Strategies for Building a High Performing Team

Building a high-performing team is complex. It requires patience, learning, training,  trial and error, and encouragement. This blog consolidates a wealth of information that supports your pursuit of excellence.  Laying out a clear vision of the team’s goal, and inspiring its members to achieve it, is fundamental to the team’s success.

Characteristics of a High-Performing Team

A team’s excellence stands out to others and to its members.

• Each member of the team is solidly committed to its purpose, each other, and its customers.
• Talents are complementary, with each member’s unique skills adding to group strength.
• High performance expectations are made of each team member.
• The team keeps each other accountable for their responsibilities.
• Members share mutual trust.
• They routinely exchange information and ideas.
• The team genuinely enjoys its work.

Use These Strategies to Build Performance

You can use lessons from high-performing teams to select strategies that boost a team’s function.

• Adopt a coaching style of leadership that encourages innovation as it supports each member’s unique skills and contributions.
• The leader should run interference to assure that external influences do not impede the team’s work.
• Select highly motivated, talented team members—doing so increases performance.
• Offer incentives to encourage individual and group performance. These can include monetary and skill development options as external motivators.
• Encourage morale and internal motivation by supporting innovation, risk-taking, and open sharing of vison and ideas.
• Use open communication to manage conflict.
• Engage the team in shared decision-making to foster communication and cooperation.
• Take time outs to assess progress without judgment.
• Have the team identify ways to celebrate success.

Team Development Indicators

Watch for these indicators of your team’s increasing performance.

• Team members resolve conflicts independently.
• Individuals cheer each other on and readily share talents and information.
• Group performance meetings are interactive.
• Your leadership role shifts as the group leads itself.

Click here to learn about our high-performing team leaders.