High Performance Teams Archive

The strength that lies within a team is empowering – together we can accomplish things we could never accomplish by ourselves. A high performing team shares 6 characteristics – trust, respect and clarity of purpose as the team focuses on results, addresses conflict and assumes accountability. If even one characteristic is missing, the team becomes a workgroup—a collection of people who share overhead in the pursuit of individual task accomplishment instead of a team working to achieve a common purpose. Knowing there is full collaboration to a common goal builds the confidence that assures achievement. As with the pride of lions, there is a clear structure with clear expectations for each team member that ensures success of the initiative. Each of us plays a key role…some highly visible, some behind the scenes; some require physical strength while others requiring cunning; some are anticipatory while others are reactive; some are strategic while others are tactical – yet the combined actions of all leads to success…the lions will eat tonight. Then, it is time to look for the next goal. Yesterday’s success was yesterday’s success and as soon as we all clearly see the next goal, the journey begins again. Confidence in the pride’s or team’s interdependence leverages past success and ensures its survival. The power is our ability to operate as one unit, to be one team. Together we are strong, individually we are vulnerable. High performance teams rely heavily on effective team dynamics, which is achieved through team communication, team building and leadership of the team.