High Performance Teams

The word Team is used (incorrectly) interchangeably with Work Group. The key difference between the two is that a Work Group is tied to individual performance. However a High Performance team has both individual and group accountability. I will outline what a High Performance team is and how it can be readily incorporated into your Family Business.



This is a four part series consisting of:

• Part 1 Types of Teams
• Part 2 Team Key Elements and Keys to Success
• Part 3 The Decision Making Process
• Part 4 Developing Empowerment and Boundary Management

The most appropriate definition of a team that I find applicable for closely held family businesses is: "A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals and approach which they hold themselves accountable for[Joint Accountability] ". Therefore the key “ingredients” for a team are Complementary Skills, Common Purpose, Performance Goals and Joint Accountability.





The last point, Joint Accountability, facilitates Self Management and is the capstone for a successful High Performance Team. Without this, the group is only a work group and adds substantially less value to the organization.



There are three types of teams with the following key points and differentiators.



Those that recommend

Handing off is critical aspect of this type of team since they have to get top managements attention which can sometimes be difficult. There is also a delicate balance in getting outsiders involved in part of the process so they have an easier time taking ownership of the recommendations.



Those that make or do things

These are teams responsible for manufacturing, operations, marketing, etc. They key differentiator is these teams have an ongoing responsibility and usually do not have a team completion date; they of course have milestones to achieve. They must have key performance indicators for the team related to specific metrics such as revenue, costs or some added value.



Those that run things



These teams are a minority and generally consist of a small group. These teams are most effective when an organization is going through a major changes and where overall company behavior has to change. For example this type of team is very valuable in a Family Business environment when there is a need for succession of leadership from one generation to the next. This type of team is very effective for the transition.



High Performance Teams Part 2 will focus upon Team Key Elements and Keys to Success







All the best!

Dom Celentano

Tips on Running a Family Business