High Performance Teams are...
High Performance Team Members are self-directed. If the team is to be managed, management must be careful to focus the team on "what" needs to be achieved. As the Adviser for the Embry-Riddle Residence Hall Association, I am able to guide student leaders and aid them in leading others. Recently, the organization decided they wanted to be seen as service leaders, and have been able to develop several community service projects – our group has served hours at the local zoo, donated more than 1000 cans of food to two local food banks and made blankets for Project Linus, an organization that donates hand-made blankets for critically ill children.
Encompass a Shared Vision
All team members share and support a common vision that the team is working towards. Team members are highly focused on attaining objectives, usually because membership is appointed by the organization. High Performance Teams have developed a vision that brings real meaning to the work that is being performed. The vision describes a future state that team members find personally appealing and exciting. Teams need a winning vision, just as much as individuals have; when these are aligned, High Performance Teams are built. As a University community, ERAU endorses the core values of diversity, mutual respect, integrity, collegiality, academic freedom, stewardship, service, safety, and student success. Two of my deepest passions are diversity and service, which is why I enjoy working at this institution.
Time-Oriented
Focusing from what is to be done instead of holding endless discussions is the best approach to solving the problem. Deadlines do not need to be met immediately; they can be as much as a year away. However, 90 to 120 day or even shorter time-frames are more desirable and achievable by high performance teams.
Communication
The team makes extra-ordinary efforts to make certain everyone on the team understands the plan and progress towards its completion. An old military saying is that there are always 10 percent of the people who do not get the word. A High Performance Team recognizes this phenomenon and uses all communication vehicles available to get new information to every team member. They also pursue information themselves to make sure they have the most recent news. Within my Department, most of the team focuses of keeping open communication with each other - open doors, open minds and open mouths - which is why we rarely deal with the repercussions of miscommunication.
Involve Everyone
Team members work to make sure every member of the team is involved - like a well-oiled machine, High Performance Teams know there are no useless parts. This is siliar to the dynamics of a community. Every team member has a unique insight or contribution they can make towards team goal achievement which is why they must all contribute for the team to achieve full success.
The team stops at appropriate times to check the quality of its recent work. This is done to determine where the process could be improved and what learning can be shared with other team members. However, HPTs celebrate over new team learning or insights, and may celebrate the completion of a small task.
Care About Member and Team Growth
It is the responsibility of each and every High Performance Team member to search out and discover the capabilities of all the other team members. High Performance Teams take the time to celebrate small victories toward goal achievement.
Denning notes that the four patterns of working together are work groups, teams, communities and networks. Work groups have similar work tasks and report to the same supervisor. A benefit of a work group is that Teams consist of those who have clearly defined responsibilities, no decision making power, high degree of interaction among its member. Communities are self organized amd share responsibilities, common interests and values. Networks involve many people most have never met face-to-face, but share an interest in organizations and interests.
References
New Jersey: Pearson Education.
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