10 Top Traits of High Performing Teams In Today’s Business

High Performing Teams

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”

― Phil Jackson

I think this quote really captures the truth in why some teams fail and why some succeed.

Let’s get right into it. 

You may have a business now and a team working alongside you right now, and they may be performing well generally speaking, ‘or’ you may be suffering from what many businesses suffer from which is ‘a massive lack of understanding’ of how to lead a team. 

In which case, they may not be performing quite as well as you would like?

Or, perhaps you are a small business owner with a humble flower shop which you run with a business partner, and so you don’t really see the point in mastering team dynamics; but, I have personally worked with solo business owners and teams of 50, and there are just some things which can help ALL businesses regardless of the size.

So, I will share with you how some of these principles can work no matter what kind of business you have or what kind of team structure is in place – and what can create greater results for you. 

Now, the beauty of this is that you can try things out, and you can test and tweak your ideas to see what happens, thus you can increase or decrease what works for you.      

These tips may be able to help you ‘even if’ you already have a pretty well oiled machine.

The truth is that – no matter how big or small your business is, there still needs to be certain dynamics in place in order to fully operate at the highest output, and to provide great value, and deliver on that in the most effective ways.  This is where you get those great results and your customers get what they came for. Plus you want to be able to be constantly growing and evolving what you are passionate about with those who are just as passionate as you are.

So, how is this achieved? 

I have worked with hundreds of teams in Micro and Small Businesses all over the world – and these are in all kinds of niches and markets, and I can tell you that there are very specific components which will ALWAYS determine the ultimate success or failure of that business.  Now, certainly in today’s world there are some exceptions to success as there is little we can do if a business is doomed to failure.  And today the business landscape is constantly changing and evolving, so we cannot guarantee the future of anything 110%.  Certainly looking at the ‘high street’ retail business model – this is very clear and most damaging to so many as this area is rapidly changing.  This is due to the fact that we are seeing trusted, old traditional brands and businesses going out of business because of various factors in the economy and largely uncontrollable global disasters, which contribute to this ever changing landscape.

So – if these big names are going so fast then how can we (you and I) ensure that we can thrive on the high street or anywhere else and not fail?

Competition is high now for many and whilst the online business landscape may seem a less risky option, it can still pose a serious threat to your revenue, as there are simply so many people today trying to fight for the same space.   That’s why we need powerful, intelligent, capable and competent individuals in roles who can all work together with a firey passion and common goal for continued momentum.

Certainly, with the popularity of online shopping there are possibilities to dominate as there is such a huge demand, but also in areas such as consulting, freelancing, writing and other areas online, where there are roles which can be fairly low cost to start and easy to set up.  But offline rent is increasing for retailers which is disabling those who once had strong market share in their sector, so this really means that starting a small business today is very different than even just a couple of years ago.

So, there is no doubt that a great deal of uncertainty and failure is very real with such change now so we just need to start right and to run right if we wish to have a chance; – What I am about to share will certainly help those who are still around now and hanging in there now.  OR those who wish to start something NOW!  After all – we need all the help we can get. 

I will share what I believe to be the most important factors in growing a business successfully today with the right setup and team, because – without the right team members we have very little chance of making it past the first year.

High Performing Teams

10 Top Traits of High Performing Teams In Today’s Business

Vince Lombardi Once said; 

“Individual commitment to a group effort–that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” 

It’s true isn’t it?  Of course.  Only one man or woman can do so much by himself or herself, but if each person pulls their weight, and is committed then as a collective culture this can become unstoppable .

He/she needs to be a 100% a part of that vision to make that vision become a reality.

And as James Cash Penny once said:

“The best teamwork comes from men who are working independently toward one goal in unison.” –James Cash Penney  

Each person needs to fulfill their role to their greatest level in order to be a part of that Team dynamic in the most powerful and productive ways.

