This is a handout on how to create high performing teams.

1. Creating High performing teams and organisations
In the first module we looked at leadership and the difference between leading and
managing. We also focused on transformational leadership, where the leader creates a
vision, which they then communicate to others to gain their ‘buy in’. We started to look at
your personal vision, and how this relates to what you care about at work. You were asked
to start to work on your personal plan and SMART goals. You were also asked to meet with
your line manager to discuss changes you would like to make.
In the second module we started to think about how we influence others and get them to
help us to achieve our vision and the vision of the team or organisation. We looked at
theories of motivation and then thought about how you are perceived by others. One key
focus of this is developing your emotional intelligence to build more successful
relationships.
Now we are going to look at how to manage performance to create high performing teams
and organisations. We will focus on performance management, goal setting, team
development, learning styles and coaching.
When does a group of people become a team?
Tuckman's group development model
The performing model of group development was first proposed by Bruce Tuckman in 1965,
who maintained that these phases are all necessary and inevitable in order for the team to
grow, to face up to challenges, to tackle problems, to find solutions, to plan work, and to
deliver results. This model has become the basis for a lot of theory around team
development.
Forming
In the first stage of team building, the forming of the team takes place. The individual's
behaviour is driven by a desire to be accepted by the others, and avoid controversy or
conflict. Serious issues and feelings are avoided, and people focus on being busy with
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2. routines, such as team organisation, who does what, when to meet, etc. Individuals are also
gathering information and impressions - about each other, and about the scope of the task
and how to approach it. This is a comfortable stage to be in, but the avoidance of conflict
and threat means that not much actually gets done.
The team meets and learns about the opportunities and challenges, and then agrees on
goals and begins to tackle the tasks. Team members tend to behave quite independently.
They may be motivated but are usually relatively uninformed of the issues and objectives of
the team. Team members are usually on their best behaviour but very focused on
themselves. Mature team members begin to model appropriate behaviour even at this early
phase. Sharing the knowledge of the concept of "Teams - Forming, Storming, Norming,
Performing" is extremely helpful to the team.
Supervisors of the team tend to need to be directive during this phase.
The forming stage of any team is important because, in this stage, the members of the team
get to know one another, exchange some personal information, and make new friends. This
is also a good opportunity to see how each member of the team works as an individual and
how they respond to pressure.
Storming
Every group will next enter the storming stage in which different ideas compete for
consideration. The team addresses issues such as what problems they are really supposed
to solve, how they will function independently and together and what leadership model
they will accept. Team members open up to each other and confront each other's ideas and
perspectives. In some cases storming can be resolved quickly. In others, the team never
leaves this stage. The maturity of some team members usually determines whether the
team will ever move out of this stage. Some team members will focus on minutiae to evade
real issues.
The storming stage is necessary to the growth of the team. It can be contentious,
unpleasant and even painful to members of the team who are averse to conflict. Tolerance
of each team member and their differences should be emphasized. Without tolerance and
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3. patience the team will fail. This phase can become destructive to the team and will lower
motivation if allowed to get out of control. Some teams will never develop past this stage.
Supervisors of the team during this phase may be more accessible, but tend to remain
directive in their guidance of decision-making and professional behavior. The team
members will therefore resolve their differences and members will be able to participate
with one another more comfortably. The ideal is that they will not feel that they are being
judged, and will therefore share their opinions and views. Normally tension, struggle and
sometimes arguments occur.
Norming
The team manages to have one goal and come to a mutual plan for the team at this stage.
Some may have to give up their own ideas and agree with others in order to make the team
function. In this stage, all team members take the responsibility and have the ambition to
work for the success of the team's goals.
Performing
It is possible for some teams to reach the performing stage. These high-performing teams
are able to function as a unit as they find ways to get the job done smoothly and effectively
without inappropriate conflict or the need for external supervision. By this time, they are
motivated and knowledgeable. The team members are now competent, autonomous and
able to handle the decision-making process without supervision. Dissent is expected and
allowed as long as it is channeled through means acceptable to the team.
