Studies show that several interrelated functions contribute to the consistent high performance and success of work teams. To develop a high-performing team, leaders should assess and develop these five behavioral functions with their team members:
confidence, communication, coordination, cooperation and collaboration.
» Confidence and trust: This is the foundation. Behaviors that drive confidence and trust among team members are being competent in your job, keeping your word, doing what you say you will do, and not sharing proprietary information.
» Communication: Team members demonstrate open, timely, candid and respectful communication. Optimal communication occurs when team members are comfortable expressing feelings and ideas and are open to different perspectives. Meetings incorporating these elements ensure a productive use of everyone’s time.
» Coordination: Team members can clearly explain the company’s values, mission, vision and goals. Each member is fully aware of their individual responsibility as well as what other team members are working on. Action plans are used to track progress and outcomes and accelerate accountability.
» Cooperation: Team members leave discussions fully committed to decisions agreed upon, even if there was initial disagreement. Disagreements or conflict are viewed as healthy and are used to improve how the team works together. Team members avoid complaining, procrastination and blaming each other when something goes wrong. They take personal responsibility for what can be better.
» Collaboration: Team members solve problems, learn and develop new initiatives in a structured, open and collaborative way and they willingly make sacrifices to achieve the overall team goal. They invest time in improving how they work together and in
celebrating successes.
Assessing your team’s current success in the five C’s is the starting point for maximizing them in the future.
