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\nThere\u2019s something not quite right at work. Your colleagues are generally a good bunch and work gets done, but yet you\u2019re in early, leave late and a full lunch break is a distant memory.<\/p>\n
Chances are you\u2019ve been down-sized or re-engineered so radically there\u2019s zero tolerance for mishaps or delays, and you extend your work day to pick up the slack.<\/p>\n
What you really need is some help on building a high performance team, to regain that work-life balance we all yearn for.<\/p>\n
Step 1 – Master your own destiny<\/strong><\/p>\n Realise you don\u2019t have to be the \u201cboss\u201d to build a high performance team. It\u2019s easy to let average performance slip by just because you\u2019re not in charge.<\/p>\n Always remember – it\u2019s your life that is being frittered away by all those extra hours at work, so take control of your work-life and be your own boss, managing your own team.<\/p>\n Step 2 – Put your eggs in one basket<\/strong><\/p>\n Chances are you\u2019re a member or leader of many teams at work. Think about which teams work well and which could do with some care and attention. Do you need to improve all your teams or is it just one? Start small and invest your efforts in improving the team that will make the biggest difference to your working life. As they say, Rome wasn\u2019t built in a day.<\/p>\n Step 3 – If you don\u2019t know it\u2019s broke, how can you fix it?<\/strong><\/p>\n Regardless of how established the team is, invite constructive feedback about the team’s performance. In the classic \u201cForming, Storming, Norming and Performing\u201d team building model, the Storming part is about disagreement, dissent and dissatisfaction. Ask the team\u2019s customers what they think. Ask the team what they think about themselves as a group and individually. Learn to recognise the team\u2019s strengths, discuss where performance gaps exist and plan to close them.<\/p>\n Step 4 – Proper practice prevents poor performance<\/strong><\/p>\n Footballers spend 95% of their time practicing for the big game. How much time do you and your team invest in practicing basic skills and team work? Even if you spend 1 hour in an effective team meeting, planning who\u2019s doing what and when, it\u2019s still less than 3% of your working week. Building and maintaining a high performance team doesn\u2019t have to be expensive or time consuming, when you build it into your regular work-life.<\/p>\n Step 5 – A stitch in time<\/strong><\/p>\n Keep going. Get your priority team functioning well and establish a team-maintenance regime. Then think about the other teams in your life. What is it about the more productive teams that you could replicate in the less effective teams? Behaviour breeds behaviour, and as you develop a reputation for being an effective team leader or member, you\u2019ll be pleasantly surprised how much easier it is to make improvements elsewhere.<\/p>\n As my grandmother said, don\u2019t have a wish-bone where your back-bone should be! High performance teams are not conjured from thin air \u2013 they are a direct result of thought, plans and action. Follow these five simple steps for building high performance teams and enjoy longer lunch breaks again.<\/p>\n