Strategies to Create High-Performing Teams
In case you’ve ever wondered: our nautical name, Starboard, has everything to do with observing how high-performing teams operate and their characteristics. On the hydrofoil catamarans of America’s Cup racing, every member of the team knows their individual, specialist role and is relied upon to perform it with dedication and professionalism. Anyone watching the team’s performance can see the commitment to the team’s purpose and strategy.
With that in mind, here are the top qualities of high-performing teams; and strategies to help you maximise them in your organisation:
Trust
Building trust within teams creates a strong and cohesive group. Team members who trust one another share information and ideas, which improves communication, encourages innovation, and empowers individuals. Managing people who don’t trust each other is both challenging and draining for leaders, so here are some key ways to foster trust:
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Leaders need to deal fairly with different team members and to role-model trust in others e.g. senior peers, partners, consumers.
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Trust is gained through personal relationships, which involve face-to-face exchanges of facts and feelings, so seek to enable these wherever possible.
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Building trust is a slow process, but it can be accelerated if team members are given the opportunity to interact openly with each other, and socialise away from work.