Checklist For High Performing Teams

Why do some teams perform well while others struggle? How can you assess how effectively your team is working now, and identify methods for improvement?

Research shows that 85% of the reasons that teams of people succeed or struggle has more to do with interpersonal issues, than technical competence. But both are needed for effective teamwork.

Below please find a checklist you can use to identify the strengths and development needs of your own team:

1. Clear Goals

It’s very hard to get there if you don’t know where you’re going! And it’s very hard to accomplish your goals if you haven’t made them clear. Make sure there’s no question about your team’s purpose, function and objective.

2. Clear Roles and Responsibilities.

It’s important that roles and responsibilities are clearly specified in order for people to be accountable for accomplishing their part of the team’s tasks. Misunderstandings and conflicts frequently occur when roles and expectations are not clearly defined.

3. Information Sharing.

In order for the team to make the best decisions, each team member needs to be provided with relevant information. High performing teams don’t guard information… they share it freely.

4. Competent Team Members

Competent team members need to be placed in the right position. At times, a highly talented person can be ill placed which can throw off the team functioning. Consider both the competency and placement of each individual team member.

5. Values Diversity

We don’t all work the same way, or have the same styles. This can be a key source for interpersonal conflict. However, when teams learn to value each other’s differences they can leverage each other’s strengths. Team building exercises can help individuals to appreciate diversity and work together more effectively.

6. Creative Problem Solving

When you value diversity of opinion, your team can be more adept at solving problems. How effectively a team can generate new solutions, and focus on the end objective, will largely determine their success.

7. Flexibility

High performing teams check their progress periodically and adjust their course when needed. This is an important element for allowing them to become adept at meeting the goals of their team.

8. Effective Conflict Resolution

How teams resolve their conflicts can make or break them. Effective conflict resolution skills that focus on the task at hand, not the individuals, helps teams move forward and redirect their focus toward positive outcomes.

9. Effective Time Management

How teams structure their meetings, and meet their deadlines, reflects on their effectiveness. Teams that manage their meetings well encourage higher performance and the increased likelihood of accomplishing their objectives.

10. Good morale.

Low turnover and longevity is a benchmark of good morale. A team that successfully values the individual as well as the team has the best likelihood of success.

Five Stages of Team Development

Teams grow and develop at different rates and times.  However, they do all follow fairly predictable stages of maturity in their effort to create team synergy.  Each stage is characterized by unique strengths and weaknesses.  As you review these, ask yourself which stage you think your team is in:

1. Immature Stage:
   The participants of this team have not yet begun to collaborate.  They are still looking to management for direction and operate very cautiously.  This stage is indicative of newly formed teams.  It can also be experienced by more established teams who have experienced a major change in responsibilities and roles.  Usually, most individuals are willing to work together in this stage and feel positive about moving forward, even if they are unsure of their roles and responsibilities.
   
2. Fragmented Stage:
   A fragmented team may experience conflict.  Team members may challenge each other, withhold information or disagree about insignificant things.  Team members will feel frustration and dissatisfied with their ability to accomplish results.  Although conflict and dissatisfaction does occur in this stage, it is a positive sign that people are starting to communicate and taking the first steps toward organizing tasks, roles and responsibilities.
   
3. Cohesive Stage:
   In this stage, team members are now able to discuss feelings, perspectives and reactions openly without constant disagreement.  Relationships among team members have grown stronger and there is a greater appreciation for each team members strengths and differences.  This stage is a critical junction for the tem in terms of moving forward.  While they are not fully collaborating with each other yet, they are much more productive.
   
4. Effective Stage:
   The team is working well together when they get to the effective stage.  In this stage, they enjoy working together and are able to get the job done.  They can openly exchange feelings, facts and accomplishments.  They are basically operating in a "groove" not only in how they relate to each other, but also in how they go about doing their work.
   
5. Synergistic Stage:
   Synergistic teams are discontent with operating "in a groove" and achieve the highest level of productivity.  They are highly developed and interdependent.  They are able to solve problems in a highly creative and productive way.  They can agree to disagree while continuing to work well together to accomplish goals.  There is a great deal of trust and mutual respect.  Team members see the team's goals as just as important (if not more important) than their own needs.
   

If your team is not operating at the synergistic stage, ask yourself what you need to do to enhance interpersonal relationships and goal accomplishment.  You may want to provide team building programs or other resources to strengthen how well your team operates.  Remember that all teams will go through predictable stages of development and you can grow beyond your current point.