Do you know how to build High-Performance Teams?
(Just so you know — if you have the answer to this question, I want to know it too!)
Have you ever been caught up in the whirlwind of wanting high-performing teams? If not, you might not be mingling with the right crowd It’s all leaders talk about, so let’s dive in deeper, shall we?
Companies love surveys, right? They gather data, hoping to find the secret sauce for high performance. Then they force everyone to act on those results. It’s a vicious cycle. Has it produced results? Some?
Let’s chat about this high-performance thing. What does it mean? It’s all about performance, business results, and getting stuff done and done right. Faster and cheaper. A high-performance team? It’s a group of talented folks from different areas, coming together to achieve one big business goal. They’re not just ticking boxes; they’re pushing boundaries and hitting stretch goals. They’re problem solvers, not problem bringers. Cool, huh?
But building such a team isn’t easy. It takes grit, effort, and perseverance. Most people aren’t willing to put in that work. They’d rather do surveys and rant about results, like that will ever solve anything.
Let’s see why this is hard. If you get bored reading this rant, you can skip to the next section.
High Performing Team …
A successful team requires a combination of intense commitment, self-awareness, empathy, clear goals, diverse skills, open and honest communication, strong leadership, collaboration, trust, regular feedback, continuous learning, a positive team culture, flexibility, clear roles and responsibilities, accountability, and recognition of contributions.
To achieve success, team members must be dedicated and committed to the team’s goals, while also being self-aware and empathetic towards their colleagues. Clear goals and expectations should be established, along with diverse skills and strengths among team members to promote better collaboration and problem-solving. Open and honest communication is crucial for building trust and ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Strong leadership and support are essential for providing direction, motivation, and resolving conflicts constructively. Collaboration and trust among team members are necessary for achieving common goals. Regular feedback and recognition of contributions help to motivate team members and encourage continuous improvement. A focus on continuous learning and development is important for staying up to date with new skills and knowledge.
A positive and supportive team culture fosters collaboration, trust, and a shared sense of purpose. Flexibility and adaptability to changing circumstances are also important for success. Clear roles and responsibilities ensure that each team member knows what is expected of them, while accountability and ownership help to ensure that everyone takes responsibility for their actions. Finally, recognition and reward for contributions help to motivate and engage team members, fostering a sense of appreciation and value within the team.
We are discussing humans! We need other humans to invest time in us. We need to feel safe, empowered, heard, and excited. We need to like each other, trust each other, feel stretched, and have a sense of growth and accomplishment. It’s not just about the paycheck; it’s about the passion for results. In addition, none of us are perfect. Relationships aren’t perfect. Money is important, but it’s not everything. So, how do we get better?
Whoosh! That is why it is hard.
What can we do?
Maybe the simple place to start is how you get where you are today. A survey result can be helpful, but you’re here because someone spent time with you throughout your life, school, and career. Some individuals and teams more than others.
Is your team high-performing because of your team chemistry? Is it because of diversity, how you help and challenge each other, while still feeling safe and empowered?
Is your team high-performing in isolation, or because of the organization’s culture? Is it because of the opportunities and challenges you’re solving? Were they always fun, or did someone make them fun? Were they always interesting, or did someone make them interesting?
Do you feel needed? Respected? Are you doing your part to earn respect?
What helps you grow? Manager 1:1s? Skip-level 1:1s? Peer conversations? Do you return energized from cross-team conversations, or feel drained?
Does your management, leadership, or organization put time and effort into making these happen?
Imagine everyone connected. Everyone feels heard. Everyone has clarity.
Everyone is fully transparent with their manager or peers. Everyone knows how to navigate and adjust to the ever-changing nature of business.
And it can be sustained.
Who doesn’t want to extend all boundaries in such an environment?
Could you make an impact on any one of the above items? Where do you define the bar? What is good enough?
Back to metrics!
What would you do? How would you build high-performing teams? Love to hear from you.
Cheers, Amit
Please say hi here or connect with me on LinkedIn!
