In today’s fast-paced business world, high-performing teams are increasingly important. When people pull together to meet organizational goals, not only is a successful outcome more likely, but it also suggests that there is a robust workplace culture underpinning the business. Employees who feel supported are empowered to work in close collaboration.
So, what else makes these teams different from their lower-achieving counterparts? How do they combine their talents to achieve more? A team with a track record of high performance is made up of people who individually have the necessary skill sets and expertise, diverse perspectives, and a strong work ethic. However, high-performing team members also understand the value of working in collaboration with their colleagues and are committed to combining their efforts to achieve the best outcome.
This teamwork philosophy includes a desire to build trust, an appreciation for the different points of view of other members, and a respect for the unique talents that each brings to the collective. High-performing teams have a shared drive to get the job done in the best way possible and are inspired to contribute their skills to reach the goal at hand. They strive to meet and exceed expectations.
Creating such a team is an art. It demands careful thought and planning to seek out the right people, set reasonable ground rules, and give them the proper amount of support and latitude to excel. Keeping in mind that high-performing teams do not all look the same, generally, they share the six qualities below.
1. Develop a sound strategy.
High-performing teams align their goals with organizational priorities. They recognize how their efforts specifically contribute to corporate morale and the importance of that influence. This understanding of the why and how involved in what they are doing enables them to be much more engaged in their work and determined to achieve the intended outcome. They are united by a shared vision and are apt to be more successful.
2. Adapt quickly and easily.
Extraordinary teams tend to comprise innovators and troubleshooters who are comfortable adapting to change and managing difficulties. High-performing groups don’t expect the status quo to remain static. They are prepared for a variety of scenarios, are ready to tackle problems, and mitigate the impact of setbacks. With a characteristic resilience, they can reframe potential roadblocks as opportunities.
3. Adhere to clear roles and responsibilities.
For a team to function well and meet its goals, role clarity is critical. One thing that teams that are highly effective do well is that they agree on well-defined roles and responsibilities for each member of the collective. Typically, this is included in a reference document that the team can turn to for clarification if there is any confusion. This approach keeps everyone accountable and helps the project move forward smoothly.
4. Use clear and respectful communication.
Working closely together towards a common end requires that people treat one another with respect and communicate openly. Expectations must be clearly articulated and feedback given politely. That said, disagreements are a normal fact of life between individuals and can easily arise in collaborative working arrangements. The difference with high-performing teams is that they’re better at navigating and resolving conflicts.
5. Offer and invite input.
High-performing teams have a growth mindset. They know that they will be stronger as a unit the more their members offer and are open to receiving input. Constructive criticism may come from within or outside the group. Whatever the case, these teams appreciate that mistakes are part of the learning process. They know that the ability to come together as a group to examine how to do better leads to both personal and team improvement.
6. Engage in cross-functional collaboration with other teams.
The mark of a team that is highly effective is that they reach out to collaborate with other teams that have different functions in the organization. They understand that opening the lines of communication and encouraging close relationships with other departments or units across mandates serves the business as a whole and the goals of their team. Willingly sharing knowledge, fostering positive relationships, and working together strategically can create a synergy that’s invaluable tomorrow.
In closing
These attributes of high-performing teams support a collaborative workplace culture. And, they have several other desirable traits indicative of a strong culture, namely, trusting and encouraging one another, building good relationships, ownership of decisions, personal accountability, prioritizing deadlines, and giving credit where credit is due.
Bill Malloy 