So; here are my 10 Top Traits of High Performing Teams In Today’s Business

1. DEFINED STRENGTH ROLES:  This means that each member has their strengths and or a willingness to get better every day and grow stronger in their role.  You the leader/owner/founder has to be included in this.  It’s kind of simple isn’t it?  If each person is doing what they do best then you will get the maximum impact and desired results from them.  They are keen, passionate, driven, willing to learn, capable, possibly experienced, and willing to become more educated.
2. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION:  This is really obvious but not really common.  It still amazes me today how many businesses run an enterprise in old non-productive ways and setups and still have leader sabotage. Self centered self interested people who believe they are better than others, so they communicate in such ways.  True leadership is in treating others with respect, importance and support.  Communication has to be as open as possible.  Each member has to be able to get across what they think and feel about what they do and be also willing to learn, change and listen.  Listening actively changed my entire business because I started to grasp what my team needed from me and what my customers wanted from me.
3. A SHARED VISION:  I have already touched on this but if there is not a shared vision and shared enthusiasm for a common goal then you will struggle.  If tema members are not motivated to achieve what is required of them then this could damage your business and even destroy it. So, when hiring team members you need to try to ensure you look for those who are just as passionate as you about your vision.    You want those who are excited about WHAT YOU DO.  Not about being part of some sexy new startup just because it is cool to be a part of. They need to see your vision, see your vision, and feel your vision and everything they do has to be inline with your goals for achieving that vision every day. With specific tasks and continual growth on improvement.  They need to all be aware of the plan and execution of the daily strategic objective and the systems to get you there.
4. THE ABILITY TO ADAPT:  Change is ongoing as we all know, so the last thing you need or want is those who moan, drag their feet or hate change and get too comfortable as they are the ones who will leave, and make it really hard for you to move forward with the right momentum.  Momentum is a key driver in keeping morale high.  The idea is to hire those who are keen to move and grow, and be able to function and optimum levels when challenges and setback arise.  If someone is too stuck in their ways they may not be able to see the bigger picture when change is needed and upon you.  This is where enthusiastic and self managing individuals are pure gold.  That’s not to say that you don’t need to keep an eye on them and ensure they are happy.  You do, but you also know that you have someone who is able to cope under pressure and stress, and thrive on the unknown. Be sure to be aware of Mental health and also encourage members with love and kindness.  No-one wants to feel that they are insignificant or that they are being shouted at.  It only creates trauma which they will remember and which will impact on their mental state and performance.
5. PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFECTIVENESS:  This goes without saying.  If your people are not producing results and they are not singularly focused and driven to accomplish and achieve then you will have issues.  Each member has a role to fulfill of course, and as a whole this impacts on all others.  So, regular short meetings to check up on progress is vitally important.  This is where active listening really comes into its own, because when a person feel important, appreciated, respected, cared for and listened to without prejudice they will perform better.  It’s what I call ‘potential to performance’ taking that individual and helping them to be their own kind of genius. Drawing out of them their very best work in their role.  And in so doing you will see a focus and work ethic which is unstoppable. TIP: KEEP THINGS FUN!  Make it a fun place and good atmosphere to work in and they will love being there.
6. SELF MANAGING: Now I have talked about this a little but I wanted to really express that each person has to be their own leader.  You should encourage them to manage themselves and to give them tasks to push them to grow.  Not so they hate you but so they can be supported in their role and this will help them grow in confidence when you create accountability actions.  Let’s say you have a team of 30.  You might split teams into 10 per team.  And each team has a leader. For certain tasks they will lead a project and then you pass the leadership role to another in that team for the next project. You can play with this as much as you need to.  And you will see where this is effective and not so effective. People vary in type, so some will love this whilst others won’t.  So your role as their leader is to monitor who needs certain types of help.  In simple terms, this is not about making people uncomfortable to grow, this is about supporting, coaching and guiding your team to get the very best out of them whilst at the same time understanding mentality and nurturing them emotionally.  The point is that – mental health needs to be at the forefront of what you do as it is so important and in today’s business it is our duty to care more for our teams well being.
7. ASKING QUESTIONS AND ASSERTIVENESS:  Some old school leaders,managers love to think they are the greatest thing since sliced bread, so they would belittle ideas, and opinions for the sake of their giant ego. But this kills a persons spirit and eventually they will resent you for making them feel small.  True leaders today understand that they can listen to ideas, encourage questions and enable team members to be assertive and confident without fear for their position.  This kind of outdated fear which reminds me of the old schooling system was about students knowing their place, and so they feared the Teacher.  Well, this may have worked in some schools, but I don’t see that a dictatorship has a place in today’s Small Business world. Or any world for that matter. There needs to be a healthy atmosphere where a person can be free and open thus they are more authentic and real and this in turn breeds power and greatness.    A person who feels unlimited is WAY MORE EFFECTIVE.  So help them to be their best by enabling them to speak and listen.  Of course I do not mean being disrespectful or rude,  I mean they feel comfortable around you.
8. UNDERSTANDING RESPECT AND APPRECIATION:  This is exactly what I mean.   ‘You’ and they need to have respect and to appreciate each other’s roles.   Having good manners and the right etiquette goes along way.  If you don’t respect or appreciate another why will they feel they want to work hard?  They won’t. It’s kind of common sense.    So – look after people and they will look after you.  Everyone is more effective when they are appreciated. Don’t see a number in your team see a real Human being who is an asset and who is a vitally important part of your organisation no matter what their role is. The idea is to create a great company culture and effective collaboration so that everything works with great synergy and you can find out more about that from Hubspot by clicking here 
9. ONGOING TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT: This leads me to training.  When you can implement what I have already talked about you can do so in a way which enables you and them to grow.  Hire trainers if you need to in certain areas in order to help you team. Hire wellness experts to ensure your team are looked after.  Take them on training events and make sure they are FUN events. Make the training interesting, interactive and also be sure to buy rewards and prizes so that your team feel as though they are learning and growing.   Give your team the tools and resources they need to be their best.  There are many digital tools today which can help in managing all aspects of business operation. Something I use and can recommend which is highly effective is SCRUM. You may have heard of it.  Have you tried it? What was your experience?  If so – you may already find it useful.  Something to remember with Scrum is that it can be adapted and used to suit your business.  It is not something which has to be the same in any business.  In fact you can take the 2 day course here or here if you feel it would help you and you can learn more about it here. 
10. PASSION:  My favourite word.  And my favourite meaning. We need to find those as passionate as we are. I live with it every day and I wouldn’t do anything I am not passionate about.   And nor should your team.  This is not something you can buy.  People either have it or they don’t. And you need passionate types who can enjoy what they do, love their role and be excited to go to work on a Monday morning.  That may seem like a stretch but if your goal is to help them to feel this by understanding their passions you will get the very best work.  The vision should also be something everyone is passionate about achieving.

