Characteristics of Highly Effective Teams



A team is a group of people who come together in order to collaborate on a task that they are accountable for as a unit. A high performance team is not just a collection of people thrown together for administrative convenience. However, its definition may sound simple, but learning how to make a team function effectively is a common dilemma for managers. Building a high performance team is no easy feat, and effective management methods frown upon wasted time. In fact, many hours are spent on team meetings only to realize that nobody is clear on what they must do, and little or nothing is accomplished. But there are ways to make sure that a team meeting is productive, leading to building effective teams.

Significant, impressive accomplishments that have a major impact in a company, a community, or the entire world can only be achieved by the combined efforts of a group of people. In order to become a highly effective team, you must learn about the most important characteristics of one. A close examination of these characteristics can provide vital information and can help management authorities better understand the factors that play a major role in effective teamwork.

The first factor in building an effective team is to understand the “big picture.” The big picture focuses on the specific roles and decision making authority of each team member, and how one member’s work affects the other members and the organization as a whole. Too many cases exist in which an employee mindlessly completes a part of a project without ever knowing what his or her efforts were for, or what the desired result was.

CEOs describe the need for all team members to move easily from advocating for the needs of their program or functional area, to finding solutions or creating strategies that best serve the whole organization. As a result there is collaboration, increased commitment and improved quality.

One of the other important characteristics of a highly effective team is having a common goal. Effective high performance teams have a common and meaningful purpose that provides direction and momentum for the team itself, and commitment from its members. It is important to note that the goals of the team are related to the goals of the company overall. Goals in the workplace run on three levels: individual/personal, departmental/managerial, and company-wide. In a team, the needs of several individuals come together to create common goals. These goals, regardless of the level of employment, are connected. In a company environment, the goals of the individual and the department are a reflection of what the business’s overall long-term goals are.

Translating a team’s common purpose into clear, measurable, and realistic performance goals give the team a greater opportunity for success. The team members must share a sense of purpose and common goals, and each team member must be willing to work to achieve these goals.

Working collaboratively, as a unit, also makes a very effective team. Collaboration and a solid sense of interdependency in a team will defuse blaming behavior and stimulate opportunities for learning and improvement. The unit team works jointly to see their plans to realization, while being operationally and administratively supported by senior facility leadership. The team works as one entity to overcome any problems, decides upon a strategy to manage the project, and achieves the goal together.

When a team works effectively and strives to work together to complete a task, the results often reach a higher standard of quality than if a team struggles to work cohesively. Therefore, effective teamwork is vital for the success of any business.

 

 

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