April 30, 2018
The Eight Characteristics of a High Performing Team

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Lots of organizations acknowledge the need to raise the bar for teamwork and collaboration. That's a good thing. The not-so-good thing is that their process for doing so is often vague, insufficient, or confused. Of all the models on teamwork, Idea Champions prefers the one one outlined by Larson and LaFasto in their wonderful book, TEAMWORK: What Must Go Right/What Can Go Wrong.

THE 8 CHARACTERISTICS
1. Clear compelling goal
2. Standards of excellence
3. Competent members
4. Unified commitment
5. Climate of collaboration
6. Results driven structure
7. Principled leadership
8. External support and recognition


MORE ABOUT THE 8 CHARACTERISTICS

1. CLEAR COMPELLING GOAL

-- Understandable to all team members
-- Personally challenging
-- Evokes an inspired purpose for the team
-- Creates a sense of urgency
-- Is specific

2. COMPETENT MEMBERS

-- Have essential skills and abilities
-- Express a strong desire to contribute
-- Are capable of collaborating effectively

3. STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE

Clearly articulated agreements required to meet performance goals, fostered by:

-- High individual expectations
-- Commitment to rigor
-- Consequences for non-performance

4. UNIFIED COMMITMENT

-- Genuine dedication to the team goal
-- Collective, intrinsic motivation
-- Focus on going beyond the call of duty
-- Willingness to pick up the slack for others

5. RESULTS DRIVEN STRUCTURE

-- Clear roles and responsibilities
-- Effective lines of communication
-- Point person identified and functioning
-- Processes and protocols in place
-- Structures appropriate for the team

6. COLLABORATIVE CLIMATE
-- Trust
-- Risk taking
-- Respect for different points of view
-- Proactive sharing of information
-- Fluid and frequent communication
-- Learning from feedback (and mistakes)
-- Going beyond ego & personal agendas

7. PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP

-- Facilitates the process to clarify vision
-- Helps others realize that change is possible
-- Sparks a plan of action to create change
-- Unleashes talents of team members
-- Upholds standards of excellence
-- Able to influence people outside of the team

8. EXTERNAL SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION
-- Team is given resources to get the job done
-- Team efforts are supported by top management
-- Accomplishments are acknowledged
-- Reward and incentive structure is clear

WORKSHOP: Launching Project Teams
WORKSHOP: Team Innovation
WORKSHOP: Big Breakthroughs for Small Business

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at April 30, 2018 08:28 PM

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