Optimising Team Performance..…!!! – October 28 2016

Optimising Team Performance..…!!!

Often the most effective way of tapping each individual’s full potential, is by focusing on them as members of a team, instead of as individuals. Whether it is a group project in school, or an assignment at work, to ensure that team performance is optimised, follow these guidelines.

1. Give authority to teams: When teams know that they have the authority to make important decisions and their judgement will not be overruled straightaway, they will work on getting the best ideas and the most effective solutions to any problem. When each member in a team is fully engaged with making contributions and having a say, they are more accountable for their progress and results, thereby leading to higher success rates.
2. Encourage questioning: When every member in a team is encouraged to ask questions and challenge the decisions, they are bound to give serious consideration everything, and come up with multitude of possible outcomes. This also prepares them to encounter every possible situation. Everyone has a unique point of view, and encouraging open communication within the team could sometimes bring ideas that would have been overlooked otherwise.
3. Practice building consensus: It is important to maintain individuality and yet arrive at a consensus that everyone can accept. While they learn to make compromises, they will also choose what is best for the team at large, which will further motivate them to up their performance.
4. Resolve differences: It is critical to address everyone’s concerns and work through them as they arise. It is vital to ensure that disagreements don’t turn into long-term negativity within the team and therefore hamper performances. Encouraging each team member to take responsibility of outcome even if it wasn’t their preferred approach helps the team to grow as a unit.
5. Empower the team: Look for solutions from every individual in the team even if the particular problem or project may not be their strong suit. This encourages individuals to come up with brilliant ideas and makes them take ownership of a project because of the trust placed on them and their capabilities.

Performing well as a team requires a lot of effort and top business schools like GIBS teach us the art of resource management, and optimising performances to reach the zenith of success.