In many workplaces, we have a crisis of engagement. Or rather, a lack of engagement.
Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace reports that 77% of employees are either not engaged or actively disengaged in their jobs. The cumulative effect of this is costing $8.9 trillion in global GDP.
Think about that for a moment.
According to the study, less than a quarter of employees are actively engaged in your business. That’s a worrisome thought.
Changing that is critical to building high-performing teams that are not only engaged but passionate about their job. So, how do you do that? A good place to start is by understanding the key factors that top-performing teams share. Modeling how high-performing teams work together can help you build stronger and more resilient teams within your organization.
Understanding Goals and Expectations
In a high-functioning workplace, employees know their mission, how their jobs relate to that mission, and what is expected of them. They understand how their work will be judged. In other words, they know their purpose.
This starts with ensuring goals and expectations are aligned and realistic and being transparent about what’s working and what’s not. Top teams have a shared sense of purpose and can sense when something is off and take steps to correct it.
Employing Adaptability
Change is inevitable in today’s workplace. Whether it’s new technology or new challenges, change feels constantly in the air.
High-performing teams don’t fear change. They have a unique ability to adapt to major disruptions, such as office relocation or reorganization or a new strategy for doing business. Leaders understand how change impacts their team members and plan ahead to minimize interruptions.
For example, transparent communication about office relocations reinforces trust and reduces stress.
Creating Trust
Trust is foundational for building a positive culture. Team members must trust each other to do their part and that managers will guide them in the right direction. In high-trust teams, people know they can disagree or share their ideas without judgment.
Trust fosters accountability. Employees who don’t fear being honest about mistakes are more likely to hold themselves and others accountable.
Displaying Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your emotions, channel emotions productively, and recognize emotions in others. High-performing teams have a great deal of emotional intelligence, including:
- Self-awareness: Understanding your emotions and values
- Self-management: Being able to manage your emotions and behaviors
- Social awareness: Understanding the emotions of others and responding appropriately
- Relationship management: Fostering positive interactions, building trust, and resolving conflicts
Mastering these skills allows you to transform negative emotions into positive ones, avoid impulsive behaviors that might negatively impact the team, and empathize with others.
For example, working with employees to minimize the impact and disruption of an office relocation while addressing the emotions about the change. Relocation may be necessary, but it may also be a big disruption in people’s lives and cause stress. Acknowledging the team’s feelings and providing help where necessary to resolve problems can go a long way — but only if you have the emotional intelligence to recognize such feelings in the first place.
Practicing Self-Determination
When people are psychologically fulfilled, they tend to be more productive. Researchers have identified three key components that lead to this fulfillment: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. These three factors make up self-determination, which often is the fuel for the engine that drives performance.
Teams that have these basic needs met are among the top performers.
Autonomy
People want to feel they are in control of their lives and behavior. Rather than being controlled by others, employees have the freedom to make decisions and control the work process. This requires a great deal of trust from both employers and employees.
Competence
Self-determination doesn’t happen unless employees have the skills and competence to perform their jobs. Competence requires experience and training to build confidence so that employees can make meaningful contributions.
Relatedness
Relatedness is a bit more intangible, but high-performing teams have meaningful connections among team members. They feel valuable and supported and develop positive relationships and mutual respect. This is the key to collaboration and commitment.
Understanding Strengths and Weaknesses
The best-performing teams understand their weaknesses and tap into the collective strengths of their team members.
Every team member has distinct knowledge, experience, and skills. This diversity can be extremely valuable in solving problems, but only if team members are willing to be open and communicate. The best teams share their knowledge and help each other when needed.
Committing to Continuous Improvement
The best workplace cultures are not satisfied with the status quo. They are always looking for ways to improve performance and outcomes.
This rarely happens by accident.
Leaders set the stage for continuous improvement in several ways, including:
- Striving for regular improvements
- Communicating plans in detail
- Creating a safe space to try new things and fail
- Soliciting feedback and acting on suggestions
- Understanding that people react differently to change
Investing in Communication
Underpinning all of these traits is one constant: strong communication. Managers and employees are open and straightforward about making sure everyone is on the same page.
This can be challenging for leaders as it requires two-way communication and active listening. Rather than dictating what happens, the best leaders share goals and discuss strategies for achieving them. They listen to ideas from their team and incorporate feedback without being defensive.
This style of communication helps build trust and show respect — key to resolving conflicts and achieving goals.
Celebrating Success as a Team
While it is important to recognize the accomplishments of individual team members, celebrating as a team is just as important.
Team celebrations create a shared sense of achievement and emphasize the collaborative effort it takes to reach your goals. This helps the entire team feel valued and helps build a healthy workplace culture.
Conclusion
In business, reflection often gets pushed down the priority list because of pressing needs. However, it’s important to take a breath once in a while and think about your organization. When you read through this list, do you see your team reflected in these attributes?
If not, it’s time for change. The best teams have strong leaders who understand the keys to success and put in the work to develop their teams.