Supervisors of the team during this phase are almost always participative. The team will
make most of the necessary decisions. Even the most high-performing teams will revert to
earlier stages in certain circumstances. Many long-standing teams go through these cycles
many times as they react to changing circumstances. For example, a change in leadership
may cause the team to revert to storming as the new people challenge the existing norms
and dynamics of the team.
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4. Action steps: “forming” to Action steps: “Storming” to Action steps: “Norming” to
“Storming”
“Norming”
“Performing”
Set a mission
Team
Set goals
actively
Establish roles
reinforce
Recognise need to move
behaviour,
out of forming role
group
Leader is directive
positive environment
Share leadership role in
Build trust
Leader must ask for an
team based on who does
Define reward structure
expect results
what the best
Take risks
Recognise and publicise
Share
team wins
success
Agree on individual roles
Communicate
towards shared goals
and responsibilities
time
Assert power
Listen to each other
Share responsibility
Decide to be on the team
Set and teak team time
Delegate freely within
together
the team
Everyone works actively
Commit time to the team
to
Keep raising the bar –
Bring
group
regularly
to
together
work
leader
set
should
support
and
team
facilitate
wins,
a
create
supportive
Maintain traditions
Praise
and
appreciate
each other
Self-evaluate without a
fuss
rewards
and
all
the
environment
new higher goals
Have the vision: “we can
Be selective of new team
succeed”
members,
Request
and
accept
train
to
maintain the team spirit
feedback
Build trust by honouring
commitments
Belbin’s team roles
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5. When a team is performing at its best, you'll usually find that each team member has clear
responsibilities. You'll also see that every role needed to achieve the team's goal is being
performed fully and well.
But often, despite clear roles and responsibilities, a team will fall short of its full potential.
Dr Meredith Belbin studied team-work for many years, and he famously observed that
people in teams tend to assume different "team roles." He defined a team role as "a
tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way" and named
nine such team roles that he argued underlie team success. (see your hand-out
questionnaire for team roles)
Performance management
Effective Performance Management is a holistic, on-going process that brings together
many aspects of best practice people management, but in essence focuses on development,
both of individuals and teams.
Researchon what transforms an organisation into a high-performing organisation clearly
shows that five factors determine whether an organisation can successfully become and
remain a high performing organisation (HPO). These are:
• Management quality
• Openness and action orientation
• Long-term orientation
• Continuous improvement and renewal
• Employee quality
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6. The quality of its management, i.e. the attitudes and behaviours of its managers, is the most
important of all of these. Excellent managers are the very foundation of a true HPO, and
effective performance management is a key component to producing high performing
individuals and teams.
What Is Performance Management?
Performance Management can be defined as:
'A process which contributes to the effective management of individuals and teams in
order to achieve high levels of organisational performance’
Effective performance management establishes shared understanding about what is to be
achieved and facilitates an approach to leading and developing people which will ensure
that it is achieved.
Performance management should be:
Strategic - it is about a shared organisational vision and longer-term goals
Integrated - it should link various aspects of the organisation, people management,
and individuals and teams.
On-going -a combination of managerial activity that runs throughout the year as an
on-going cycle of planned and ad-hoc interactions between managers, teams and
individuals.
It should incorporate:
Performance Improvement - throughout the organisation, for individual, team and
organisational effectiveness
Development - unless there is continuous development of individuals and teams,
performance will not improve
Managing Behaviour- ensuring that individuals are encouraged to behave in a way
that allows and fosters better working relationships, both internal and external, and
encompassing all stakeholders.
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7. At its most effective, performance management is a tool to ensure that managers
manage effectively; that they ensure the people or teams they manage:
know and understand what is expected of them
have the skills and ability to deliver on these expectations
are supported by the organisation to develop their capacity to meet these
expectations and are given regular feedback on their performance
have the opportunity to discuss and contribute to individual and team aims and
objectives.
It is also about ensuring that managers themselves are aware of the impact of their own
behaviour on the people they manage and are encouraged to identify and exhibit positive
behaviours.
So performance management is about:
Establishing a culture
It is about sharing expectations.
Performance management is about interrelationships
It is also about planning
It should apply to all employees
It is a continuous process
It is holistic
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8. How Does Performance Management Work?
