Eight Attributes of the

High-Performing Team

EIGHT ATTRIBUTES OF THE HIGH‑PERFORMING TEAM

Wilson research has identified eight attributes typically present in teams that perform in the zone of inspiration:

 • Participative leadership ‑ creating an interdependency by empowering, freeing up, and

serving others

• Shared responsibility ‑ establishing an environment in which all team members feel as responsible as the man ager for the performance of the work unit

• Aligned on purpose ‑ having a sense of common purpose about why the team exists and the function it serves

• High communication ‑ creating a climate of trust and open, honest communication

• Future focused ‑ seeing change as an opportunity for growth

• Focused on task ‑ keeping meetings focused on results

• Creative talents ‑ applying individual talents and creativity

• Rapid response ‑ identifying and acting on opportunities

Three Phases of Team Development

Establishing a high performance team is a developmental process. That is, a work unit must go through several phases of growth & change to become a high performance team. Most work units go through three phases, but all groups are not alike. Each passes through the phases at different rates & exhibits different patterns of interactions at each phase. Some indicators of team development, however, transcend these differences. You, as a manager, should consider these indicators, illustrated in the figure below, as you assess your team's development.

Phase 1 : Collection of Individuals

• When people are asked to work together, they initially form, a collection of individuals. This first phase gives individuals the opportunity to form identities within the work unit.

 • Phase 1 teams tend to be individual centered, have individual goals

rather than group goals, do not share responsibility, avoid changes, & do not deal with conflict. Members begin to define their purpose & responsibilities, identify the skills of other members, & to develop norms for working with one another.

Phase 2 : Groups

• In the second developmental phase, work units begin forming groups. Members develop a group identity, define their roles, clarify their purpose & establish norms for working together. However, groups tend to be leader‑centered; the leader provides direction, assign tasks, reviews performance, & is the primary focus of communication.

Phase 3 : Team

• The final phase, & difficult to attain, is that of an actual high‑performance team, a team able to focus energy, respond rapidly to opportunities, & share both responsibilities & rewards. Teams are purpose‑centered; members not only understand the purpose but are committed to it & use the purpose to guide actions & decisions.

Participative leadership‑being committed to high performance

Phase Characteristics Possible Actions

Team: Members help choose tasks, methods, and standards.

Members review process and results.

Members are committed to high performance.

Encourage group decision‑making and consensus.

Reinforce constructive assessment of other group members.

Reinforce commitment and quality results.

High communication‑‑being willing to express Ideas and opinions

Phase Characteristics Possible Actions

Team: Communication among all group members is common.

Members are open to giving and receiving feedback.

Communication is open, empathetic, and' solution‑oriented.

Encourage communication among all group members.

Reinforce members who provide and accept feedback.

Reinforce open problem‑solving communication

Alignment on purpose ‑ having a shared vision which gives work meaning

Phase Characteristics Possible Actions

Team: Members feel personally committed to fulfilling their purpose.

Members reference the purpose in making decisions.

Members see group practices that are consistent with the group's purpose.

Review the group's purpose periodically to update and/or recommit.

Reinforce decisions that support the group's purpose.

Reinforce practices of the consequences for achieving or failing to achieve the group's purpose.

Shared responsibility‑feeling personally responsible for the success of the group

Phase Characteristics Possible Actions

Team: While members have primary areas of responsibility, they assume other roles as well.

Members help each other acquire new skills.

Members benefit from group as well as individual accomplish ments.

Support members in their development of new capabilities.

Reinforce those that help others develop their skills.

Link rewards to both in dividual and group performance.

Future focus - Seeing change as an opportunity for growth

Phase Characteristics Possible Actions

Team: Members focus on long term success, while considering short‑term needs.

Members use innovative and creative approaches to solving problems.

Change is perceived as providing opportunities to explore. new ideas or strategies.

Encourage attempts to balance short‑term and long‑term needs.

Support new ap proaches to solving problems.

Reinforce positive atti tudes toward change.

Task focus‑keeping meetings focused on results

Phase Characteristics Possible Actions

Team: Meetings usually accomplish pre

established objectives.

Members participate in reaching the goals of the meeting.

Members are pre pared for meetings.

Take time to acknowledge group accomplishments.

Reinforce members who keep the group focused on results.

Continue to clarify expectations and re inforce contributions.

Use of creative talent ‑ appreciating and applying individual skills.

Phase Characteristics Possible Actions

Team: Group members balance idea generation and idea evaluation.

Creativity, as well as immediate results, are rewarded.

Group members recog nize and appreciate alternative approaches to problem‑solving.

Encourage members to look for the positive aspects of any idea.

Reinforce the expression of ideas and insights.

Encourage the consideration of individual differences in generating alternatives.

Rapid response‑identifying and acting on opportunities

Phase Characteristics Possible Actions

Team: Group decisions are guided by an agreed upon strategy and process.

Most decisions are achieved through consensus.

Continue to reference the group strategy and process and revise it when necessary.

Reinforce consensus decision making.

Team Composition

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