5 Key Interactions for High-Performing Teams

When you're part of a team, it's important to find a balance between interacting with your peers and actually getting work done. But to be an effective team player, it's also important to understand the different types of meetings and interactions that can enable effective collaboration within the team.

Here are 5 key interactions you can apply to turn your team into a high-performing team:

1. Planning

This is where the team gets together to clarify the expectations and scope for all the work that needs to be completed by the team, and also their plan for completing the work. It's important to clearly define any overarching goals and committed deadlines at this stage, and clarify the roles and responsibilities to each team member. This helps everyone stay on track and know what's expected of them.

It’s also important to make sure everyone has everything they need to get the work done. By having a clear plan in place, the team can work towards a common goal and achieve success.

2. Check-Ins

This meeting is also known as standups. This is typically a shorter meeting, where each team member highlight any achievements or challenges they're facing, and define their next action to resolve them. Remember this meeting is not meant to be a status report meeting. Rather, this is where the team can rapidly decide on any adjustments they need to make to complete their work.

This meeting also gives the opportunity for team members to get feedback and support from their colleagues. By keeping a steady flow of communication, the team can ensure that everyone is on track and working towards their committed goal.

3. Work Review

This is where the team comes together to review the work that's been produced and identify any adjustments or improvements that need to be made. By showing up with an open and constructive attitude, the team aims to identify areas for improvement and make necessary changes, instead of criticising or assign blame.

This meeting presents an opportunity for team members to learn from each other and raise the overall quality of the work being produced. By regularly reviewing the work and making necessary adjustments, the team can ensure that the work being produced is of the highest quality.

4. Team Efficiency Review

It's a good idea for teams to periodically review their overall efficiency and effectiveness. This is where team members discuss what's working well, what could be improved, and commit on small improvement actions to be implemented immediately. This helps teams stay competitive and maintain a high level of performance.

5. Team Connection

In addition to these more formal meetings, it's also important for teams to take some time to casually connect and strengthen their bond. This can include team building exercises or sharing sessions where team members share their latest achievements and stories. These informal interactions can help build a sense of camaraderie and encourage teamwork.

Guidelines

These interactions are designed to maximise the benefit you get from the time you spend with your team members. The clearer the purpose, the higher chance you can achieve the benefit by the end of the meeting. Here are some things to consider:

Completeness

Depending on the needs of your team, you may choose to incorporate some or all of the above meetings into your team's routine. However, if you feel the team is already getting the same outcome through other means without having the meeting, then you can skip it.

What’s important is for the intended interaction and outcome to happen, regardless if it was through a meeting or ad-hoc discussions.

Frequency

You should have these meetings as often as needed. You can either schedule them on demand, or have them as recurring meetings. Try them out with your team to see what works best.

Look for balance in the interaction. Having recurring meetings makes scheduling much easier, but remember to ensure that it brings benefit to the team, instead of being a pointless routine.

Conclusion

Effective teams rely on a variety of interactions and meetings to ensure that everyone is working towards a common goal and and become a high-performing team. By interacting with your team and regularly reviewing progress, adjustments, and efficiency, you can work together to achieve success. Don't forget to take some time to casually connect and strengthen your team's bond as well, as this can help build a strong team culture and encourage teamwork.

———

Looking for ways to boost your team’s performance? We can help.

Talk to us today to find out how we can provide the right approach for you.