5 Attributes of High-Performance Teams

Michael R. Wood is a Business Process Improvement & IT Strategist Independent Consultant. He is creator of the business process-improvement methodology called HELIX and founder of The Natural Intelligence Group, a strategy, process improvement and technology consulting company. He is also a CPA, has served as an Adjunct Professor in Pepperdine's Management MBA program, an Associate Professor at California Lutheran University, and on the boards of numerous professional organizations. Mr. Wood is a sought after presenter of HELIX workshops and seminars in both the U.S. and Europe.

  Communications Management   Leadership   Teams  

Before wading into the meat of this article on high-performance teams (HPTs), I need to share some personal experiences related to building and leading them.

Since 1975, I have had the honor and privilege to work in many management and leadership roles. During those 40+ years, I worked in multiple industries, leading hundreds of projects across various organizations. I have led average teams, poor teams, and only three HPTs. Leading these teams was so personally impactful that they shaped and matured me in ways I never would have imagined. Given all that, here are some things I learned.

HPTs evolve over time. They are not formed by simply assembling a group of gifted professionals into a team. When HPTs gel and come together, they aren’t even aware that the HPT status has been attained. They exhibit humility sometimes combined with a cockiness that confounds management because they also deliver results faster—seemingly effortlessly—and more affordably than seems possible.

HPTs also work hard while still finding time to joke around and have fun. From the outside, observers might even question whether they are even working. HPTs share similar values and definitions of “good.” Their members are fiercely loyal to each other. They instinctively pick up on each other’s vibes, seem to communicate without saying much, admire each other&rsquo…

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