How to Build a High-Performance Project Team?

Workplaces are all about team management, collaborations, and the ways in which different facets of project teams are managed for higher profitability and productivity metrics. A lot has been discussed about the culture, client communication modes, organization, hierarchical setups, problem-solving skills, etc. of such teams. Today, high-performance work teams are what all managers are dreaming of creating for making project deadlines or securing success.

These high-performance teams go a long way in helping PMs attain all project goals, finding solutions to complicated problems, and steering various project phases in the right direction. An overall effective approach, the right foresight, and delegation of tasks to carefully researched-upon people are a must for developing a highly functional team. Read on for how.

Preparation of a Cohesive Project Environment

Prior to building a high-performance project team with the available resources on hand, you need to be completely aware of the team's purpose, overall company goals, and the ways in which you will be assembling all group members. For instance, if your project involves high levels of research, then you will benefit by having members boasting of diverse backgrounds in your team. Teams required for forming advisory panels/committees, or product teams, will benefit by having members that are likely to perform better as a cohesive team.

Knowledge of the Mission Statement

For keeping everyone on the same page and helping project members remain totally focused on gaining the desired results, you have to announce the project mission statement clearly. You may also like to define all deliverables linked with the project scope as a short summary; so as to facilitate the daily workings of your team. Regular meetings for discussing and defining the group's mission, and problems that require group-centric solutions, are essential too. In other words, each and every member should be aware of the "big picture" and perform with a single common goal in mind.

Effective Leadership for Higher Motivation

Next, an effective leader, who has the potential of motivating and enhancing team performance via the right communication channels, has to be identified for the workplace team. He should succeed in keeping all members glued to their tasks and challenge them to offer their absolute best. If required, you may include more team leaders for project-focused tasks like collating specific reports weekly, conducting regular meetings with sub-teams, tracking work schedules, resolving conflicts, and so forth. For best results, these leaders should be reliable, cooperative, helpful, and knowledgeable. It’s a good idea to seek charismatic team leaders who are versed with transformational styles of leadership and in a position to inspire all members.

Discussions about Ground Rules and Handling of Disagreements

It’s well-advised to solicit the suggestions of all group members while discussing the ground rules applicable to the team. For instance, you may like to discuss communication and confidentiality, and the ways in which all disagreements can be handled, with the group. The suggestions of all team members must be considered wherever applicable. Remember to lay down practical rules, and be open to changes too.

The setting of Team Goals

Benchmarks and goals that are realistic and measurable in nature are a must for achieving a high-performance group's overall mission. They give concrete objectives to the team too. Think of all the activities that your team must undertake for achieving its overall purpose, break them down into small goals, and set individual deadlines for meeting them.

Assignment of Tasks and Accountability

All individual tasks have to be well-distributed among the team members for developing a transparent system of accountability. In line with the type of tasks that needs to be performed, one, two or more people members may be assigned to each sub-task. A proper accountability system demands consistent reporting of complete and incomplete tasks alike. For instance, periodic meetings may be held for checking each team member’s progress and ascertaining whether he/ she is on track or not. All possible support has to be offered to those who are incapable of completing their task on time.

With all these tips and suggestions in place, you can look forward to building your own high-performance team for garnering project success—and at all times.
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