EMAIL #33 - 24TH, JUNE, 2019 - BUILDING A HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM
Hi Team,
To build a high performance team you must have the right team members and the right team culture. So building an effective team starts with recruiting the best people by making sure they are "the best cultural fit" for the team. But for most people company culture is a very fuzzy concept, so what does "cultural fit" actually mean and look like? To break down and measure cultural fit when recruiting new people to join the DDB Team, I like to assess how well each candidate displays the following five character attributes during interviews.
- Believability - Do I believe everything this person is saying?
- Relatability - Do I easily relate to this person?
- Connection - Do I feel a connection with this person?
- Personality - Do they have the right personality for our team?
- Likeability - Do I like this person?
For me the primary goal of every team member is to make all other team members jobs as easy as possible. In other words, the key to effective team work is collaboration, working together to achieve a desired outcome.
"Collaboration can't be bought. It has to be a part of the company culture" Atlassian
Collaboration in the work place is all about trust and respect and listening as much as talking. So once you have recruited smart, self motivated people you must create a culture and environment where they can thrive. This requires team members making decisions for themselves and taking full ownership of their work. By empowering teams to make their own decisions you allow team members to do what they do best and to use their knowledge and experience.
"There is no such thing as a self made man. You will only reach your goals with the help of others" George Shawn
The results of a high performing team can be truly remarkable. Team members find that working in a team is more enjoyable and more personally fulfilling. When you collaborate with others you inevitably learn from your team mates along the way and the groups productivity improves.
Next week I will look at "Team Dynamics" and how to get the best out of a team.
Please note we will be holding a site BBQ at Omar St on Friday 12th July
Thanks for reading,
David
