“Our Teams Are Not Mature Enough.”

“Our teams are not mature enough.”

I hear this sentence frequently in various shapes and forms…
❌ This team isn’t mature enough to determine their own goals
❌ This team isn’t mature enough to self-select new team members
❌ This team isn’t mature enough to create its ideal way of working

In short, the team isn’t mature enough to handle more autonomy.

Being mature means demonstrating emotional and mental growth, taking responsibility for one’s actions, making thoughtful decisions, and handling challenges with resilience and wisdom (thank you, AI).

Somehow, when a team is called immature, I find it disrespectful. Maybe I’m too sensitive, but it makes me uncomfortable. 😟

Especially when this judgment is given by…
A) someone who barely works with the team
B) someone half the age of the average team member (I’m aware that older doesn’t necessarily mean more mature behavior, but still)
C) someone external who’s only been around for a few weeks

Who are they to label a team as immature? 🤷‍♀️

It’s not uncommon that a team is perceived as immature based on an illusionary phased maturity model by convenient external characteristics. We often ignore that reality is far messier than the linear growth path a maturity model predicts.

Overall, language is a good indicator of an organization’s culture.

In a recent conversation, someone called a team immature, another labeled people as resources, and another colleague suggested comparing teams based on their velocity.

Three red flags in one conversation. 
Three warnings about an organization’s culture.

If language like this is perceived as normal, what other types of behavior are there to expect? 🤔

When I examine the meaning of “immature,” it often refers to a lack of skills, knowledge, and experience. However, this already sounds different to me.

What remains is that teams themselves can determine where they need to improve. Sure, someone outside the team can provide support by asking questions and offering suggestions. Create an environment where teams are encouraged to continuously improve, and give them the support and resources (tools) to do so!

They can handle it. They’re adults and probably also mature enough. 😃

How do you approach conversations around team maturity? What do you look or listen for?