AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER WE HAVE ALL HAD TO WORK IN A TEAM. WHAT MAKES A HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM? WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DO THEY HAVE THAT MAKE THEM DIFFERENT AND CAUSE THEM TO STAND OUT AND OUTPERFORM OTHER TEAMS?

We often hear the word ‘teamwork' however it is not completely clear what this means. The definition of teamwork is ‘effort by the members of a group or team to achieve a common goal'. So what needs to be in place to enhance the likelihood of success?

Research has shown there are twelve (12) key attributes to High Performance Teams. Before explaining what they are there is a key distinction I would like to make is that there are differences between groups and teams. The key differences are that in a group members are likely to be more independent; self focussed with hidden agendas; distrust and disagreement is more likely to be present; and unclear communication and conflict exists and may not be managed effectively. Whereas in a team they are interdependent; mutual goals, purpose, mission and a sense of unity has been established, openness and trust exist and disagreement is seen as positive and conducive to growth, open and honest communication is evident and free expression is encouraged. These distinctions were highlighted by Zeus and Skiffington in their excellent book ‘The Complete Guide to Coaching at Work".

The attributes of high performance teams have been described as:
Support - each member of the team willingly supports all other members for the benefit of team cohesion and success.

Patience - this could even be called tolerance and acceptance where team members acknowledge, accept and respect individual differences within the team and are considerate of the needs of others within the team.

Commitment - each member of the team is focussed on achieving the objectives and goals of the team and is willing to do what it takes to enable that to become a reality.

Humour - team members realise the value of humour and having a time out when things get tough in order to release some pressure that may build up.

Compatibility - there is cohesion and synergy within the group. This does not mean that all team members are the same it means that the diversity that exists is harnessed and is used in a constructive way to benefit the team overall. There is a good mix of personality types, personas and traits within the team.

Co-operation - this means that team members are willing to chip in to get the job done. Comments such as ‘that's not my job' are not said as the team sees getting the job done as everyone's responsibility.

Adaptability - we live in an ever changing world. Adaptability to change is crucial. If the team can work together and continue to be flexible then the likelihood of success and goal achievement is enhanced.

Friendship - this might seem a little unusual yet it is a key component of a high functioning team that there is some form of social connection between team members. If they choose to be with each other outside of work this helps with other aspects such as compatibility and co-operation as there are deeper connections at play between team members which can work to the teams advantage.

Courage - sometimes situations get tough and if the team has courage they are able to face difficulties and challenges more easily. This is often called resilience which is the capacity to bounce back and potentially even bounce forward after having faced some form of adversity or challenge.

Enthusiasm - there needs to be a high level of interest and engagement in the defined /assigned tasks for the group. Ideally this will be intrinsic to the individuals in the team. It is important it is not taken for granted or abused it needs to be nurtured and appropriately acknowledged in order for it to be maintained in the long term.

Unselfishness - this is where individual team members put their self interests second to the needs of the team. It is important note that this does not mean they overwork themselves they are able to keep appropriate alignment and consideration of the greater good of the team relative to what they as an individual might need.

Carol McGowan is a Business and Life Coach, Counsellor and Educator. Her passion is helping individuals and businesses to make successful transitions. Carol has over 35 years experience in business as well assisting 200+ people make successful career transitions after having faced redundancy. She may be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it