Because performance management is (or should be) so all-pervasive, it needs structures to
support it. These should provide a framework to help people operate, and to help them to
help others to operate. But it should not be a rigid system; there needs to be a reasonable
degree of flexibility to allow people freedom to operate.
Performance management is a process, not an event. It operates as a continuous cycle of
development.
Organisational strategic goals provide the starting point for business and team goals,
followed by agreement on performance and development, leading to the drawing up of
plans between individuals and managers, with continuous monitoring and feedback
supported by formal reviews.
Tools of Performance Management:
Performance appraisals
Reviewing & Setting Objectives & Performance Measures (KPI’s)
Learning & Development Activities
Regular Team & Individual Meetings
Coaching
Performance Problem Solving (Performance Improvement Plans)
Understanding Current Performance
There will be varying degrees of performance/capability within a typical team:
Under performers
Competent (Good performers – how do we make them Great)
High Potentials
Identifying which group individuals currently sit in requires us to consider the performance
of each individual from two perspectives:
What is the person’s level of Competence?
- Has the person got the relevant skills, knowledge and capability for the job?
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9. What is the person’s level of Commitment?
- Is the person willing or unwilling to perform their job?
Once we have identified where people sit in terms of competence and commitment, we can
start to plan & prepare performance development activities.
Level of Competence
Level of Commitment
Willing to Perform
Unwilling to Perform
Manager and Team Support
Manager Intervention
1. Employee does not Requires basic role
Individual not suitable for
know how to perform performance training &
role and should not pass
effectively
probationary period.
structured development
from competent team
members
2. Employee knows how Low confidence, requires
Individual in wrong role
to perform effectively support, encouragement and
in theory but can’t in coaching from manager and
practice
high performers
3. Employee knows how On-going coaching &
Counselling with
to perform effectively development opportunities
Performance Improvement
and can practice
to maintain high
Plan in place. May result in
performance. Involve in
disciplinary action if PIP not
colleagues development
delivered.
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10. By focussing on the needs of each of these groups, we start to realise how, by developing
others to build their capability, we can free up some of our own time providing us with an
opportunity to build our own capability, therefore raising the performance standards for all.
Performance appraisal
The performance appraisal is an essential part of performance management. In itself it is
not performance management, but a core part of the process; one of the range of tools that
can be used to manage performance.
The performance appraisal or review is essentially an opportunity for the individual and
those concerned with their performance – most usually their line manager - to get together
to engage in a dialogue about the individual’s performance, development and the support
required from the manager. It should not be a top down process or an opportunity for one
person to ask questions and the other to reply. It should be a free flowing conversation in
which a range of views are exchanged.
Performance appraisals usually review past behaviour and so provide an opportunity to
reflect on past performance. But to be successful they should also be used as a basis for
making development and improvement plans and reaching agreement about what should
be done in the future.
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11. Vision, Strategy and Values
What's expected of me?
Why is my contribution
important?
What's next?
How am I doing?
Performance
Management
How will I get there?
What have I done
well?
What support is
How can I improve
available to me?
Development & Growth
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and develop?
Evaluating Progress &
Success
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12. There are 3 key skills managers need to be able to deliver effective reviews:
Questioning
Listening
Delivering
Feedback
Asking the right questions
The two main issues are to ensure that appraisers ask open and probing questions.
Open questions are general rather than specific; they enable people to decide how they
should be answered and encourage them to talk freely. Examples include:
How do you feel things have been going?
How do you see the job developing?
How do you feel about that?
Tell me, why do you think that happened?
Probing questions dig deeper for more specific information on what happened or how
people feel. They demonstrate support for the individual’s answer and encourage them to
provide more information about their feelings and attitudes. Probing questions can also be
used to reflect back to the individual and check information. Examples would be:
That’s very interesting. Tell me more about ….?
To what extent do you think that …?
Have I got the right impression? Do you mean that ….?
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13. Listening
Good listeners:
Concentrate on the speaker and are aware of behaviour, body language and nuances
that supplement
Respond what is being said when necessary but don’t interrupt.
