It’s all too easy for teams to settle for good performance. Over time, leaders and team members begin to adjust their expectations, aligning with what’s being achieved now. But how do you move a team of people from good to great performance? How do you kick things up a notch? Expect more and you’ll get more. Humanergy recently brainstormed a list of differentiating factors:
- Laser-like focus on what the team needs to achieve, so people understand their role and devote their time to the right actions
- People’s work aligns with their inherent strengths, supplemented by learning/growing new skills and habits
- Culture that encourages experimentation and makes the most of mistakes and problems
- Frequent and respectful communication, including honesty and clear speaking and a strong value for listening without judgment
- Good feedback mechanisms, and people who respond productively to feedback around what they do and how they do it
- Focus on the greater good, understanding that individual contributions are part of something greater
- Strong trust in each other to do the “how” and the “what” of work
- Positive tone and attitude, including belief that people can grow and team can meet future challenges
- Team members support each other, including formal and informal coaching/mentoring and being there for each other when personal issues arise
- Disciplined, continuous improvement on an individual basis and as a team
This roster would be a great tool to gauge your team’s status. Have everyone rate performance on a 5-point scale, analyze your results and create a plan for improvement.
Think we’ve left out a key differentiating factor? We’d love to hear it! Leave a comment below or send us a message.
Photo from Dollar Photo Club.