team.performance

Team performance is driven by a range of factors: the attitude, behaviours and capability of individual team members; the dynamics of the group; and the environment in which the group is working. However, the world of work is changing. As a result of new business models, new technologies and a deeper commitment to talent development, teams are increasingly:

• diverse in background, experience and attitudes, making for richer discussions and insights but slower agreement and decision-making
  
• dispersed in location, reducing opportunities for face-to-face interaction and informal, ad-hoc conversations
  
• unstable in composition, with participation changing from one month or one meeting to the next, leading to constantly shifting roles and dynamics
  

All teams need to understand the critical success factors for strong performance in this more challenging context. Focusing on improving individual self-awareness is still important but it is not enough. Organisational and team norms create the context within which individuals operate but they are seldom acknowledged or addressed. These norms can influence a wide variety of behaviours including how people communicate, prioritise, make decisions, coach their teams, highlight risks and manage stress. They can be helpful or unhelpful. Understanding, in light of the purpose of the team and the context in which they are working, the norms the team wants to adopt, retain and ditch is a simple, fast and effective way to initiate change and start creating an environment for individuals and teams to perform at their best.

We specialise in working with cross-functional business leadership teams and multi-functional project teams. If this is the team you lead and you want a fresh perspective on how to make your decision-making more robust, your meetings more effective and your dynamics more productive, we’d love to talk to you.