What makes a team a High Performing Team?

A team is more than a group of people who work together. A high performing team is a group of people who share a common vision, goals, metrics and who collaborate, challenge and hold each other accountable to achieve outstanding results. You know a high performing team because the team members have the following:

• Common Vision
  
  • A high performing team shares a strong vision common to all in the team. This vision is what focuses energy and drives interdependence and performance. It is from this vision that mutually agreed upon goals are derived, roles defined and strategies developed. If this vision is not clear, the team will falter.
• Aligned Values
  •  A high performing team is one in which each individuals' values are aligned towards team goals and not individual goals. Without aligned values, it’s difficult for a team of people to work together and achieve top performance.
• Working Relationship & communications
  • This is the lifeblood of the team. Team members feel like they can share their thoughts, opinions and feelings without fear. Listening is considered as important as speaking. Differences are truly valued and if differences lead to conflict, the team is skilled in dealing with it in a way that maintains human dignity. Trust and mutual respect are high. They care and depend on each other.
• Shared Goals, Responsibilities & Accountabilities
  
  • The goals (or deliverables) are clearly defined, accepted, and supported by all team members. No hidden agendas or competing priorities. Shared goals provide the reason for collaboration. Without a common vision and aligned values, there is no way the team will share the goals, responsibilities and accountability.

How much does it cost an organization when a team consisting of high performing/high potential employees cannot perform?

Organizations often find themselves in predicament where high performing, high potential employees are brought together to form a team but still do not achieve any kind of optimal performance, let alone high performance. Far too much time & energy is spent by the individuals on competing with each other rather than working together. This fuels conflict and generates huge management overheads.

As a High Performance Team Coach, you will be able to help organizations build high performing teams that work together collaboratively and aligned to organization goals.