Creating a high performing team culture

“A team is not a group of people that work together. A team is a group of people that trust each other.” Simon Sinek

Team culture can be deliberately created and cultivated, or it can be the by-product of the team environment. Even if the right people are employed, if there is poor communication, a lack of commitment, or a lack of trust between members, you will not be able to create a great team culture. A high performing team culture can be created by cultivating the right behaviours and competencies in each individual.

Here are 5 ways in which to foster a great culture for a high performing team:

1. Creating a Common Purpose and Shared Objectives

The foundation of a high performing team is a clear purpose, reason to exist. A clear meaning that touches the emotions of the team members. This is the element that is most often missing in many teams who lose their way and effectively fail to deliver. Linked to this is a lack of clear and shared objectives, understanding what they expect to deliver and by when.

2. Each member understands how they contribute to the team’s success

Each member needs to understand their role and responsibilities and how they contribute to the team’s success. By defining each person’s roles and responsibilities this will help prevent confusion over ownership of projects and workflows and will help them to see the bigger picture and understand how their actions impact the team as a whole.

3. They trust and respect each other

Members of high performing teams trust and value each other. They recognise the diversity and different experience levels of the team and respect this by allowing each member to have a voice and valuing the contribution of others.

4. They communicate clearly

Effective communication is crucial. High performing teams set clear expectations and communication channels so that everyone knows how and where to communicate, setting clear boundaries.

5. They celebrate together

High performing teams know that success comes from effective collaboration as part of a team. They celebrate big wins together and take time to recognise and show appreciation for the little wins as well.

Finding the right balance for success

A high performing team isn’t built overnight. The key to a successful team is bringing in a diversity of competencies and skills and nurturing them to develop a culture that promotes respect, trust and collaboration. And once we have the right mix of these elements for a high performing team you can expect great results.

Want to know more about how you can create a high performing team? Drop us an email theteam@xpotential.co.uk or send a direct message to our expert practitioner Steve on LinkedIn.