Three Behaviors of Best-Performing Teams

Many teams can produce great results for a while, but fewer can sustain such high performance over a longer period of time.

Why?

It’s in the way they operate as a group.

Behaviors are key.

Here are three nuancing behaviors you will always find in groups that outperform the rest.

1. Clarify

Brainstorming should be a creative process, but it often shuts down quickly due to snap judgments such as, “We’ve tried that before, and it didn’t work,” or “The budget won’t allow it.”

Become an observer, and see if you can head off this thwarting behavior by doing the following:

• Listen carefully. As ideas are put on the table, ask the team member to say more. Use clarifying phrases such as, “talk more about that” to allow them to expound on the concept and how it might play out.

• Take the idea further by working with them to identify the positive business impact this might have beyond what seems immediately apparent.

• Only after you have explored the positive business impact should you move on to identify potential roadblocks. Many great opportunities have otherwise been lost.

2. Bridge

The improv philosophy of “Yes, and…” is a great way to position common ground and build on an idea when you may differ in opinion. Questions such as, “Can we do this?” can be met with a “Yes, and” response, outlining what would need to happen in order for the idea to work.

3. Connect

High-performing teams connect personally. Instead of limiting your interactions to work topics, remember to delve more deeply into conversation to learn about their lives, what makes them tick, their passions, and more. When people are seen and known as human beings and not just as work machines, trust and camaraderie are built, and biases diminish. Performance thrives on this!

These are just three of a few nuancing behaviors that make the difference between good and great.

What others have you experienced that help your team perform at their best? If you aren’t sure, it’s time to assess.

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