Most of us are probably familiar with Bruce Tuckman’s model of team development which includes four stages: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. First published in 1965, it is still widely used today to explain the behavior of teams as they progress from inception to high performance. But what are the characteristics of a high-performance team? What sets a “great” team apart from one that is merely “good”, or one where the team members are still learning how to work effectively with one another?
Howard Guttman identifies the following eight attributes of high-performance teams in his book, Great Business Teams: Cracking the Code for Standout Performance, John Wiley & Sons (2008). These attributes build upon Tuckman’s original work. As you read them, ask yourself “how does my team stack-up?”
- Clear team goals – team members understand the performance goals of the team and how they support the strategic direction of the business overall
- Right team members / players are in place – the team is made up of team members who possess the skills needed to achieve the team’s goals; skill sets are complementary
- Clear roles & responsibilities - each team member understands his/her role on the team as well as the roles and responsbilities of all other team members
- Commitment to winning for the business over self-interest – in our previous blog we discussed how great team players put the success of the team and organization above that of themselves
- Agreed-upon protocols for decision making and conflict resolution – high-performance teams establish clear protocols or ground rules for how they will make decisions and resolve conflict
- Sense of ownership / accountability for business results – team members think like owners or as if they are members of the Board of Directors; they not only hold themselves accountable for results, but also their fellow team members, peers and even the team leader
- Comfort dealing with conflict – team members are comfortable dealing with uncomfortable situations and address conflict in a timely, productive manner without the need for team leader facilitation or guidance
- Periodic self-assessment – high-performance teams take time to assess how they are doing on a regular basis and make adjustments as needed
So, how did you assess your own team against these attributes? Are you functioning as a high-performing team today, or do you have lots of room for improvement? How would your other team members, team leader, customers, or suppliers evaluate you on these attributes?
The goal or desired state for any team should be to function in the manner described by these eight attributes. Taking the time to honestly evaluate (from multiple perspectives) your team performance / behavior in each of these areas is a great way to assess your current strengths and identify key areas to focus on for further team development.
