How to build that team? Ensure the following are present: a shared mission, autonomy for task completion, interdependence, effective processes for decision-making, conflict management, and ongoing evaluation of team effectiveness.
Surprisingly, some teams can get hung up on the first point: a shared mission. If all team members don’t know the destination, they will take different routes and produce dissimilar products. The mission must be clear, relevant, and achievable.
As a leader, make sure you fashion an environment that creates clear roles on the team. Each member can’t do every task. Trust has to be present….knowing that other members are doing what they need to do, so individual members can focus on just their task.
Interdependence of team members assists with decision-making and conflict management. As members recognize their interdependence on each other to achieve the mission, decision-making becomes more goal focused, rather than “me focused”. Conflict is managed, as interdependent members identify they need to engage in dialogue and set up “win/win” situations to achieve the mission.
Ongoing evaluation of team effectiveness is the most often overlooked or incorrectly managed piece of building a high performance team. To paraphrase, Deming said, “Evaluation is more powerful when focused on the process, rather than the final product”. To ensure you are building a high performing team, evaluate as you go. Get feedback from the team members as they are working together. Appraise the group dynamics, not just each individual member of the group. Evaluate how you get things done, not just what was done.
To learn more about how to practice this understanding, contact Results Group, LLC at www.ResultsGroupLLC.com or 515-330-2866.
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