5 Essential Characteristics of High-Performing Project Teams

As a team member, you’ve never wanted to be on a dysfunctional team that muddles through problems without ever getting much done. No matter how intense our desire to compete is, we all want to be a member of a team that consistently performs well and wins, a group that overcomes challenges, is clear about its objectives, and formulates a strategy to achieve more.

Yet, the high-performing project team of our dreams, however, continues to elude us. Is there anything you can do to foster an environment where highly productive teams can function? We think so as we curate a list of critical characteristics for a high-performing project team.

The Need for a High-Performing Project Team

High-performance teams significantly aid Project Managers in achieving all project objectives, solving challenging issues, and guiding different project stages in the proper path. 

Building a highly effective team requires an overall effective strategy, the correct vision, and the delegation of work to people who have been well-vetted for the job.

Characteristics of a High-Performing Project Team

Read on to learn the five essential elements to implement to move your team toward greater cohesion and innovation.

• Defining a Common Vision

Clarity forms the basis of high-performing teams. They are aware of the organization’s broader mission and goal and their place within it.

You are responsible for effectively and plainly expressing this vision as a leader. The team members’ daily work lives must keep the vision front and centre. Every action they perform, individually and collectively, must be coordinated and directed toward realizing their own vision.

• Specified Positions and Duties

Lack of clarity regarding the duties and responsibilities of the team and the individuals inside is one of the most aggravating elements of working life. Accountability can only happen after obligations are defined.

Team members aware of their roles are more committed to one another because they help one another achieve their objectives.

• Respectful and Direct Communication

Building high-performing teams require strong communication on all levels. It is the underlying foundation of high-performing project teams. Unfortunately, these “soft” skills are rarely taught. Although most team members are excellent technicians, they need help communicating with one another.

Tools that facilitate member communication must be practiced. Team members must respect opposing points of view, develop empathy, and accept one another’s varying contexts and perspectives.

• Mutual Trust and Respect

Trustworthy leadership will trickle down to your team. You build a culture of trust among your team members by demonstrating your confidence in their abilities.

In many ways, respect for one another’s abilities is the foundation for trust. Respect is the foundation of trust. When trust starts to erode within a team, it indicates that discussions are necessary to reestablish what has been lost.

• Continuous Learning and Improvement

We must be willing to learn new things and improve our skills because none of us has all the answers or the tools necessary to handle every situation.

Ongoing feedback sessions and dialogues help teams identify their skill gaps. Participating in group discussions on continuous improvement produces insights into these gaps.

Gain Proficiency in assembling High Performing Project Teams – GoROHO 

In today’s fiercely competitive business environment, high-performing project teams are essential to the health and survival of enterprises.

To achieve this, team leaders, managers, and supervisors can be provided with all they need via GoROHO’s corporate training courses. We offer courses that are effectively designed for every team size and business need, including topics like project management, business leadership, and agile team creation, among others.