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Is your team more than the sum of its parts?
The Netflix hit ‘The Last Dance’ tells the story of the legendary Chicago Bulls team which Michael Jordan, often referred to as the greatest basketball player of all time, was part of. Although the narrative initially focuses on Jordan, it gradually unfurls to reveal the intricate team dynamic which helped the Bulls storm to NBA Championship victory 6 times. Michael Jordan wasn’t able to achieve this success alone: it was when his team came together that they broke boundaries.
This isn’t a unique story though. Various studies have long been highlighting that although individuals’ skills and capabilities are important, team performance is far from a simple sum of each team member’s abilities[1].
This suggests that whilst talented employees can facilitate high performance, they aren’t guaranteed to. It’s important to attract and retain talented employees, but it’s also incredibly important that they come together to form high performing teams. Research from areas as diverse as business, sport, aviation, medicine and the military has taught us that high performing teams require the following five components to break boundaries.
5
factors that distinguish high performing teams from solely functioning ones
Shared understanding
Team members need to have a shared understanding and common objectives so they can collaborate effectively towards their team goals. This understanding should not only include what is happening within the team, but also what is occurring externally, to allow team members to collectively act in the most appropriate manner.
Emotional stability
Team members will have to do more than simply ‘get along’ to foster high performance. They need to share mutual trust, believe that teamwork is the best way to achieve objectives, and engage in constructive conflict to push for greater levels of team performance.
Efficient processes
High performing teams tend to consistently produce the most effective outcomes with the greatest efficiency. Achieving this requires effective communication strategies to ensure that knowledge is shared among team members on an ongoing basis. What’s more, through their high levels of situational awareness, high performing teams can skilfully sequence, coordinate and orchestrate their activities.
Now hybrid working is the norm for many of us, having clear and detailed processes which are regularly reviewed is all the more important for teams to optimise efficiency and achieve their potential.
Effective leadership
It goes without saying that the best high performing teams have some of the best leaders. That said, teams don’t necessarily need a single leader, as sometimes the best teams have leadership roles that flex according to expertise. However, whoever the leader is, high levels of vision, challenge and support are vital to high and sustainable team performance.
Psychological edge
In sport, it’s often said that the best teams are those which are able to ‘grind out’ difficult, narrow victories over their competitors. These are the teams with high levels of psychological edge. In particular, teams with high psychological edge have members who can support one another when facing challenges, stress or setbacks. These teams are also better able to control their momentum, both capitalising on situations where they’re ‘on a roll’ and quickly locating and changing the source when team performance is in a downward spiral.
High levels of vision, challenge and support are vital to high and sustainable performance.
How can leaders and managers enhance team performance?
We’ve only touched on five factors that distinguish high performing teams from solely functioning ones. Nonetheless, these core components make clear that a group of high performing individuals really isn’t enough for great team performance.
As a team leader, ask yourself:
- Which methods of communication could you and your team use to make sure you have a shared understanding?
- When have you scheduled team time to maintain trust, confidence and resilience now hybrid working is on the rise?
- What processes, systems, or resources do you and your team need to become more adaptable to unexpected challenges?
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[1] Tziner, A. & Eden, D. (1985). Effects of crew composition on crew performance: Does the whole equal the sum of its parts? Journal of Applied Psychology, 70(1), 85-93.