Ask relevant questions to clarify meaning.
Comment on points to demonstrate understanding but keep them short and do not
inhibit the flow of the speaker.
Giving Feedback
Feedback should be based on facts not subjective opinion and should always be backed up
with evidence and examples. The aim of feedback should be to promote the understanding
of the individual so that they are aware of the impact of their actions and behaviour. It may
require corrective action where the feedback indicates that something has gone wrong.
However, wherever possible feedback should be used positively to reinforce the good and
identify opportunities for further positive action. Giving feedback is a skill and requires
planning to be effective whilst you are inexperienced.
Feedback will work best when the following conditions are met:
Feedback is built in with individuals being given access to readily available
information on their performance and progress.
Feedback is related to actual events, observed behaviours or actions.
Feedback describes events without judging them.
Feedback is accompanied by questions soliciting the individual’s opinion why certain
things happened.
People are encouraged to come to their own conclusions about what happened and
why.
There is understanding about what things went wrong and an emphasis on putting
them right rather than censuring past behaviour.
Praise & criticism is constructive and are delivered as two separate aspects.
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14. Goal Setting
Five Principles of Goal Setting
One of the most influential and evidence-based theories of motivation is goal-setting
theory. Research has shown that goal setting can considerably improve performance and
output. However, to motivate, goals must have:
1. Clarity
2. Challenge
3. Commitment
4. Feedback
5. Task complexity
Let's look at each of these in detail:
1. Clarity
Clear goals are measurable and unambiguous. When a goal is clear and specific, with a
definite time set for completion, there is less misunderstanding about what behaviours will
be rewarded. You know what's expected, and you can use the specific result as a source of
motivation. When a goal is vague – or when it's expressed as a general instruction, like
"Take initiative" – it has limited motivational value. To improve your or your team's
performance, agree clear goals that use specific and measurable standards. When you use
the SMART acronym to help you set goals, you ensure the clarity of the goal by making it
Specific, Measurable and Time-bound.
2. Challenge
One of the most important characteristics of goals is the level of challenge. People are often
motivated by achievement, and they'll judge a goal based on the significance of the
anticipated accomplishment. Setting SMART goals that are Relevant links them closely to
the rewards given for achieving challenging goals. Relevant goals will further the aims of
your organisation, and these are the kinds of goals that most employers will be happy to
reward.
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15. Note:
It's important to strike an appropriate balance between a challenging goal and a realistic
goal. Setting a goal that you'll fail to achieve is possibly more de-motivating than setting a
goal that's too easy.
3. Commitment
Goals must be understood and agreed upon if they are to be effective. Employees are more
likely to "buy into" a goal if they feel they were part of creating that goal. The notion of
participative management rests on this idea of involving employees in setting goals and
making decisions.
This doesn't mean that every goal has to be negotiated with and approved by employees. It
does mean that goals should be consistent and in line with previous expectations and
organisational concerns. Interestingly, goal commitment and difficulty often work together.
The harder the goal, the more commitment is required.
As you use goal setting in your workplace, make an appropriate effort to include people in
their own goal setting. Encourage employees to develop their own goals, and keep them
informed about what's happening elsewhere in the organisation. This way, they can be sure
that their goals are consistent with the overall vision and purpose that the company seeks.
4. Feedback
In addition to selecting the right type of goal, an effective goal programme must also include
feedback. Feedback provides opportunities to clarify expectations, adjust goal difficulty, and
gain recognition. It's important to provide benchmark opportunities or targets, so
individuals can determine for themselves how they're doing. SMART goals are Measurable,
and this ensures that clear feedback can be provided.
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16. 5. Task Complexity
The last factor in goal setting theory introduces two more requirements for success. For
goals or assignments that are highly complex, take special care to ensure that the work
doesn't become too overwhelming.
People who work in complicated and demanding roles probably have a high level of
motivation already. However, they can often push themselves too hard if measures aren't
built into the goal expectations to account for the complexity of the task. It's therefore
important to do the following:
Give the person sufficient time to meet the goal or improve performance.
Provide enough time for the person to practice or learn what is expected and
required for success.
