High-performing teams are goal-driven. They work in sync, and each person functions at their optimal level. Roles are defined, and communication is clear, collaborative, and cooperative. These teams can be ad hoc or long-term as long as the members are flexible and empowered and seek the same outcome. 

According to SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, “High-performance work teams are generally composed of a combination of purpose and goals, talent, skills, performance ethics, incentives and motivation, efficacy, leadership, conflict, communication, power and empowerment, and norms and standards.”

A healthy organizational culture is merely an expanded version of the top-performing team. Employees are motivated and inspired by leadership who can model what they want to see in their employees while executing the mission and values of the organization. 

Effective leaders cultivate self-awareness.

To build a high-performing team, you must model the behavior you seek to instill in its members, set the tone for your work together, and communicate clearly. To be successful, you must have heightened self-awareness, insight into how the organization functions, and a clear vision of the organization’s future. You must know yourself and how each team member learns, processes information, and takes action so you can work together effectively. 

As leaders, when we are not aware of ourselves and our surroundings, it is like we are seeing the world through very blurry glasses. Sure, we can see things around us, but there is no brilliance, clarity, or depth of understanding. We operate from a limited position because we don’t have all the information we need. When we lack clarity, we cannot perform at our best.

With self-awareness comes greater emotional intelligence and improved performance, decision-making, and communication. Influential communicators think about what they say, how they come across, how they respond, who they are speaking to, and how the conversation impacts that person. They participate in the interaction while simultaneously observing it.

The more awareness you bring to an interaction, the more natural it becomes to participate and observe the process. Without that awareness, you will not be an effective communicator or leader.

Expanding your self-awareness requires being self-reflective, curious, and open to learning how you show up, how you want to show up, where you get stuck, how you are affected by your environment, and how others experience you. It is a humbling but gratifying process if you give yourself the grace to make mistakes. When approached with curiosity, flexibility, and motivation, it can be transformational. 

Even small changes in how you show up can make a difference and impact those around you. Your team, like your family, is a living system. You affect each other in significant and subtle ways. Positive changes can have a big impact, even if a relationship or team has an unhealthy dynamic. I teach these skills to leaders and teams in my online program, The Communication Protocol. 

Effective leaders are curious about the people on their team.

Just as you observe yourself without judgment, observing your team is important.  Notice how your team members show up. How do they express themselves? How do they deal with challenges and stressors? What energy do they bring to the team? What are their strengths? Where do they shine? Where can they use your support and encouragement?

Creating a high-performing team requires you to know the people you lead so you can be thoughtful about how you communicate and approach a topic with realistic expectations for the interaction and the outcome. This knowledge helps you understand how and why a conflict or misunderstanding might arise and may help you avoid one altogether. 

Jim Kwik, a brain coach and author of Limitless Expanded Edition: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster and Unlock Your Exceptional Life, points out that different brain types learn, sell, invest, and communicate differently. “Since we all learn differently, knowing how you learn gives you important information about your natural tendencies, strengths, and skills you might want to develop further as a leader,” says Kwik. “You’ll have more effective and harmonious exchanges in personal and professional settings when you understand the learning styles of yourself and others.”  

While all brain types have positive attributes and will contribute greatly to your high-performing team, conflicts can arise based on the differences in how they learn and process the information. That gives you the information you need to adjust your communication style and achieve the best outcome.

High-performing teams are dynamic, requiring leadership to be dynamic as well. Expand your self-awareness, be curious, and gain solid communication skills so you can show up as your best self and help your team thrive. 

©Copyright 2022 Debra Roberts, LCSW All rights reserved. No portion of this material may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

 A version of this article was initially published on Inc.com as: To Build a High-Performing Team, You First Need to Know Your Learning Style