Creating Unleashing the high performing team.
There’s lots of literature about “creating a high performing team.” The reason I use a different word is because my experience has shown that your high performing team already exists, there’s just stuff that keeps getting in their way. It’s my job to help you clear the obstacles for everyone to perform at their very best, together.
Some of your team stumbling blocks might be:
- Recent changes in strategy, structure or focus that have caused confusion or misunderstanding around organizational goals
- Leaders in new roles who are unclear of how to work with others on the team (role clarity issues)
- A lack of process for decision making, conflict resolution or communication on the team.
- An absence of trust between members.
You get together, confirm the common goal, and try to clarify the roles each team member plays. Sure. That will be your first step, and you’ll get lift-off. But then there’s a misfire. Now you realize that there are some further discussions your team needs to have that are critical to performance, like establishing processes for effective decision making, standards for communication, agreed-upon operating norms, and consensus on how members treat each other to inspire best performance. Addressing and solving these challenges (issues??) is a harder task. An objective and expert facilitator is often able to lay the groundwork more easily and durably.
I have had many people from within and outside of my regional business unit comment on how our culture and team has evolved and changed for the better. It really hit me that this would not have happened without the coaching, direction and support I received from Susan. She truly forced me out of my comfort zone and made me trust difficult decisions that had to be made.
Shifting the performance of teams and groups is notoriously complicated because of the chemistry created by mixing up individual desires, fears, expectations and drive. This chemistry can rocket-launch achievement. It can also blow up. Of the two choices, I would really prefer that your team shoot for the moon.