Team performance 1


Regardless of our cultures,backgrounds and differences, human beings share a basic need for belongingness and the need to be recognised or identified with a group of people. We want to belong to a group and make emotional, physical connections for whatever reasons we might have and this has been identified as the most treasured team member traits.

simply put , A team is defined as a dynamic system of interrelationships between a group of people, linked to a common purpose. reasons for forming and the existence of teams might vary from one to the other but the underlying goal of every team is to produce results in one form or the other over a stipulated period of time. focus on tasks, group deadlines, evaluation and ability to deliver are very important measurable factors in the sustenance of such connections. thus said,Teams exist to produce results.

For an effective team performance , the coordinator or team lead must manage and forge a delicate balance between relationship and results. team members must co-habit/ operate in sync to generate high levels of rapport, productivity and positivity. All teams must aim at achieving all but not limited to the following.


  1. members must make a conscious decision to be part of the team.

  2. . creation of common vision and values will create a sense of belongingness to all members of
    the team.

  3. all members must build on their collective strengths, positive skillsets and limitations.

  4. team engagement on clear candid and positive empowering communication will create the avenue
    for open and candid dialogues .

  5. facilitate and put in motion relationship and result oriented team-goals.

  6. all team players must help develop foster powerful terms of engagement

  7. identify leadership potentials ,capacity and impact

  8. players must also maximize and leveage on team dynamics

  9. adopt periodic mentoring and coaching sessions

How-to set good Team Foundations


The classical saying “there is strength in numbers”' does apply to helping in the attainment of certain group deliverables in an organisation/departments. to effectively manage a team effectively, it start with resourcing and structuring in order to deliver objectives effectively and efficiently.

To set a strong foundation for your team, you will need to:

Understand the team’s role in delivering organisational objectives develop and communicate the team’s vision - or facilitate joint development of the vision with the team.
Resource and structure the team and design individual roles.
Allocate individual responsibilities and accountabilities with that structure.
To set a foundation for high performance team , all members of the team understand why the team
exists and itheir unique role in delivering the team's objectives.

Ensure that everyone in the team is clear on:

The team’s Vision, Mission and Purpose: Team Charter
The team’s stakeholders and their objectives and expectations
The team’s common objectives, priorities, deliverables, performance standards and how performance
will be measured.
Their own role and its importance in delivering the team’s objectives

Responsibilities and accountabilities within the team.

2. Team Dynamics For the team to be perform at its best and reach its full potential, it needs to be supported by positive
and productive working relationships between team members and strong teamwork.

You will need to use your team management skills to:


  1. Build Trust in the Team by creating common objectives and commitments fir team members.

  2. create a connection with your team by assessing the team’s effectiveness and help the team to
    improve it’s effectiveness

  3. Establish strong communication path: eg. agree on clear communication protocols , who reports to
    whom both within and outside the team. Put processes/systems in place to support effective team
    decision making

  4. always criticise constructively and motivate the team

  5. Create the right conditions by supporting employee engagement . that creates a sense of
    belongingness makes team members want to go that ‘extra mile’

  6. Resolve misuderstandings,disagreements and conflict.

  7. prioritize and monitor deliveries. Eg, what is important and what is urgent!

  8. monitor, recognise and reinforce team successes and triumphs

  9. hone in on individual skills and capabilities and help develop them.

In Conclusion.


This is a very complex topic dominated by lots of confusion and it’s a lot bigger that what can fit in
a few pages.
This is just the first article in a series of articles I plan to write on this topic. Think of it as Performance Management Food for Thought.

Thank you and Good Luck,

Irene

About the Author: Irene Gloria Addison is the owner of HIREghana [Human
Intelligence Recruitment], a Leader Ghanaian Recruitment Agency and also a HRM &
Organizational Development Consultancy, based in Accra. Performance Management
is one of our areas of specialization.
Irene welcomes your feedback/ comments/ remarks/ suggestions via your email
message to Press at HIREgh.com; she can be reached at +233 50 228 5155 or
+233 266 555 907.
Our website is http://www.hiregh.com