202109251035 High performing teams

A common term in the current 202104291523 Leadership zeitgeist is "High performing team". What that means exactly is hard to pin down. There are as many definitions as there are managers in the world.

Defining when a team is high performing

• They 202106241525 Synergize. The team works in a way that complements each others efforts.
• The team works on high 202106221146 Leverage projects to compound their returns over time.
• The team has...
  • A common purpose (202108191025 Teams exist for a reason)
  • Clear roles
  • An accepted leadership structure
  • Excellent communication
  • Solid relationships
  • An effective process in place for getting work done well (202104291524 Execution is the priority of team management) and understanding if that work is effective and valuable (202108191029 Measure what you do.
• Participative leadership – using a democratic leadership style that involves and engages team members
• Effective decision-making – using a blend of rational and intuitive decision making methods, depending on that nature of the decision task
• Open and clear communication – ensuring that the team mutually constructs shared meaning, using effective communication methods and channels
• Valued diversity – valuing a diversity of experience and background in team, contributing to a diversity of viewpoints, leading to better decision making and solutions
• Mutual trust – trusting in other team members and trusting in the team as an entity (202112180933 Psychological safety is the top indicator for group performance)
• Managing conflict – dealing with conflict openly and transparently and not allowing grudges to build up and destroy team morale
• Clear goals (202110181203 Be clear about expectations) – goals that are developed using SMART criteria; also each goal must have personal meaning and resonance for each team member, building commitment and engagement
• Defined roles and responsibilities – each team member understands what they must do (and what they must not do) to demonstrate their commitment to the team and to support team success
• Coordinative relationship – the bonds between the team members allow them to seamlessly coordinate their work to achieve both efficiency and effectiveness
• Positive atmosphere – an overall team culture that is open, transparent, positive, future-focused and able to deliver success