How to Build High Performing Teams
Edwin Moindi
Founder @ Moindi Consulting | Project Excellence | Change Catalyst | Author | Keynote Speaker | Habit Coach – Transforming Leaders & Organizations for Impact
By nature, teams are formed for a specific purpose. Some are exceptional, some average and many mediocre. This article seeks to underline what fuels a high performing team.
Autonomy
High performing teams perform better because they are allowed to define their own rules of engagement. It helps when the team is nimble and every team member has the choice on whether to be in the team or not. In many ‘teams’ free choice is not given, people are forced into groups with people they don’t like or trust.
High performing teams have social bonds that extend beyond their work. They have taken time to build rapport and empathy for each other. They respect each other and keenly understand each other’s individual strengths and weaknesses. They know together they are a force of nature.
Daunting challenge
Teams thrive when they are presented with a daunting challenge. This can instantly solidify the purpose of their existence. Teams that have nothing to drive their survival end up broken or mediocre. Organizations with high performing teams understand that clear performance standards do a better job in galvanizing a team than team building workshops. Performance standards should be inspirational and daunting rather than purely monetary and mundane.
Glue person
The bonds that keep together a team have to be reinforced by a person who attends to the individual needs of the team members. The ‘glue’ person will sell the vision, and articulate it come rain or sun. This person is especially needed in teams that are involved in complex group tasks. This person ensures that the standards of the team are maintained.
Team norms
The team norms differentiate one team from another. What one team envisions and how they execute may be different from another. Their purpose, goals, skills, approach to work and accountability are essential ingredients. If not purposefully curated then the team may fail to gel.
Open communication
High performing teams have their expectations and norms set explicitly and under performance by team members is confronted promptly. Openness can be a delicate emotionally charged affair. Low quality decisions are made by teams that skirt around the main issues, failing to tackle a matter decisively. On the other hand, too much disagreement can fray the bonds in a team. The balance requires the team members to be astute at navigating conflict, and emotional static that may interfere with ability to plan, decide and learn together.
Debate needs to be free from hard feelings, in a spirit of mutual growth, free and fair to all concerned.
Team leadership
The team leader may be the glue person or another that articulates a compelling vision that serves as a guiding force. She provides coordination which guarantees cooperation and consensus among the team members.
Diverse sets of talents
To do something innovative, it is important to have people from a diverse set of background. They give different perspectives to the same challenge, and thus different routes to finding the best solution. Part of this diversity is to do with how people relate, and combine effort to achieve a goal. The diversity of complementary skills and experience always exceeds those of any one exceptional individual.
Behavioral change
High performing teams are astute at learning and adapting. Why? Because change occurs more readily in a team context. The collective commitment pushes the individual members to seek to rise to the expectations of the team. This drives a perpetual system of small incremental change that over time is a great accomplishment. It is common to discover that team members have advanced greatly in skill and ability after joining a high performing team.
Commitment
High performance teams are rare because the commitment displayed between team members to each other sets them apart. Commitment is a choice and cannot be managed or directed. It requires one to be willing to love and care for others. This emotional connection leads to openness and trust. Exceptional teams believe they can count on each other. They show selfless collaboration, a willingness to help in another people’s work.
Fun, Passion and Focus.
There is a joy in being part of a group of people who desire to achieve a daunting task, its not just the emotional pay off that one will be attracted to but the focus and fun that goes along with it. In the end we all wish to impact our environment. And what better way to do this than be part of a high performing team.