By Jonathan H. Westover, PhD
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Abstract: This article discusses effective strategies for establishing and maintaining high-functioning teams. It asserts that team performance starts with careful member selection based on complementary skills, commitment to goals, and interpersonal chemistry. Once formed, teams must define clear roles and specific, measurable goals. Member expectations around norms, communication and decision-making should be aligned upfront. Ongoing performance management through feedback, recognition and addressing poor performance is also necessary. Teams require open communication facilitated through meeting structures and collaboration tools. Conflict should be addressed constructively through open discussion focused on problem-solving rather than blaming. Providing frequent, specific recognition and rewards helps sustain motivation. When implemented consistently, these techniques can transform a group of individuals into a cohesive unit that consistently achieves superior outcomes through a people-first, process-driven approach.
In today's competitive business landscape, having high-functioning teams has never been more important for organizational success. Teams that work well together are able to innovate, solve problems creatively, and achieve ambitious goals. However, creating and sustaining a high-performing team can be challenging for even the most skilled leaders.
Today we explore how to establish and maintain a cohesive team that produces exceptional results on a consistent basis.
Forming a High-Functioning Team
Selecting the Right Members
As the old saying goes, a team is only as strong as its weakest link. Therefore, the member selection process is arguably the most important phase in team formation. Research indicates teams perform best when members possess three key attributes (Lencioni, 2002):
Complementary skills: No single person has all the skills needed. Ensure members’ strengths offset each other’s weaknesses.
Commitment: Members must be fully bought into the team's mission and willing to sacrifice for its success. Survey interest and screen for commitment level.
Chemistry: While skills can be developed, chemistry is innate. Look for signs team roles, personalities, and work styles will mesh well. Conduct personality/behavioral assessments if possible.
Netflix, known for its innovative and productive culture, emphasizes these factors during rigorous multi-round interviews that resemble reality TV competitions (Kaplan, 2018). By carefully screening talent pools, Netflix forms teams where all pieces of the puzzle fit perfectly.
Defining Clear Roles and Goals
Ambiguity is the enemy of performance. Once the right members are selected, take time to clearly define each person’s role as well as specific, measurable goals for the team as a whole (Hackman, 2002).
At Pixar, storyboarding teams lock down all character details, plot points, and technical requirements before production begins. With no uncertainty around responsibilities or desired outcomes, the teams can stay laser-focused on execution (Edmondson, 2012).
Be sure roles do not overlap excessively and goals are challenging yet realistic. Establish mechanisms for monitoring goal progress like milestone tracking or regular reporting.
Aligning Member Expectations
High expectations without proper coordination and alignment will only lead to frustration and wasted effort. Share expectations around norms, working styles, decision making processes, and performance management upfront (Lencioni, 2002). Discuss how the team will operate as a unit on a day-to-day basis.
Additionally, establish psychological safety where it is culturally acceptable to admit mistakes without fear of reprisal. Both Pixar and Netflix make accepting failure a core value, which fosters creativity and risk-taking within safe boundaries (Kaplan, 2018; Catmull, 2014). Upfront expectation setting lays the foundation for smooth collaboration.
Developing and Managing Team Performance
Performance Management
To sustain excellence, establish a transparent, objective system for regularly tracking individual and team-level progress against goals (Hackman, 2002). Pixar has weekly reviews where story artists receive critical feedback to rapidly improve their work (Edmondson, 2012).
Recognition should be timely, specific to someone’s contributions, and balanced between team and individual accomplishments. Likewise, address poor performance promptly through clear corrective action planning. Protect the team’s interests while assisting underperformers to avoid exacerbating issues. If improvement does not occur, replacement may be necessary, though try exploring all options first.
Facilitating Effective Communication
Complex projects necessitate constant communication at all levels to foster coordination and address roadblocks early (Lencioni, 2002). To minimize information stovepiping, mandate regular check-ins, allow anyone to call impromptu meetings, circulate aggressive meeting minutes, and use project management tools for transparency.
Microsoft Teams uses collaboration features to keep dispersed employees connected in real-time through messaging, video calls, and file sharing. Their “focus time” also encourages blocking out distraction-free hours for deep work (Duhigg, 2016). Enforce communication norms respecting people’s schedules as well.
Resolving Conflict Constructively
Healthy debate and differing opinions should not be seen as threats - they spar ideas and surface issues proactively. Treat conflict as an opportunity rather than something to avoid. Netflix mandates “radical candor” where performance issues can respectfully be called out to help each other (Scott, 2017).
When tensions arise, facilitate open but structured discussions dissecting the problem, not people. Seek mutual understanding and viable solutions serving the common goal (Harvey & Drolet, 2004). Outside mediation can help if tensions escalate. Unresolved conflict poisons team dynamics, so intervene promptly and fairly.
Offering Recognition and Rewards
People perform better and stay motivated through positive reinforcement. Build in continual recognition mechanisms beyond compensation like personal thank you notes, public praise at meetings, or team rewards for achieving milestones. Highlight both big wins and small acts of excellence (Gomez-Mejia et al., 2018).
At HubSpot, leaders thank team members profusely at company-wide “thank-a-palooza” events (Li, 2013). Creative recognition keeps people energized, develops camaraderie, and fosters group cohesion critical for long-term success.
Conclusion
While initially time-consuming, leaders who methodically form high-functioning teams through careful selection, role clarity, aligned expectations, and ongoing performance management reap enormous organizational rewards. The techniques described provide a framework any practitioner can implement to develop a cohesive, energized unit delivering superior outcomes.
Sustaining excellence requires tenacity - expecting setbacks and resolving issues transparently. Teams also evolve, so be flexible adapting strategies that prove ineffective. Overall, emphasizing psychological safety, respect, recognition and quality relationships between empowered individuals will power any team to sustain greatness for years to come. By focusing first on people and processes, the results will assuredly follow for any leader seeking to maximize their team’s full potential.
References
Catmull, E. (2014, September). How Pixar fosters collective creativity. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2008/09/how-pixar-fosters-collective-creativity
Duhigg, C. (2016). What Google learned from its quest to build the perfect team. The New York Times Magazine, 26.
Edmondson, A. (2012). Teaming: How organizations learn, innovate, and compete in the knowledge economy. Jossey-Bass.
Gomez-Mejia, L. R., Balkin, D. B., & Cardy, R. L. (2018). Managing human resources. Pearson.
Hackman, J. R. (2002). Leading teams: Setting the stage for great performances. Harvard Business School Publishing.
Harvey, S., & Drolet, B. (2004). Building teams, building people: Expanding the fifth resource. Journal of Organizational Excellence, 23(3), 29-43.
Kaplan, J. (2018, August 13). Netflix culture: Freedom and responsibility. https://www.netflix.com/us/en/culture
Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunctions of a team: A leadership fable. Jossey-Bass.
Li, C. (2013, April). The hubspot culture code. Stanford Graduate School of Business. https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/hubspot-culture-code
Scott, B. (2017, August). Bite-sized lessons in radical candor. https://blog.fastcompany.com/bite-sized-lessons-in-radical-candor-from-netflixs-co-ceo-reed-hastings-37817216
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). Building and Maintaining a High-Performing Team. Human Capital Leadership Review, 12(3). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.12.3.5
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