Growth-Optimizer: The Entrepreneur creates high performing teams
Growth-Accountant | December 2022
Introduction:
Teamwork has always been an essential capability of a successful business. With today’s businesses undergoing disruption at so many levels, it is more important than ever that employees can collaborate effectively across geographical sites, and within increasingly fluid job hierarchies. Differently put teams need to be high performing!
Often a team of skilled and experienced individuals do not produce more than the sum of their parts. Many challenges derail teams.
Teamwork challenges are a natural part of a business. There are no “perfect” teams, only teams that are becoming more effective or less. Team challenges derail results delivery and undermines team cohesion. These challenges when left unattended escalate and cause staff to leave, ultimately weakening the business.
Team challenges require constant awareness and management. Understanding how to recognize, address, and resolve teamwork are key to keep morale and performance levels high.
Although there are some challenges that are unique to each industry, some common teamwork challenges are:
| Task challenges: | People challenges: |
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Entrepreneurs are most motivated to create high performing teams as they have the most to gain from the fruits thereof. In fact, it is one of their primary drivers for growth and success. The driver is however lacking for many based on recent research on the actual performance of teams:
High performing teams 10%
Good team 20%
Balance: Bad, underperforming, that is 70% of teams
Where would you place your team in the above groupings?
Do you believe you have made it a priority to create a high performing team?
Let us clarify what a high performing team is:
In essence it is when the sum of the skills and experience of the team members produce more than the sum of their parts.
Let us make it even clearer:
They meet and exceed work goals, thereby achieving a sound, profitable business.
The characteristic of a high performing team:
High performing teams are known for high-levels of cross-team collaboration, open and free-flowing communication, a culture of mutual support and tolerance, the active encouragement of ideas among all team members and a strong commitment to respect all team members regardless of ranks. High performing teams are known for their purposeful collaboration based on clarity of goals and high levels of connection and continued collaborative learning.
What are the skills the Entrepreneur need?
The Entrepreneur needs “teaming skills”. Team members also needs them, but primarily it starts with the Entrepreneur to set the tone and walk the talk.
The Entrepreneur must have the ability to:
- Bring people together in a positive way towards a common goal
- Ensure roles and responsibilities are super clear to all
- Create and insist on mutual respect and regard across the team regardless of rank
- Create reflection and review cycles to improve performance
- Bring in coaching, training, and other support to up the skills and connection of all
- Create an atmosphere of excellence in all that they do
- Create a team spirit of belonging, merit, and regard.
Contact Anne, your Growth-Accountant on how to build a high performing team.