(See our article on Strategic Team Building here)

Creating High Performance Teams

What are high performance teams?

Perhaps one of the most powerful elements of any change program is improved teamwork.  Solid teamwork is essential to organizations attempting to improve overall effectiveness.  Some possible reasons for improved teamwork include:

• Executive teams attempting to increase cross-functional synergy and improve the alignment of operations to the business strategy

• Middle management teams attempting to improve on the day-to-day execution of operations within the company's core processes

• Intact work groups attempting to clarify roles and responsibilities for improved effectiveness

• Virtual teams working across geographic and time-zone boundaries attempting to improve coordination and integration of work activities

High performance teams are teams where each individual member understands the strategic objectives of the business and how the teams' activities are linked to achieving those objectives.  High performance teams are individually and collectively responsible for the team's outputs and for controlling any variability in their work processes.  They are customer focused and share a common value of exceeding customer needs.  They are engaged in the work, and in developing their personal and professional potential.  They typically share in many of the responsibilities traditionally performed by management, and view their contribution to the company with pride and a sense of meaning.

How are high performance teams developed?

While there are many effective training programs available that focus on developing skills for improved teamwork, they often miss the mark of achieving desired outcomes.  Why?  Because they are not anchored in the context of the business' strategic and operational objectives. The best starting point for improving teamwork is for teams to examine the business' objectives, and then to evaluate what barriers and challenges exist to a more effective execution of those objectives.  Improvements in teamwork can then be measured not only through subjectively scored assessment tools, but through an assessment of the direct impact on improved business results.

Our approach begins with an assessment of teamwork effectiveness:

Our approach to improved teamwork begins with an assessment of the organization's strategic objectives coupled with a comprehensive team assessment program that examines current team values and behaviors.  The assessment program includes such assessment tools as:

• Team Effectiveness Profile

• The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

• The FIRO-B

• Conflict Mode Assessment

• 360 Focal Role Assessment

Over the course of several weeks, a series of meetings or workshops are held with the team to bring focus to the how the team is functioning and improving.  Where indicated, teams may develop a roles and responsibilities matrix to improve the clarity of decision-making within and across teams.  They may also work on developing new operating norms and values, or focus on new conflict management behaviors to improve teamwork effectiveness.  They may make operational and organizational changes in order to improve work processes.  All the while, there is a focus on how improved teamwork is affecting improved business results.

Team Effectiveness Profile

The effectiveness of teams can be assessed on several dimensions.

• Intrapersonal:  How do the personalities, values, and personal preferences of individuals on the team influence overall effectiveness?

• Interpersonal:  How do interpersonal dynamics affect things like leadership, conflict resolution, or decision and problem-solving processes?

• Team:  What operating norms and practices are helping or hindering more effective team performance?

Some of the dimensions of team performance we assess include:

• Leadership and Team Governance

• Goal Clarity

• Problem Solving

• Communication

• Decision Making

• Conflict Resolution

• Integration and Coordination of Work

• Team Structure and Composition