A high-performing team is what every business leader aspires to, but how can you get there? Establishing a solid foundation of habits that your staff adhere to is essential to creating a productive team. Even though daily work frequently seems to involve a lot of decision-making, a lot of it is actually done out of habit. You stand a better chance of success when your team has positive working habits.
All high-performing businesses share many common habits, even though they can differ depending on team and company goals.
5 habits of high-performing teams
These are the top five habits that high-achieving groups frequently exhibit. In order to maximise team performance and business success, instill these habits in every team member.
1. They set and review goals regularly.
If members of a team are unaware of their objectives, how can they function effectively and generate outcomes? Without objectives, a team lacks focus, motivation, and effectiveness. Although they might be producing high-quality, high-volume, or both kinds of work, is it contributing to the organization’s overarching goal?
Establishing goals gives the team members something to strive for and helps them realise how their work fits into the overall objectives of the organisation. Goal-setting can be more of an art than a science since it must be measurable, significant in terms of impact, and big enough but still attainable. It has been demonstrated that the SMART framework works well for helping people create appropriate and inspiring goals.
A crucial aspect of goal-setting that some leaders overlook is the ongoing evaluation of those objectives. Setting good goals for your teams is not enough; it’s even more crucial to regularly assess them and use the results to determine your next course of action. Constant introspection keeps workers engaged and productive.
2. They use effective communication.
Teams that communicate frequently, clearly, and constructively tend to be the best. Regular communication guarantees that all members are informed about new developments and changes within the company, as well as the status of ongoing projects. Just checking in at the beginning and end of a project is insufficient. A high-performing team keeps communication and information flowing constantly, which keeps everyone involved in the project connected.
When it comes to the next steps needed to advance a project, effective communication guarantees that there is less possibility of misunderstandings and that all parties are in agreement. In addition to helping team members learn from errors and setbacks, constructive communication also raises the calibre of their output. Examine the best applications available for internal communication.
Set the standard for regular, transparent, and productive communication as a leader by modelling it for your team. They will follow your lead. Keep in mind that feedback is a two-way street, so encourage your team to provide it on a regular basis on matters that impact their work.
3. They have a problem-solving mindset.
An essential characteristic of a high-achieving team is their capacity to overcome challenges. Nothing is ever easy, no matter what kind of workplace you work in. There are many different types of problems, such as a supplier’s delay, a technical issue, or an idea that didn’t work out. A team that approaches problems with a problem-solving mindset is better suited to handle obstacles, no matter what kind of problem they face.
What is involved in adopting a problem-solving mindset? It entails being able to quickly think of potential solutions to fix the problem and maintaining an optimistic attitude when something unfortunate occurs. It entails having the strength to keep trying new approaches until the intended result is achieved and being resilient in the face of setbacks.
When a team has a problem-solving mindset, they don’t let setbacks hold them back indefinitely. Instead, they concentrate on finding improvements, solutions, and novel approaches to problems in order to minimise the effects on productivity.
4. They share resources and information with other team members and departments.
As they say, “team” doesn’t mean “I.” The best work is seldom produced on its own. Collaboration and synergy are essential for maximising your team’s performance in both small and large businesses.
It may seem simple to share resources and information with the rest of our team, but occasionally we become so engrossed in our own knowledge and activities that we forget to do so.
Because key team members report back to you, as the leader, you probably have a better understanding of the overall picture. As a result, you can encourage the sharing of resources and information at all organisational levels in a more proactive manner.
Using team meetings as a forum to inform everyone of new information, changes, or developments that will impact the team’s output will help to increase productivity. To guarantee that productivity is increased rather than decreased, encourage contributors to discuss their accomplishments as well as any difficulties they may be having. Then, make space for others to offer support, materials, or knowledge to address those problems.
5. They trust their team members.
All too frequently, we only consider our coworkers in the context of the office: their demeanour there, the tasks they complete, and whether or not they are coffee addicts who require five cups a day to function. However, if you take a whole-person approach to each employee, you’ll see that each person brings unique qualities—like their own values, history, and story—to their work.
To build trust among coworkers, cultivate a sincere relationship with each individual that extends beyond work-related issues. Look for ways to engage with each other on a personal level as well as professional ones.
Organising brief introductions for each meeting is an easy way to get to know your team. You can find shared interests, past travel experiences, or comparable family backgrounds by playing these games. This knowledge can serve as a springboard for additional discussion and interaction. Collaborations will then function much more smoothly as comfort and trust are developed, guaranteeing that team performance stays high.
The impact of employee habits
Since workers are frequently an organization’s lifeblood, they may ultimately decide whether your business succeeds or fails. Every new hire has the power to change your company’s overall performance, productivity, and culture. Employing people with a positive work ethic is essential if you want them to contribute to the success of your business.
An employee’s habits can affect not just their particular role but also the habits of people in their immediate vicinity. An employee with strong communication skills, for instance, can inspire team members to offer candid criticism and guidance. On the other hand, if an individual consistently neglects their duties, their colleagues will have to take over, which could negatively impact productivity, employee morale, and retention.
How to develop good team habits
Don’t freak out if none of the five behaviours mentioned above are present on your team. The benefit of habits is that they are teachable! These are some tactics that you can implement to help your team form positive habits.
1. Train managers to have good habits.
At work, habits frequently originate at the top. People management is a key component of a successful company, and it’s critical that your leaders model the behaviours you wish to see spread throughout the organisation. This demonstrates to workers what is and isn’t appropriate in the office. For example, your managers need to actively provide and solicit employee feedback if you want your team to communicate openly. This communicates to your team that you value and anticipate their questions, concerns, suggestions, and other input.
2. Use team-building activities.
If there is a problem with any of the five habits in your team, engaging in team-building exercises can help them improve. All you have to do is choose an exercise that centres around the attitude or ability you want to develop, and then provide your group with the chance to engage in experiential learning.
3. Reinforce good habits.
In a team, developing strong habits takes time and daily, focused effort. Therefore, it’s crucial to reinforce the desired qualities in the workplace even after your team has engaged in some team-building exercises to bring them out. Building these five habits for strong teamwork can be achieved in large part by doing small things like scheduling regular after-work get-togethers to strengthen relationships with coworkers or posting team goals on the wall to remind everyone of what they’re working towards.
Creating positive habits across a team requires time and work, but the rewards are well worth the expense. You can achieve high performance and productivity by working to instill these habits in your staff.
