5 Simple Ways To Build A High Performance Team

High Performance Teams or (HPTs) form the core of every successful organization. They are a group of actively engaged and goal-focused individuals who work collaboratively in a team with shared values and vision to produce exceptional results for the organization. They outperform other teams and are more valuable. Additionally, they are more engaged and highly productive at work.

Also Read: High Performing Teams In Healthcare

But creating a high performance team requires a lot of effort and perseverance. It is not a one-time activity, and they need to be nurtured over time so that they perform consistently.

Here are a few simple tips which will help you build a high performance team!

The Right Team Composition 

This is one of the most crucial steps toward building a high performance team. The correct team composition is instrumental in determining the success of every individual on the team.

HR, recruiters, talent acquisition specialists, and managers play a big role in building the right team. They identify and screen the right talent for the organization and are responsible for creating a diverse culture by selecting a unique mix of people based on their age, sex, race, skills, mindset, and backgrounds. In addition to this, they need to ensure that the team is of the right size.

A recent report by McKinsey&Company indicates that the ideal team size should be somewhere between 6 to 10. When the team is too small, they make incorrect decisions due to a lack of diversity and bandwidth. Also, it becomes a difficult job to choose someone during succession planning. On the other hand, when too many members are on the team, it becomes difficult to coordinate and reduces productivity.

Also Read: 5 Best Tips To Reduce Employee Turnover

Team Dynamics

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” — Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company. 

Putting together a high performance team is not just selecting a group of individuals for the team and wishing that they would perform their best. It is only the first step, and there is much more to that. For the team to collaborate well and work seamlessly like a well-oiled machine, team dynamics is critical.

Team dynamics give direction to the team and influence their performance and behavior. It depends on how well employees interact with each other and work in synergy towards achieving a common goal. Moreover, they should share the same vision, have effective communication, and should be willing to take risks and innovate. A dynamic team will not only make the team more productive but will also keep the employees engaged.

Conflict Management

Conflicts can be quite common among employees when working as a team. When individuals with different values, ideas, and experiences come together to work as a team, then disagreements and differences in opinions are inevitable. It can lead to conflicts. But what separates a high performance team from an average or poor one is the art of handling the conflicts constructively.

Conflicts should be acknowledged and resolved on time tactfully. If not handled correctly, it impacts team performance and reduces overall productivity.

Also Read: Teamwork Challenges Because Of Performance Reviews

Effective Communication

Communication is imperative for the success of a high performance team. For the team to work seamlessly, communication needs to be on time and effective. Managers must foster an environment where everyone is encouraged to interact and communicate with each other. Each employee should feel free to voice their opinions and express their concerns. When everyone communicates freely, there is an exchange of thoughts and ideas that leads to innovation. It helps employees to stay motivated and engaged in their work.

Identify Non-Performers

A high performance team will continue to function as one as long as all its members are performing well. But at times, it is normal for an individual not to do so well and their performance to fall. For managers, it is essential to identify those poor performers on time. If not identified, their performance will have an impact on the team dynamics and bring down the productivity of the team. Managers and leaders can follow a few simple steps to identify poor performers and help them improve their performance.

• Have frequent check-ins with employees to track their performance
• Conduct 360 degree feedback to identify blind spots and gaps
• Share positive or constructive feedback on time
• Motivate and encourage employees with rewards and recognition
• Hear to employee concerns and issues and help them fix it
• Organize knowledge sharing and training sessions for your employees

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