What are high-performance teams?

Most teams can perform assigned tasks. High-performing teams take things further, bringing clear advantages to their parent organizations. Top benefits of high-performance teams include:

Managers of high-performance teams know that their people will get the job done without the need for constant supervision or micromanaging. Team members are autonomous and resourceful enough to deal with issues as they arise, so managers can focus more of their energies on strategic pursuits.

High-performance teams are made up of highly-engaged employees. These operators understand their goals and are emotionally committed to the success of the company—beyond simply earning a paycheck. With a clear focus and drive towards success, high-performance teams require little, if any, external motivation.

High-performance teams are made up of exceptional individuals, but where those individuals truly shine is in their synergy. These teams understand their own strengths and weaknesses, and work together in such a way that supports one another to achieve success.

Being fully self-motivated and able to depend on their team members allows high-performance teams to accomplish more in less time. These teams set a gold standard in productivity, unhampered by conflict or performance issues.

As a natural result of the above benefits, high-performance teams bring in significantly more revenue. At the same time, the reduced need for conflict-resolution and course-correction results in fewer management-related expenses. Together, these factors mean a greater return on the investments that go into forming and provisioning teams.

Communication is central to success. High-performance team members are fully transparent in exchanging knowledge, ideas, and constructive feedback. Vital information is disseminated following a specific, established process. Conflict is addressed and resolved quickly before it can negatively impact productivity or quality of work.

High-performance teams are extremely well organized. Strategies are clearly laid out along with individual and team goals, and progress is measured using quantifiable metrics. Meetings are intentional and action-oriented and allow every member to work together to participate in making key decisions.

Roles within top teams are fully defined, as are expectations related to performance and accountability. Every team member has a complete grasp of their individual objectives, the company goals, and how each relates to the other.

High-performance team members are not only more likely to receive appreciation; they are also much more likely to show it for others. Teams recognize greatness in their coworkers and are quick to celebrate it.

Emotional maturity is a factor in improved team performance. High-performance team members share positive emotions openly, but also share negative ones. This authenticity allows them to express their emotions in a healthy and appropriate way rather than using cognitive resources to suppress them.

High-performance team members are not content with what they already know; they demand ongoing development to continually enhance and improve upon their skill sets. They seek out learning opportunities that benefit their teams and companies.

Most teams can perform adequately when everything goes according to plan. It is when emergent situations force teams into uncharted territory that high-performance teams really begin to shine. High-performance teams are extremely adaptable, capable of pivoting quickly to address new issues or demands without a drop in productivity.

Although there will always be times of frustration where negative emotions must be addressed, high-performance teams generally have high morale and a positive outlook. They are prepared to deal with any problems they might encounter, so they do not let anxiety stand in the way of success.

Finally, high-performance teams depend on strong leaders. While every member of the team is personally motivated without being micromanaged, leaders are vital to success in that they help define goals, provide an environment conducive to collaboration, and demonstrate a clear example by participating in positive company culture. When guidance is needed, leaders are there to help their teams improve.

High-performance team members can come from diverse social, economic, and cultural backgrounds, but within the team itself they tend to take on roles consistent with the following types:

Offering new ideas and innovative solutions to problems, creatives are the outside-the-box thinkers that provide a spark of inventiveness.

Go-getters are laser focused on achieving results and can be considered the ‘workhorses’ of high-performance teams.

Facilitators establish the necessary processes and systems to promote efficiency and organization within the team.

Highly analytical and capable of working through complex issues to find solutions, thinkers are extremely intelligent and direct their intellect towards team success.

Team promoters are the ones who act as liaisons between the team and external support resources. They excel at communicating and networking and are clearly focused on big-picture objectives.