People will think of different words when you ask them, ‘what is a high-performing team?’. Some may say committed, skilled and stable. Others may say communication, knowledge, and consistency. But all of the terms above describe a team that is dedicated to what they are doing, cares about what they are doing, and brings a positive attitude to what they’re doing.
Your past experiences
Unfortunately, many employers and employees can find themselves in teams that do not perform well. With few members of the team can be described in the words like ‘committed & skilled’ as above. This is where a good leader can 100% help.
Normally the best leaders use their experiences of being in not so well performing teams to their advantage. Learning from difficult situations, and circumstances, and implementing measures that help to combat these issues.
If you have ever been a leader, or have led a group of people? Have a think about your own experiences. Have you ever been in a team where every morning you sprung out of bed, excited for the day? Did you feel heard, was your team completely open with you? Did your team interact well, and bounce ideas off each other? And did you know that each member of the team had your back?
Alternatively. Have you ever been on a team that drained the positivity from you? Every suggestion was met with ‘hmm, but…’. Many of us have, and this can physically deplete your drive to achieve.
Now think about the differences between these 2 situations, you’ll probably identify it was the leader.
At the heart, is a good leader
To create a high-performing team, first, you need to be a high-performing leader. As people tend to pick up on what is around them. Just the same as smiling at a stranger in the street. 9 times out of 10, if you smile, the other person will smile back. But this also goes for negative energy. So, whatever the leader of a team is like, tends to rub off on the whole team.
A good leader should be able to inspire their team and provide clear objectives and time scales. Plus, be involved, and know what is going on. Simply leading from afar and checking in once a week, just doesn’t work. It’s important to get amongst your team and understand what drives them.
Being involved on a deep level means you will have a clear understanding of the team dynamics. Whether goals need to be adjusted, if there is enough time for people to complete their jobs. Whether there is enough budget and if there are any conflicts within the team. Addressing potential issues early on will ultimately ensure that the team is working efficiently and effectively.
Once the foundations for your leadership style are set and embedded into your team, then you can look towards the values that are needed to create a high-performing team.
Values needed to create a high-performing team
- Excellent communication
- Common purpose
- Clear roles
- Accepted leadership
- Effective processes
- Solid relationships
The ‘High-Performance Team Model’ is taken from Pat Macmillan, the CEO, and Partner of Trixia Partners. Helping businesses to achieve their goals, by looking at their strategy, superior leadership, and exceptional levels of teamwork. Which ultimately has a positive effect on the workplace.
Contact Us
Need more information on how occupational health services can benefit your team and your business? Please get in touch with our team at Acorn. Visit our FAQs page, call us at 01260 277797, or email us at website@acornoh.co.uk