The whole point of goal setting is to facilitate success. Therefore, you want to make sure
that the conditions surrounding the goals don't frustrate or inhibit people from
accomplishing their objectives. This reinforces the "Attainable" part of SMART.
Developing People
In order to develop performance it is important to understand how people learn. Two key
pieces of theory help us to achieve this.
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17. Kolb’s experiential learning theory (KELT) 1984
It’s most powerful impact has been the idea of a learning cycle. It shows what should be
happening within any learning experience. He also highlighted that some people prefer to
learn in one way and not another, and that these can be identified through a learning styles
inventory.
Concrete
Experience
'Doing'
Active
Experimentation
'Apply'
Reflective
Observation
'Review'
Abstract
Concepts
'Learning'
Four-Stage Cycle of Learning
Concrete experience –this can be planned or accidental, something is ‘done’.
Reflective Observation- this involves actively thinking about the experience and its
significance, ‘reviewing what has been done’.
Abstract Conceptualising – involves generalising from experience in order to develop
various concepts and ideas that can be applied when similar situations are encountered,
what has been ‘learnt’ from the experience.
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18. Active Experimentation –testing the concept or ideas in new situations. ‘Applying’ what has
been learnt. This gives rise to a new concrete experience and the cycle begins again.
Kolb demonstrated this process as a cycle where the learner 'touches all the bases', i.e., a
cycle of experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and acting. In order to develop people fully, all
stages of the learning cycle should be completed. This is the source of truly effective
development where people change their behaviour based on what has been learnt. Kolb
also identified four preferred learning styles that explain how people prefer to learn and
where they are most comfortable starting their learning cycle. This complex work was
simplified and developed further by Honey & Mumford.
Honey & Mumford Learning cycle and learning styles, 2006
Activists
'Have an
experience "do"'
Pragmatists Plan
the next steps
'Apply'
Reflectors
'Review" the
experience'
Theorists
Draw
conclusions from
the experience
"learn"
By understanding which preferred learning style is dominant, development activity can be
planned to be most meaningful and effective for the individual.
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19. Coaching
Coaching is an important tool in the development of teams and individuals. Coaching is
developing a person's skills and knowledge so that their job performance improves, leading
to the achievement of organisational objectives. Coaching is increasingly recognised as a
significant responsibility of line managers, and plays an important part in performance
management.
Coaching has a long history going right back to Socrates, who believed that individuals learn
best when they have ownership of a situation and take some form of personal responsibility
for the outcome that is produced.
Definitions of Coaching
"Unlocking a person's potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping
them to learn rather than teaching them"
Gallwey, 1986
“…a process that enables learning and development to occur and thus performance
“to improve.”
Parsloe, 1999
Coaching is developing a person’s skills and knowledge so that their job performance
improves, which leads to the achievement of organisational objectives. It targets high
performance and improvement at work, although it may also have an impact on an
individual’s private life. It usually lasts for a short period and focuses on specific skills and
goals.
Characteristics of coaching in organisations:
It is essentially a non-directive form of development.
It focuses on improving performance and developing individuals’ skills.
Personal issues may be discussed but the emphasis is on performance at work.
Coaching activities have both organisational and individual goals.
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20. It provides people with feedback on both their strengths and their weaknesses.
Benefits of Coaching
• Effective
Coaching
Improves
Drives
• Employee
Performance
• Ability &
Motivation
• Organisational
Performance
• Business
Results
Success
When is Coaching the Best Development Intervention?
The first step will be the identification of some kind of learning or development need, either
by the individual themselves or their line manager. Once this has been identified, the next
step is for the manager and the individual to decide how best the need can be met.
Coaching is just one of a range of training and development interventions that organisations
can use to meet identified learning and development needs. Its merits should be considered
alongside other types of development interventions, such as training courses, mentoring or
on-the-job training.
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21. Some examples of situations where coaching is a suitable development tool include:
helping competent technical experts develop better interpersonal or managerial skills
developing an individual’s potential and providing career support
supporting high performers to maintain motivation and continually strive for
improvements/new approaches
increase their decision making and problem solving skills
developing a more strategic perspective after a promotion to a more senior role
handling conflict situations so that they are resolved effectively.
