From Signal to Action: Deciding What Needs to Change
This is the third post in my "From awkward to aligned" series
You’ve spotted a signal, something awkward, frustrating, or inefficient that keeps cropping up between teams. Now what do we do? Not every instance of this type of friction requires a redesign, but some of them are telling you:
“This part of the system is no longer fit for purpose.”
The aim of this post is to help you determine which signals are worth acting on and how to respond without immediately resorting to a full-blown reorganisation.
First, Ask: Is This Worth Acting On?
You can’t fix everything. However, some awkward patterns clearly indicate team interaction issues that are hindering your progress. Here are some useful indicators:
It’s Repeated and Predictable
“We know this is going to be a problem before we even start.”
If a particular kind of awkwardness shows up sprint after sprint, it’s likely a systemic issue, not a situational hiccup.
It Has a Knock-on Effect
“This one delay affects multiple other teams or initiatives.”
When friction in one place causes slowdowns elsewhere, it’s a sign the structure is amplifying rather than containing the problem.
It Leads to Workarounds
“We built a shadow version to avoid engaging that team.”
When teams bypass official routes to maintain momentum, it’s a strong signal that trust, service design, or expectations need to be rethought.
It Creates Uncertainty or Ambiguity
“We weren’t sure who was responsible, so nothing happened.”
When ownership is unclear, decision-making slows down, and accountability begins to disappear. This is often a sign of missing or misaligned responsibilities.
It Blocks Strategic Progress
“We can’t take on that opportunity until this issue is resolved.”
When team interaction friction limits your ability to act on priorities or pursue new bets or initiatives, it’s probably time to explore some alternatives.
Is It a Root Cause?
Once you’ve identified a signal that’s worth exploring, the next question is: What’s really behind it? Is this a surface-level symptom, or is it an indication of something deeper?
Here are a few ways to sense whether you’re looking at a root cause:
It shows up in multiple places. Different teams feel it, even if they describe it in different ways.
It leads to recurring workarounds. People have adapted in ways that avoid or mask the issue.
It’s upstream of other problems. Fixing it would improve flow or clarity in other parts of the system.
It relates to structure, not just behaviour. It isn’t about how people are interacting, but about how the work is shaped around them.
It reflects a misalignment between how work flows and how teams are structured.
Look for signals that affect many people and point to an underlying cause. These are the ones worth prioritising. Not every awkward moment falls into this grouping, but the ones that do are often your leverage points for meaningful change.
Frame a Focused Response
Once you’ve got a good sense of the tension and its likely cause, resist the urge to "fix the entire org." Start small and aim to frame a focused change that you can test.
A Lightweight Framing Template
Try asking:
What’s the tension we’re seeing? Describe the pattern in plain terms, what’s happening, where, and why it’s awkward.
What’s our working assumption? What do you think the root cause is? (e.g. team fit, unclear ownership, mismatched interaction)
What’s one safe-to-try change we could make? Think small. Adjust responsibilities, experiment with a new way of working, or clarify ownership of a grey area.
What outcome do we expect? Be specific, fewer syncs, faster decisions, more autonomy, clearer handovers.
How will we reflect and adjust? Choose a short timeframe (e.g. 2-3 weeks) to assess what changed and what you learned.
Acting Without Overcorrecting
You don’t need to launch a full transformation program to address awkwardness. In fact, small, deliberate experiments often generate more insight and lead to a greater build-up of momentum than big structural moves. If the experiment works, you can build on it. If it doesn’t, you’ve learned something useful.
And either way, you’ve shown your teams that team interaction problems are worth investigating, not ignoring.
Next up: Acting on Awkwardness
In the next post, we’ll share some practical interventions you can try—small changes to roles, responsibilities, or ways of working that can reduce friction and improve flow.
If you would like help in deciding what to do about the awkward interactions you are noticing in your organization, feel free to connect and DM me.
