8 Characteristics of High Performance Teams

  1. Sense of Purpose: Team members have a common and shared vision, goals, objectives and values. There's a strong focus on results and solutions, a sense of priorities, and clarity about directions, decisions and how we act.
  2. Open Communication: Team members express their thoughts and feelings openly, and conflict is surfaced and resolved routinely. People listen attentively and engage in dialogue.
  3. Trust and Mutual Respect: Team members value and support others. They tell each other the truth and provide honest and caring feedback.
  4. Shared Leadership: Team members assume leadership roles depending on the task at hand and the needs of the group. The formal leader serves as coach and mentor to the team.
  5. Effective Working Procedures: The team knows how to gather, organize and evaluate information. They encourage creativity, innovation, risk-taking, and they plan appropriately.
  6. Building on Differences: The team optimizes the skills, knowledge and personal strengths of its members. Individuals seek out different points of view and make use of outsiders.
  7. Flexibility and Adaptability: People see changes as opportunities, they share responsibility, and they look for continuous improvement.
  8. Continuous Learning: Team members encourage difficult and penetrating questions, learn from their experiences and mistakes, and encourage growth and development of other team members.