What are the most powerful ways to build a high-performing team?
I’ve noticed three common mistakes that most product leaders make when building a team.
They pull in typical random heads that need to be micro-managed to perfection, handpick people who are good at what they do individually but micro-manage them without decision-making authority, or employ capable professionals without careful development and nurturing of key traits, behaviors, and best practices.
Would you call that a high-performing team? In no regard.
So, what makes a high-performing team?
High-performing teams:
- Are led by example
- Have clear goals, roles, and responsibilities
- Embrace diversity of thought and wide-ranging skill sets
- Authorize team members with decision-making authority
- Enable ongoing personal and professional development
Put even simpler…
The high-performance expectation in teams goes as far as the organization and leaders create possible blueprints that encourage the team to learn, make mistakes, make decisions, and grow.
Let’s discuss more in-depth how you can get on the road to establishing your high-performing team.
Five Solid Ways to Build a High-Performing Team
Lead by example
You must become a high-performing leader if you want to build a high-performing team. What this means is mastering your strengths and weaknesses. Being self-aware of where you are most efficient and others who are better capable of handling the rest eases the pressure of completing each project alone.
High-performing leaders are intellectually and emotionally capable of communicating a big-picture strategy and vision and simultaneously understanding the details entailed in executing it.
Also, a high-performing leader listens, asks intriguing questions, and is dedicated to making sure that their team is performing at optimal capacity. You have to be vulnerable in building trust and strong alliances.
High-performing teams have clear goals, roles, and responsibilities
High-performing teams operate at a different frequency than others. Every member of the team has a clearly defined purpose and understands their role in achieving them.
Goals are clearly defined, so everyone knows exactly what they need to do and how to get there. It is the responsibility of a team leader to define each person’s role and responsibility properly, thus eliminating unnecessary conflicts and confusion.
Every member of the team has an aligned role and responsibilities. This prevents confusion over project ownership, keeps workflows and deadlines organized, and ensures accountability across the board.
Embrace diversity of thought and skill sets
According to research by Mckinsey, “companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians” and “companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.”
Every high-performance team thrives on diversity, equity, and inclusion of trends. It minimizes blindspots and encourages individuals to challenge existing rules and working principles.
As David Rock, cofounder of the Neuroleadership Institute, and Heidi Grant, a social psychologist, note at the Harvard Business Review, “Working with people who are different from you may challenge your brain to overcome its stale ways of thinking and sharpen its performance.”
If you want your team to challenge the status quo, then employ individuals with diverse backgrounds and skill sets.
Empower team members with decision-making authority
The best teams I have worked with and trained have decision-making authority on necessary products and solutions. Micromanagement only limits the full potential of the team to do all they are capable of.
Decision-making authority increases their confidence and gives them a sense of ownership and accountability.
Casey Anderson puts it this way, in the Small Business Chronicle, “When employees are involved in making decisions, they gain a professional and personal stake in the organization and its overall success. This commitment leads to increased productivity as employees actively participate in various aspects of the company and wish to see their efforts succeed. “
Encourage ongoing personal and professional development
If the team members improve and perform at their best, you’ll also have fewer worries and increased productivity.
A TalentLMS survey revealed that 91% of companies and 81% of employees say up-skilling and re-skilling training boosted work productivity. In comparison, 80% of employees say such training boosted their confidence.
Create a platform of learning for employees, and growth opportunities, and also encourage them to attend conferences and enroll in special training programs.
If you want to recruit (and groom) high-performing teams, you need to invest in learning opportunities for your team.
Create a civilization of learning, and you will reap the benefits.
Let me know in the comments other powerful ways to build a high-performing team. Are you a product leader? What are the challenges you face in building your team up to speed?