SO, there you have it.  

10 Top Traits of High Performing Teams In Today’s Business

High Performing Teams

Now, ‘if’ you have gotten this far then firstly well done. You are serious about being the best in your Small Business.

And you now know the power in a strong team.

Whilst you still may be thinking ‘Greg, I only have the flower shop, but this seems more fitting for some kind of funky cool tech startup setup for youngsters no?’

Well, I can see that you might think that ‘if’ you have a humble little local business, but the truth is – these principles stand true for ANY BUSINESS.

And that’s because, they are HUMAN skills, and ‘all’ Small business is made by Humans.  No matter how much is automated, it has to have that human touch.

The key with all business is in measuring what works versus what doesn’t, so your job is to manage this in the right ways as a modern leader. 

If we only focus on profits over people we are being pretty greedy, and selfish and I don’t support that, so we need to look after those who are choosing to work for us and with us, so we can build the loyalty we need, and try to keep those talented team members. People matter most and so we need to look after them if we want the best work.

There are certainly leaders and managers out there who are undoubtedly greedy and selfish – and they still succeed of course, but they end up with disgruntled staff, bad reputations and great levels of stress having to deal with hiring and firing. So many can get a bad name for themselves as they are not that caring or ethically sound.  So, I believe that we need to practice good ethics in order to set a good standard, and of course to keep AMAZING team members. Through our message, vision, mission statement, Business plan, and every other part of ‘what we do’ it is an absolute necessity to think of the bigger picture as it is reflection of WHO WE ARE.

We need to ensure that we can ‘be at our best’ and understand how to cooperate with others at their best.

“Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there.” ― Virginia Burden

10 Top Traits of High Performing Teams In Today’s Business

Today news spreads quickly good or bad, and it only takes a few bad reviews to destroy reputation, and this is just from customers, but – if you fail to care for your team and your customers it will come back to bite you and you may lose your Small business.  I have seen it happen many times.  And this is also true for the products and services you promote.  I am assuming that you already have great products and services of top quality, or there is little point in building a robust team around something which has not been thoroughly researched, shared and tested in the marketplace with the right audience first.

Japanese restaurant In Den Haag

I was in a swanky Japanese place the other day in the Netherlands, and I always go there as I ‘love the food’ of course, but I also love the atmosphere, service and attention to detail as I feel special in there.  The team dynamic is like a well choreographed dance, and this kind of organization appeals to me and works well as they do such a sterling job.  BUT, I hate to say it, my Wife and her brother suffered from mild food poisoning the last time we were there – and this really upset me because they work so hard, yet their product wasn’t up to scratch. The business ‘could have’ been in serious jeopardy had we complained!  Yes, we told them about immediately to let them know something was not right and needed fixing, but we didn’t go to the press or anything of that magnitude.  What’s my point?  Some people do go to the press. And businesses can be destroyed, so, the moral of the story is – it is vitally important to ensure that each and every area of your business is at the highest standards possible, or one thing could jeopardize every other area.

This is much like when we have a member of a team who is simply not good for the team. They may bring down others and this makes an inevitable impact on others and on performance. So, pay attention to each area and don’t slack in any area.

Are you thinking of starting a successful Small Business model from your ideas or passions?       If you need some help with starting in the right way then let me know and we can have a chat.  I offer a free session to create a plan to get your vision moving.  Greg De Tisi 1On1 Small Business Coaching is Here.  The truth is that 80% of small businesses fail because they fail to start right.  And even if they start right they are run in the wrong way.  And this could mean any number of things, but the significant reasons are often down to:

1) Not knowing the right customer, business model or getting the timing wrong.

2) Not running the team right and leading in the right ways for all.

3) Poor products or services which are low quality or not relevant to the core target customer or market.

High Performing Teams

SOME FURTHER Traits of High Performing Teams In Today’s Business:

1. NEVER TAKE ANYONE FOR GRANTED – NURTURE AND CULTIVATE THEIR SKILLS AND ALLOW THEM TO BE THEM HELP THEM BECOME COMMITTED 
2. DEFINE YOUR COMPANY CULTURE – YOU MUST KNOW WHAT THIS IS IN ORDER TO RELAY IT TO YOUR TEAM 
3. KNOW THAT EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO LEARN  AND TO CONTRIBUTE –  CULTIVATE EACH ROLE AND SUPPORT AND APPRECIATE SKILLS/TALENTS 
4. EMBRACE THE DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS – ALL AIM FOR THE PURPOSE AND STRIVE FOR COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION , BUT VALIDATE OPINIONS 
5. REMIND THE TEAM OF PURPOSE AS OFTEN AS NEEDED – THIS CREATES GREATER RESULTS, CLARITY OF THE GOAL AND BUILDS COMBINED STRENGTH 
6. BE CLEAR ON WHAT YOU EXPECT IN A REASONABLE WAY BUT ALSO ALWAYS ALLOW FOR MENTAL BREAKS – SUPPORT EACH PERSON BUT PUSH THEM
7. BUILD ON TRUST BOTH OF THE SELF AND WITH OTHERS – EACH PERSON NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO TRUST ANOTHER TO HAVE OPEN CLEAR COMMUNICATION
8. ENCOURAGE & REWARD COMMITTED, CONSCIENTIOUS WORKERS WHO CONTRIBUTE GREATLY – PRAISE WORK THANK THEM AND EMPOWER THEM   
9. ENROLL A HIRING EXPERT TO FIND AND INTERVIEW THOSE FIT FOR YOUR TEAM – GET THE BEST OF THE BEST TO HIRE THE BEST OF THE BEST
10. CONSTANTLY EXAMINE AND REFINE PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS USED – NEVER STAND STILL ALWAYS MEASURE AND ADJUST WHERE NECESSARY
11. CREATE OPENNESS AND SAFETY FOR DIFFERENCES OF OPINION AND CONFLICT – ALLOW EACH MEMBER TO EXPRESS IDEAS AND WHAT THEY THINK 
12. ENCOURAGE TEAM LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE LEADERS TO PREVENT EGOCENTRIC DOMINANCE – BUILD LEADERS BUT ENSURE THEY ARE TEAM FOCUSED
13. ENCOURAGE A HABIT OF SUPPORT OF EACH OTHER – CREATE OPEN COMMUNICATION CHANNELS OF CARE AND RESPECT FOR EACHOTHER
14. FACE CHALLENGES TOGETHER AND BUILD SOLID RELATIONSHIPS TO RISE ABOVE A SINGLE MEMBERS DIFFICULTIES – WORK POWERFULLY AS ONE UNIT 
15. ALWAYS WORK ON YOURSELF BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY AND BE ACCOUNTABLE AND RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS – C.A.N.I.
16. NEVER FORGET THAT ‘EVERY SINGLE ROLE’ IS MEANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL GROWTH OF THE BUSINESS – NO MATTER WHAT ROLE ALL COUNT

