Characteristics of high-performance teams and how to overcome obstacles when engaged in teamwork
Introduction
A group of people connected because they have a shared goal and a vision for an organization form a team. With a ready team of low and middle-level leaders formed, the group must observe productive teamwork. In order of this to happen, it is good to understand the aspect of team dynamics concerning both teams’ situation and temperament. Several defined models are applied for such a workforce to help them to be high performing teams as well as managing crises effectively (Aldag & Kuzuhara, n.d.). The success of a team is a collective responsibility that dearly depends on each group’s behavior. When an organization builds a capable team, it creates an environment that is effective for everyone. According to Bruce Tuckman, teams tend to go through five stages of development, and the speed depends on the individual skills and the type of leadership available. We also have five dysfunctions of a team described by Lencioni that shoe why teams, even the best ones, always struggle. After assembling ideas from mid-level and lower-level leaders of the organization, the following ideas came up.
Characteristics of high-performance teams
High-performance teams thrive well in a position that the teams can take the right working positions that they are required to take by the senior level management team. The performance is measured by meeting or superseding senior-level leaders’ expectations or the standard of quality, quantity, and timelessness. However, the low and middle-level teams that face performance issues get better and better after working together for an extended period, thereby members enjoying a high level of experience (Sethumadhavan, 2017). There are several characteristics that the top-performing group depicts as follows: defining a task, plan on individual tasks to take, setting the groups, acceptable conduct, and collective focus on the overall achievement.
Individuals first define a task on the course by sharing how they understand it. This helps to make the team come to a common agreement since the team benefits from the clear perspective of the members regarding a given task. It also helps to relay the key issues that would result in problems in handling a task (Sethumadhavan, 2017). Every individual’s opinion of group members is respected, trying to build on the best strategies to fulfill the task. At this moment, the group members find themselves fully oriented to the task.
Another characteristic of a high performing team is being able to assign an individual task to its members. This is a good plan where every member to use personal skills to give input in an assigned role. This is the stage where the differences come in as some members feel uncomfortable about the perceived roles given unto them. It is essential to solving this kind of conflict in a healthy manner (Sethumadhavan, 2017). This means that the members should observe respect carrying open communication other than being aggressive. This is a mature way that brings members to resolve a difference. Therefore, a member can commit to roles shared with them because they are allowed to be part of those deciding on the plan for an individual member’s action.
The members establish cohesive ways on how to conduct themselves while interacting with each other as they proceed to work as one team for any given task. Team members must tolerate differences by developing mutual acceptance of variations within them. Helping each other is highly encouraged to be at par with progress in terms of time frames for a given task. It enhances good interaction in working better with each other (Aldag & Kuzuhara, n.d.). Also, besides becoming free to ask questions where a member finds difficulties, members need to admit their mistakes and acknowledge where they are weak for another to accord the remediated guidance. The comfort-enabled environment that comes forth in the process of the smooth running of interaction among the team members here sets a foundation for the trust of each other.
Near the end of a task, the emphasis is on the collective success of the whole team other than individual member’s success. The teams know how best to operate, enabling it to keep the focus on its task (Wing, 2005). Therefore, each team member holds one another responsible for accomplishing a given job. When this occurs then, a team considerably improves its performance thereby keep thriving
How to overcome obstacles when engaged in teamwork
It is always crucial for team leaders to motivate and encourage the team members to often come together and bring different opinions so that they can enrich collaboration. Every team, at some point, faces differences. (Wing, 2005). The members of the group are to investigate these differences and deal with them in a manner that does not lead to conflicts. Conflicts lead to disagreements and tension among members of a group. For any team to function well, there must be obstacles that it has to overcome. There are several ways in which teams can overcome these obstacles, including having a cohesive communication, establishing a sound and robust leadership, fostering trust, building a working together culture, and keeping the members motivated.
Cohesive communication
When engaged in teamwork, members can connect to their colleagues by establishing good and real communication. Excellent communication is very critical because it leads to a successful collaboration (Cauwelier, 2019). Open communication can be done where people can give their concerns and suggestions, ask questions, and offer help where they can.
Establishing a sound and robust leadership
Some teams may end up not meeting their expectations or the assigned duties. This does not mean that the leader is the problem. Everyone should always be ready to take up in case the leader is not up and step up for them, even if it is unofficially done (Cauwelier, 2019). The leader will then observe it is done and end up serving more effectively. Therefore, if the leaders are not doing well in the team, the members have a duty to step up and lead the way.
Fostering trust
Obstacles in teamwork can also be overcome by fostering trust. This is the most critical measure among all the others. It is essential to trust your team members because it is said to be the real foundation of a capable team (Cauwelier, 2019). For instance, the trust will make you have confidence and assurance that you are working teammate will give their best to achieve better results.
Building a working together culture
When people form a culture of working together, they do a great job. Working together helps members from withholding information. They therefore communicate and make others trust them. For example, if an organization wants to start a project, each department of the organization need to actively participate and collaborate to meet the objectives of the project.
keeping the members motivated
Motivation means that the members will be able to overcome obstacles through the efforts of others. Team leaders have the mandate to keep their members motivated so that they can produce quality work (Cauwelier, 2019). Doing a job enrichment can also act as a form of motivation where workers will be able to acquire new skills and get an opportunity for personal growth. Team members can also motivate each other by sharing information freely with each other.
Conclusion
The low and middle-level leaders showed that it is essential to have skills in team building. They agreed that teams are dynamic and are made for a purpose. The exceptional leaders are those that acknowledge and accept to be team players. Team members’ groups are also expected to complement the skills of each other so that they can achieve a common goal. The teams have learned to trust each other’s opinions even if there are disagreements. Each person’s contribution and input are essential in a group. A high-performance team focuses on the success of each member so that they can achieve results that are beyond their expectations. There are many existing teams, but what differentiates a high performing one from the others is the success. A high-performance team will put some new performance targets and depict a deep sense of purpose that leads to mutual benefit. Creating a capable g and high performing is a continuous process that needs leadership and partnership. Sometimes it can be challenging due to some obstacles, but we can always find ways to overcome them.
References
Aldag, R., & Kuzuhara, L. Creating High-Performance Teams.
Cauwelier, P. (2019). Building high-performance teams through team psychological safety.
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Sethumadhavan, A. (2017). Building High-Performance Teams. Ergonomics In Design: The
Quarterly Of Human Factors Applications, 25(4), 29-29. https://doi.org/10.1177/1064804617726979
Wing, L. (2005). Leadership in high‐performance teams: a model for excellent team
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