Principles of Coaching
Coaching is a form of instruction the purpose of which is to modify performance and
encourage more successful and productive behaviour.
Coaching is purely concerned with behaviour: what people do that worked and what they
do that does not work.
The objective of coaching is to transform good performance into winning achievements.
Coaching is all about setting goals, focusing on priorities and actions, and being challenged
to accomplish more. Here are some things to bear in mind when you are acting in a coaching
role:
People learn most when you give them respect and when you value their self-worth.
People's coaching needs will vary depending on their confidence, capability, environment
and the complexity of the task involved.
The responsibility of the coach is to facilitate the individual's learning.
The objective of the coach is to transform good performance into winning achievements.
Key Points to note:
Not everyone can or wants to be developed into a superstar, but everyone can push the
limits of what they can accomplish when given a real challenge, a dose of encouragement
and support to succeed.
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22. Coaching It’s not just about high potentials – it is about you leading your entire team to
strive for continuous performance improvements.
Development primarily means challenging experiences, coaching, feedback and mentoring.
Not feeding back to people denies them the opportunity to take charge of their
development and their careers, this often plays a role in derailment of highly talented
people as self-awareness is critical in continual growth.
Tailoring your coaching sessions to your employees preferred learning style will deliver
immediate benefits by helping the individual to learn effectively. For example, Introduce
theories and text books for Theorists. Avoid using jargon or lengthy explanations for
Pragmatists.
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23. The Structure of a Coaching Session
Using the GROW Model
The GROW Model is one of the best-known and widely used coaching models. It provides a
simple yet powerful framework for navigating a route through a coaching session, as well as
providing a means of finding your way when lost.
GROW is an acronym:
Goal
Reality
Options
Way Forward
This acronym summarises the four key elements of a coaching session and helps the helps
the coach to determine the most effective questions to ask.
Goal
Reality
Options
Way Forward
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24. G for Goal Setting
Set goals for the session as well as for the long term. A long-term goal could be described as
the end goal and shorter-term goals could be described as performance goals, the level of
performance, which will help to achieve the end goal. This is where we agree what we are
aiming for, what we are trying to achieve and determine what success looks like and how it
will be measured.
List useful ‘Goal Setting’ Questions here:
R for Reality
This is concerned with exploring the current situation and is concerned with objective
description and factual answers rather than opinions, judgemental evaluations, prejudices,
hopes and fears. The coach needs to encourage the coachee to use descriptive language to
reduce the counter-productive effects of self-criticism. The more specific and descriptive
language the coachee uses the more productive the session is likely to be. Help the coachee
to avoid vague generalisations and judgemental language like good/bad; success/failure;
right/wrong.
List useful ‘Reality’ Questions here:
O for Options
At this stage of the coaching we are looking to create and list as many options or alternative
courses of action as possible. The quantity is more important at this stage than quality and
feasibility. It is a creative and stimulating process which is often more valuable than the
options themselves. Options need to be identified initially without any expression of
preference, assumptions, ridicule, censorship, obstacles or completeness. Once the list is
produced, specific action steps can be developed and consequences discussed.
List useful ‘Option’ Questions here:
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25. W is for Way Forward
At this final coaching phase we are looking to convert the discussion into decisions as what
is to be put into action, i.e. what is to be done to achieve the goal. It is about building an
action plan to take the coachee towards the goal. The coachee needs to retain choice and
ownership even to the extent of deciding to do nothing.
List useful ‘Way Forward’ questions here:
References
1. www.businessballs.com
2. www.cipd.co.uk
3. 'Experiential Learning: Experience As The Source of Learning and Development'
David A Kolb, 1984
4. ‘Coaching for performance: Growing People, Performance and Purpose’ John
Whitmore, 2002
5. ‘The Inner Game of Work’ Tim Gallwey, 2001
6. ‘Using your Learning Styles’ Peter Honey & Alan Mumford, 1986
7. ‘Managing & Leading People’ Charlotte Rayner& Derek Adam-Smith, 2005
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