit mistakes. Assigning blame to individuals focuses on faults rather than patterns, leaving the underlying teamwork issues unresolved. Reducing communication increases misalignment and hampers coordination, which typically makes performance worse. Emphasizing team-building tackles the relational and process aspects that drive real improvement, setting the stage for sustained better results.