So you want a high performing team, do you?

If you are in the business game to win, a high performing team is essential. So how do you get one? Well, let's look at four important characteristics of high performing teams and a few quick tips on how to support these characteristics in your team:

High performing teams are — Focused!

High performing teams have clarity around a shared goal and they know what winning looks like. To establish a shared goal, have the team create and own a definition of success that is consistently understood and bought into by everyone on the team.

High performing teams are — Collaborative!

Teams consist of people who work together. High performing teams exhibit intense collaboration. To enable collaborative behavior, consider giving your team a space in which to collaborate. Ideally this space would take the form of a team room. In the absence of a shared physical space, a shared virtual space might do. Just be sure the space enables real-time, effective interaction amongst all team members.

High performing teams are — Self-organizing!

The best performing teams adjust and adapt to optimize their ability to achieve their goal. They learn and improve continually. To enhance your team's ability to improve, consider empowering them to own their own processes including how they are staffed. Hold them accountable to be the team that is needed for the job to be done.

High performing teams are — Supported!

Teams do not exist in a vacuum. Teams require support from their organizations. Depending on the nature of the team, they might need support from leadership, administration, sales, marketing, operations, infrastructure, customer support, and so forth. Keep attentive and respond quickly to the needs of the team. A fully provisioned and supported team has the best chance at becoming high performing.

High performing teams don't just happen. They are built intentionally! What have you done recently to build a high performing team?