Building High Performance Teams (3 X 3 Framework)

 

When we talk about building a high performance teams, it will always be revolving around these five key characteristics. Trust, Clear Communication, Defined Roles and Responsibilities, Engaged Leadership and Collective Goals.

Trust
This is the key factor that differentiate between the high performing team over the average one. With Trust, they will be more comfortable in taking risks and working through challenges and conflicts positively

Clear Communication

High performing teams find ways to streamline and optimise communication. They know when to call, when to IM, when to email or even pop by your desk. They may also use technology to stay organised and track progresses.

Defined Rules and Responsibilities
Clearly defined roles and responsibilities eliminates confusion. when team members knows their roles and responsibilities well, this prevent conflicts, which will maximize productivity. 

Engaged Leadership
Being Engaged is not micro-managed. It is about providing direction and full support to help the team to succeed. An engaged leader provide positive working environment thru regular communication and building trust and respect among the team.

Collective Goals
Even though each team member has their own responsibilities, but they all are collectively working towards one main goal and contributes to the overall success. High performing teams will step in to help each other to ensure all goals are met.

3 X 3 Framework

Recently, I came across a interesting idea on building high performing team. it changes my understanding on how goals and roles should be defined and how a high performing team should be.

It uses a 3 x 3 framework.There are three foundations that team needs have in place - Goals, Roles and Norms. Then the three elements of ongoing reflection and change - Commit, Check and Close, to maintain peak performance.

Goals
This is main direction for the team. Getting agreement on where the project goes and what to accomplish. Importantly, each team member should have a personal "what's in it for me" connection to the goal.

Roles
Being clear about who is doing what specific activities and how these tasks overlap. In a real team, there should be overlap of tasks. If there are only parallel activities, we only get a "co-acting group" not a team. 

Norms
Norms are ground rules in areas such as information-sharing, decision-making, and conflict-resolution. Others common norms such as respecting each others, avoid hidden agendas are also important.

The ongoing 3 steps function:
Commit - Have good conversation with the team. Getting the team to commit to the explicit goals, roles and norms. 

Check - As our day to day working in multiple teams and/or projects, there are too many distraction, we tend to lose focus and slowly drift from the goals, roles and norms. Check in from time to time. Revisit the committed goals, roles and norms.

Close - As we revisit the goals and commitment, we may find misalignment among the team. We will work to close the gap. Taking small steps on targeted and specific changes. 

Some advice for the high performing team,
- Have good conversations among the team.
- Focus on a few things rather than a lot of things. Teams get overwhelm.
- Paying attention on whats going on in the team.

Common problems
- Relying too much on one person.
- Focus too much on a plan but not thinking about the execution and organising people around that plan.
- Not paying too much attention on individual role.

Finally , leader of high performing team should create a "Psychological Safety" environment, which member will feel "safe" to share their thoughts, able to be creative. To create this environment, you need to build trust in the team, having good one on one conversations, be a good listener and by showing empathy, showing that you care.

Related Articles:
- Forbes: 5 Key Characteristics Of High Performing Teams 
- Forbes: 'Committed Teams' Captures Spirit Of Wharton Teamwork Lab