How to Build, Lead and Sustain a High Performance Team

Our Goal for the next three hours…Share with you a wealth of valuable information on leadership and high performance teams.This information has been gleaned from leading research, benchmarking studies, executive surveys and interviews at more than 3,000 top organizations.Your challenge is to look for the big ideas you can take and implement right away.Take this seriously and be ready to offer opinions or ask questions at any time.Take lots of notes – but I will give you all of the slides.

Not just business…City of GainesvilleCity of OcalaCity of High SpringsCity of TampaCity of St. PetersburgCity of ClearwaterCity of JacksonvilleCity of NashvilleUnited States NavyUnited States Department of AgricultureGainesville City AttorneyGainesville Office of the Tax CollectorGainesville PoliceGainesville Fire RescueOcala Emergency Medical Services AllianceAlachua CountyMarion CountyDuval County

23,000,00074%

88%

Top high-potential employees…CredibleRespectfulApproachableHighly ProfessionalTeam Player

CredibilityComplete honesty and transparencyImpeccable integrityKnows how to do their job wellA compelling vision for the futurePassion and excitement

RespectfulOpen to the ideas of othersTreats people with dignityTreats people fairly

Culture CountsFunFamilyFriendsFairFreedomPride PraiseMeaning

ApproachableGenuineAppreciativeIQ + EQGreat communicator

Highly ProfessionalImpressive talent100% ethicalSelf-awareAlways learning & improvingInsightful and innovativePro-activeResults DrivenAccountable

Ground Rules for a Professional OrganizationStaff agrees to be managed and coached to strictly enforced standards of performance and quality work.Teamwork is mandatory, not optional.Excellence in customer satisfaction is an enforced standard.Personal and professional growth is a nonnegotiable minimum standard.All team members must show a sincere interest in the customer and a sincere desire to help them.The primary focus must be on delivering quality work and building strong customer relationships.Demand excellence and refuse to tolerate mediocrity.

TEAMPLAYER

What does it take to be a valued member of a team?Develop and display competence.Follow through on commitments. Deliver required results.Ensure your actions are consistent with your word.Stand behind the team and its people.Be enjoyable to work with.Be passionate about your work and those you serve.Communicate and keep everyone informed.Help the other members of the team.Help members of other teams.Share ideas, information and credit.Hold yourself 100% accountable.

Why you need to be an expert at collaboration and teamwork:You cannot succeed alone.You need a team of the brightest people you can possibly find to help you.You need to help the team work extremely well together.You need the team to support you with enthusiasm, respect and trust.But don’t take my word for it…

Anne MulcahyCEO of Xerox and the third most powerful woman in the world!Build a network of great relationships with people who want to see you succeed.You don’t have all of the answers, so ask for help and advice from the smartest people you can find.Learn to be a learner.Listen intently to your employees and to your customers.

Typical ways that team members violate the team leader’s expectations:Missing or being late to team meetings.Not outwardly demonstrating commitment and support for the leader’s agenda.Not completing assignments in a timely manner so the team can complete its work.Not letting the leader know when there are problems or issues.Not sharing resources with other team members.Not sharing credit with the rest of the team.Not responding to e-mails or voice mails in a timely manner.

Typical ways that team leaders violate team members’ expectations:Micromanaging – not giving autonomy.Making decisions that effect subordinates without their input.Letting team members shirk their duties without any negative consequences.Not giving praise or rewards for a job well done.Not recognizing that the subordinate has a life outside of work that occasionally takes priority over work.

Let’s take a close look at what some of the top thought leaders in the world have to say about teams…

A Vivid Shared VisionA meaningful common purpose that theteam has helped shape. Most teams areresponding to an initial mandate fromoutside the team. But to be successful, theteam must “own” this purpose, develop itsown spin on it, and they must create this vision together as a team.

Clear Measurable GoalsSpecific performance goals that flow fromthe common purpose. For example, gettinga project completed in less than halfthe normal time. Compelling goals inspireand challenge a team, give it a sense ofurgency. They also have a leveling effect,requiring members to focus on the collectiveeffort necessary rather than any differencesin title or status.

Competence + DiversityA mix of complementary skills. Successful teams rarely have all the needed skills at the outset —they develop them as they learn what the challenge requires.Individual greatness…leading to team excellence

Solid Work EthicA strong commitment to how the workgets done.Teams must agree on who will do what jobs, how schedules will be established and honored, and how decisions will be made and modified. On a genuine team, each member does equivalent amounts of real work; all members, the leader included.

Team TrustTrust and commitment cannot be coerced. The process of agreeing upon appropriate goals serves as the crucible in which members forge their accountability to each other… not just to the leader or manager.

Lack of TRUSTLack of candorLack of commitmentLack of accountabilityLack of results

Since a major component of successful teamwork and collaboration is building trusting relationships, here are my thoughts on trust…

HIGHAffectionTRUSTConcernRespectDistrustLOWHIGHLOWCompetence

A high-functioning team has:An extremely clear mandate that all the team members are fully committed to achieving?A written set of ground rules for performance expectations and professional behavior ?Effective meetings that stay on agenda and always end with clearly identified next steps and action owners?Clarity around assignments and appropriate competencies?An agreed upon decision making process?A clearly defined process for reviewing team effectiveness and dealing with issues and conflict within the team.A strong sense of camaraderie, mutual support and mutual accountability?Very high levels of open, honest and frank communication.1 - 10

Personal Philosophy of LeadershipExtremely well thought outValues drivenFully integratedWell communicatedLived in all aspects of their life100% accountable

What do successful leaders do…SET DIRECTION(Vision – Goals - Future)Demonstrate Personal Character(habits, integrity, trust, honesty, credibility)Mobilize Commitment(engage others, share power)Enhance Capability(build teams, manage change)Leadership Attribute Framework

Study of most important leadership skills7,000+ managers from 1,600 companiesMust have superb communication skills.Lead by example to demonstrate character and competence.Establish and maintain clear and meaningful vision.Provide motivation to create ownership and accountability for results.Clarify performance expectations.Foster teamwork and collaboration.Develop clear performance goals and metrics.From: Getting Results by Longenecker and Simoneti

EthicsHumilityFlexibility Collaboration

HonestyCompetenceOpportunityAppreciation

WorkshopCarefully read pages 9 – 30. Look for the big ideas, underlining the thing that looks interesting, make notes in the margins, really try to dig in to the information.Then complete the workshop on page 31. Take this very seriously, give it a lot of thought, and work hard to develop something meaningful. Be specific and clear in your work, put in as much detail and information as possible. There is more room on page 32 for additional notes.

THANK YOU!Don’t forget to go check out my blog: www.johnspence.com