"Nothing is so infectious as example." Francois de La
Rochefoucauld
In conducting team building training and management skills
training all over the world since 1995, I've discovered
there are nine essential ingredients that consistently crop
up in creating high performance teams. Listed below are the
top nine beginning with communication.
High Performance Teams: 9 Things a Leader Can Do To
Energize and Motivate Employees To Extraordinary
Performance:
1) Communication: Open, honest communication between team
members and the team leader about an organization's vision
and clearly defined goals. Not to mention a team leader
needs training in people skills and how to manage people
effectively. Most team leaders are promoted based on their
"hard skills" or technical skills, but it doesn't mean they
can create high performance teams. They must become
effective at communicating, listening and resolving
conflict. And everyone on the team needs training in
conflict resolution and how to be an effective
communicator. Each team member has been raised differently
from childhood in terms of what's acceptable communication.
So training helps to keep the team leader and team members
on the same page. The key is in becoming tactfully direct.
2) High performance teams possess purpose and direction.
They have clearly defined goals, objectives and
responsibilities. When I go into an organization and
conduct team building training, team leaders tell me all
the time how important it is for teams to understand their
roles, expectations, and responsibilities. Team members
want to know what specific goals and objectives they're
being evaluated on. Make sure the performance objectives
are measurable, quantifiable, and in writing for
accountability. Have goals and objectives for the team as a
whole as well as for each team member and include everyone
on these goals. For example, if team members are in sales,
a goal states in writing that each of them are to develop
ten new accounts representing gross sales of at least
$20,000 by December 31 of this year.
3) A key component to high performance teams is active
participation, accountability and sense of ownership on the
team leader's end as well as from the team members. Being a
more powerful leader means being an involved leader.
Participation and ownership also sets a precedent for
what's expected of each team player – teamwork. One
contributor to low team morale is when one or two team
members hide out in the success of the rest of the team.
Everyone else is doing the work. I guarantee you this is
not going unnoticed. Hold everyone to the same high
standards. Start taking progressive disciplinary action if
a team member is not doing his or her job. If you don't
take progressive disciplinary action you'll lose
credibility as a team leader who enables poor performance.
Effective Team Leaders Are Listeners
4) Trust between team members and the team leader.
Effective team leaders are listeners. They solicit feedback
truly be productive if there isn't trust between the team
members and the team leader. Always do and listen to
employees' suggestions and concerns. It's difficult for a
team to be productive if there isn't trust between the team
members and team leader. Always do what you say you are
going to do. That one thing you promise your team that you
can't deliver on will be the one thing they remember. Many
employees don't quit their jobs. They quit their team
leaders and managers.
5) Strong, effective leadership filtering down is essential
to effective team building and creating high performance
teams. A team leader must possess the ability to coach.
Having a "coach mentality" and helping team members to
grow, develop and mature is a necessary skill. It's part of
your job! Don't do everything for your team members
otherwise they never learn to do things themselves. Even if
you're thinking, "Well, if I want it done right I might as
well do it myself." Look at the word "team leader." You are
there to lead.
6) Proper resources, funding and training necessary to get
the job done. Do you have the right people for the job?
Your people are your most important resource. Have they
been properly trained? Do they have the right equipment to
do the job effectively? Training is an important part of
team building and leadership. Employees tell me all the
time they want additional training to sharpen their skills.
They want to be given essential tools that will develop
their skill set. It makes them feel valued and important.
As if their organization is willing to invest in them for
the long term.
7) High performance teams believe in equality and a shared
vision, shared sense of purpose. Everyone has a sense of
inclusion. Everyone treats each other equally, fairly and
objectively. The whole team is included in goals and even
social events.
8) Respect. The team leader has respect for the team. This
boosts the confidence of the team members. They have
respect for each other which leads to increased morale,
productivity and a high performing team.
9) Willingness to share job knowledge, skills, and ideas.
The team leader is the role model. If you're willing to
share knowledge and ideas, you're training your team to do
the same. Better yet, include "willingness to share job
knowledge, skills and ideas" in team members' performance
reviews. If they know they're being evaluated on these
factors, they're more likely to perform.
Another ingredient central to creating high performance
teams: it's imperative that both the team leader and the
team have a positive attitude. As one group of team leaders
told me, "A key element of any successful team is no bad
attitudes allowed!"
----------------------------------------------------
Colleen Kettenhofen is a professional speaker and author
who has presented in 47 states and six countries. She is
co-author of "The Masters of Success," featured on NBC's
Today Show. Popular topics: leadership, management skills,
difficult people, public speaking. For free articles and
e-newsletter visit http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com Colleen is
available for keynotes, breakout sessions and seminars.
(800)323-0683 http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com
No comments:
Post a Comment