Characteristics of a High-Performance Team
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According to Dr. Tyrone Holmes, president of T.A.H. Performance Consultants, a high-performance team is a "group of interdependent individuals who work together in a specific manner to achieve a common objective." High-performance work teams are distinguished by their ability to function at a high level for extended periods of time, in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Teams of this type come in many shapes and sizes, and there is no one team model that is right for every business; however, there are a few foundational characteristics that seem to underpin most high-performance teams.
Diversity
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Effective teams are composed of members with a wide range of skills and experiences from which to draw for support, guidance and motivation. Dynamic teams have members with particular strengths and weaknesses that compliment one another and a variety of personalities to fulfill different roles of leadership, logistics, creative direction and discipline. Effective teams respect and embrace differences of opinion.
Clear Goals and Expectations
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Clear goals and timetables drive high-performance teams, as does a knowledge of professional expectations. To have multiple people work toward a common goal objectives must be clearly understood by all team members, and each person must know exactly what his responsibilities are in relation to the achievement of team objectives. Progress toward goals should be measured at regular intervals to ensure the different elements of the project are progressing together in a timely fashion.
Effective Communication
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Teams rely on effective communication to pool their work efforts. Effective oral and written communication is clear and concise. It is important that each team member feels comfortable speaking her mind about her responsibilities on a project to allow for the expression of creative ideas and to ensure that questions are raised before mistakes are made. Regular group meetings and email should keep everyone up to date on team progress and new developments.
Trust
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Members of high-performance teams trust one another to pull their own weight and get their jobs done to the best of their ability, within the time frames set out. When team members don't trust one another to successfully complete their tasks, time gets wasted monitoring others' working habits, which can take away from other tasks and lead to animosity in the work environment. It is a good idea to give new team members work of greater importance as they get acclimatized to the team and its projects and after they have proved themselves by producing quality work that is less critical to team project goals.
Ownership
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High-performance team members are empowered by a sense of ownership for what the team produces; they feel they have a stake in the success of team projects. Encourage this by asking for the input of team members in the design and development stages of a project or when major decisions are being made. Including team members when setting goals and objects for a project also can be effective in these respects.
References
Writer Bio
Based in Ottawa, Canada, Chris Wolski started writing professionally for non-governmental organizations in 2007. He has written communications material for marketing firms and small businesses, and he has published articles for various websites. Wolski received a national coaching certification in 2001 and a Master of Arts in political science from York University in 2007.