An experienced, high-performing team has two new members. After several iterations, team performance dropped. What should the project manager do?

The correct answer is to provide the team with a coaching session. A drop in performance after new members join an experienced team often indicates a need for improved integration, communication, or a refresh on team norms and processes. Coaching can help the team identify the root causes of the performance drop, facilitate better collaboration, and reinforce shared understanding and accountability. Evaluating the two new members (and potentially replacing them) is premature and could be demotivating. While new members might contribute to the change in dynamics, the issue is likely team-wide and requires a supportive, rather than punitive, approach. Allowing the team to self-organize without intervention might not resolve the underlying issues, especially if the team is struggling to adapt to the new dynamics on its own. A coaching session offers targeted support to help the team regain its high performance.