How to build high-performing teams

As how we work changes, team flexibility becomes paramount. Roles can change from project to project, so it’s important for each member to be able to adapt where needed.

As a manager, you should always set clear expectations and goals for the team, but you can use the behavioral drives to determine if you should outline guardrails for how to achieve those goals.

Are there individuals on the team that might require step-by-step instructions? Will they thrive or struggle when given the autonomy to solve problems? Regardless, be sure to provide continuous feedback on how the team is performing compared to their goals.

Managers should always compare the team dynamics with the strategy of the business. If a business has its sight mainly on increasing agility for this quarter, but your team consists of individuals with high process and precision behavioral drives, they may not be positioned for success.

Monitoring your team and being transparent with where they stand can greatly improve results. You can do this more efficiently by using a tool like PI’s Team Discovery, which will quickly show where the priorities of your business strategy lie in comparison to the behavioral drives of your team.

Keep in mind, some teams might have members that differ from the overall business strategy but still make sense for that specific team. Even in an extremely agile company, you may want your finance members to be more aligned with process and precision.

What happens if you find drastic gaps in your team and business strategy? If possible, consider adding additional team members who align more to the current strategy to help the team during that time. We recommend revisiting the Team Discovery map any time a new member is added. This allows the team to see how they can best welcome the new member, see the new person’s strengths and caution areas, and work effectively with them to achieve results and hit goals.

Sometimes adding or shifting team members isn’t always feasible. In this case, you should still use the tool but pivot the conversation. With awareness of the gaps between your team and the strategy, determine creative solutions. For example, if your strategy is heavily focused on agility but your team’s behavioral drives are closer to a results and discipline strategy, they may need to be willing to change ways they have historically done things – just while you navigate this period – to accommodate the current business needs.