Every manager or small business owner wants a high-performing team that generates innovative ideas and achieves exceptional results. Building a successful team, however, is easier said than done. Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to identify, build, and support high-performance teams within your organization. While it takes some effort, building high-performing teams can greatly benefit your company's performance and productivity. This guide explores high-performance teams, the characteristics that set them apart, and how to develop and empower a high-performing team for success.
What are high-performance teams?
A high-performance team is a group of people who excel at working together to achieve ambitious goals. On a high-performing team, each member contributes their specialized expertise and unique skills to accomplish shared objectives. Team members collaborate effectively and challenge each other to do their best work, consistently exceeding standards and producing high-quality results.
Benefits of building high-performance teams
It might seem obvious, but there are substantial benefits to building high-performance teams within your organization. Working together, these teams can accomplish far more than individual members can on their own. It's a major reason why many companies have begun emphasizing teamwork over individual performance. According to research by Deloitte, 53% of executives say that shifting toward team-based work has significantly improved performance in their organizations.
Other benefits of developing a high-performance team include:
- Increased innovation, as each member contributes unique ideas
- Reduced need for oversight, freeing managers from some of their responsibilities
- Improved morale among team members, who feel challenged and fulfilled in their roles
- Higher levels of efficiency and productivity
Characteristics of a high-performance team
You probably have some idea of what a high-performance team looks like, but knowing some specific characteristics of these teams can be helpful as you start to think about building one. While no team is the same, those that perform at a high level generally share some common attributes.
Alignment on focus, roles, and objectives
High-performance teams are aligned on the purpose of their work, their roles in the team, and the goals they want to accomplish. Each member understands what they can do to support the team's mission. What's more, they use this alignment as motivation to work hard to accomplish shared goals.
"High-performance teams are aligned on the purpose of their work, their roles in the team, and the goals they want to accomplish."
Transparent communication
Team members understand the importance of communication and encourage transparency. No single team member dominates the conversation. Instead, everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas because they know that they'll be treated respectfully.
Consistent feedback
Members of high-functioning teams consistently give each other constructive feedback. They appreciate this feedback because they know it makes them better performers. This feedback enables the team to work toward continuous improvement.
Time management
High-performing teams know what needs to get done, and they prioritize their work to finish urgent tasks first. Team members understand that their productivity affects others on the team, so they don't leave essential tasks to the last minute. They're also quick to offer help to other members working on larger tasks or projects.
Accountability
Each team member understands their role and takes accountability for their work. At the same time, these teams acknowledge that they win or lose together. They celebrate successes and collectively identify opportunities for improvement when things don't go as planned.
Respect and trust
Above all else, team members trust and respect one another. They genuinely value the contributions of each team member and acknowledge others' hard work. They don't micromanage each other or question whether another team member will do their job. This level of trust empowers each person to do their best work and makes them feel comfortable sharing new ideas and thinking outside the box to develop innovative solutions.
How to build a high-performing team
If you want to create a high-performance team, you might consider pairing up all your star employees and letting them get to work. However, this strategy doesn't always work. For various reasons, your top individual performers might not work well together in a team setting. To build a high-performance work team, follow the steps below.
Develop team goals
It's crucial to develop common goals so members know what they're working toward and understand their purpose on the team. While some goals might align with organizational objectives, such as revenue targets, prioritize establishing team-based goals as well. Hold a meeting to set team goals and ask for everyone's input. By engaging team members in this process, they'll feel a greater sense of ownership, motivating them to work hard to achieve the goals you establish together.
Set guidelines for communication
Communication is a critical aspect of building a high-performing team. Set clear guidelines for communication so team members know how to share feedback, contribute ideas, and seek help when needed. You might use different communication channels for different needs, such as a messaging app to share quick updates and a software program to track progress on team projects.
Offer feedback
When you offer regular feedback, you set an example so your team members feel comfortable doing the same. While you should continue to have one-on-one discussions with team members about individual progress, development, and goals, you can also offer collective feedback to the entire team. For example, you might offer feedback about how the team can improve efficiency by streamlining communication. High-performing teams thrive on this feedback, using it as motivation to continue improving.
Reward team successes
Don't forget to reward the team for their successes. This acknowledgment can boost morale and encourage teams to work hard toward goals. It's also essential to prevent burnout among teams. A recent study by Modern Health found that 53% of high performers feel burnt out even though they're enthusiastic about their jobs. By rewarding a high-performance team, you show members that you value their work and appreciate their willingness to go above and beyond.
Provide opportunities for development
High-performing teams want to get better, so offer them opportunities for professional development. Host trainings that align with team goals and priorities. In addition to team training, give individual members tools and resources they can use to strengthen their skills. For example, you may allow time each week for continued learning and upskilling. By providing these opportunities, employees can grow in their roles and become stronger teammates.
Tips for high-performance team management
If you manage a high-performance team, use these tips to provide ongoing support and encouragement:
- Encourage initiative: While high-performing teams work well in collaborative settings, encouraging each member to have autonomy over their own work is important. Allow them to make their own decisions and encourage them to take the initiative to try new ideas or processes.
- Allow team members to learn from each other: On high-performing teams, each member makes valuable contributions based on their skills and knowledge. Allow them to learn from each other by letting each team member share their expertise with the group.
- Handle conflicts quickly: Even on high-performance teams, conflicts can occur. Have a process for addressing conflict and, if necessary, intervene to help members resolve the problem quickly.
High-performing teams can boost performance, productivity, and innovation at your business. Use these tips and strategies to build a successful team and nurture its potential. You'll be amazed at how much teams can accomplish with the right leadership.
More tips on building successful teams:
Building a successful team starts with hiring the right employees. Follow these approaches to recruit, hire, and train successful employees for your organization.
If you have a remote workforce, building a high-performance team is possible, but it may require some extra effort. Check out these tips for remote team-building strategies that actually work.
Once you've built a successful team, you need to retain those high performers. Here's how to keep good employees on your team, even in a competitive job market.
Just because an employee is underperforming, doesn't mean they can't succeed on a team. Use these tips to motivate employees and encourage them to become high performers.