A high-performance team is a close dynamic force, who are focused on their goal and have supportive leadership processes which enable them to work through tough challenges, setbacks and obstacles in achieving the team’s goals.  So, this means that highly skilled specialists are needed but also skilled generalists who can interchange their roles. IMPORTANT: The leadership does not sabotage the team through self interest or ego but rather the leadership role is started by one or two and then taught to each member. This means that there is strength in leadership in all areas.    Another ideal trait of a high-performance team will be in implementing processes of resolving issues and conflict efficiently, in order to keep moving and not block the vision to achieving the team’s goals.

In my team I have created a solid focus and high energy whereby each person feels worthy, validated, appreciated, listen to, cared for and empowered and supported.  I trust them and they trust me and each person trusts another, and this builds a group clarity, awareness and strength of values which drives momentum. And each of my members ‘hopefully’ feels a desire to be their best and top be accountability for achieving their own goals.

10 Top Traits of High Performing Teams In Today’s Business

Something which is also often overlooked in Teams and structure is using the right tools, resources and technology. 

Without the right tools and resources for the job your business will struggle to perform as well as it could, and – cost cutting in these areas may only disable your progress and even possibly your ultimate growth and success.  Be sure to use the right tools and be sure to talk to your team about what they need to be their best.  For example – take payment processors, CRM software, Laptops, Tools for Effective Communication channels such as email marketing, Websites, Apps, and offline tools, etc.  A Team member is only as good as they can be with what they have. Here is a link to some helpful Business Planning software tools – which you can take a look at to see which may be useful and help to your teams overall performance.

If you are stuck right now not knowing which way to turn and you are just starting out then I do have a self study option which is just £29.70.  This is for those who are just passionate about starting a business.  It has every tool and resource to start a successful strategy and to run a Successful micro or small business like mine, around your passions and ideas, and also break the $10k per month mark.  If you have an skills, talents, strengths, experiences, ideas or passions you would love to express, but you are not sure quite how to go about starting, then the tools are there.  No matter what you wish to do I show you how to design your life and business around you – so you can take your potential and goals and turn them into a high performaning model – in whatever you choose to design. YOU CAN FIND IT HERE.

I also have a completely FREE webinar which shows you how to create a Premium product or service business and what you need to do in order to grow this type of venture. CLICK HERE FOR THE WEBINAR.

Napoleon Hill once said:  

“It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.” – Napoleon Hill

 

And I wholeheartedly agree with that.

In the meantime I want to thank you for your precious time and I hope the area of High Performing Teams has been of use to you.

All the best as always

Greg

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High Performing Teams

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GregDeTisi

Author and Small Business Blogger at Greg De Tisi Writing and Small Business Blogging

Author, course creator and business blogger - Greg has been supporting Small Business clients from all backgrounds all over the globe for over 15 years in developing ideas and passions into sustainable Small Business Models. Greg now has more of a focus on supporting his local business community in Bristol UK.