This Guest paper was submitted for publication April 25, 2022.
It is copyright to Richard S. Hawkes.
Published here July 2022

High Performing Teams

Richard Hawkes observes that:

High performing teams are built by design. They are intentional and purposeful. They don't happen by accident.
High performing teams are not too big or too small. Teams should ideally be about 6-10 people. Twelve should be the limit. Too many people on a team inhibits performance and reduces effectiveness.
High performing teams are led. In natural teams, leadership might form organically. But in a high performing team, there is a leader who is explicitly responsible and accountable. That doesn't mean leadership has to be "command and control," but neither can it be vague, spontaneous, or organic.
High performing teams are authentically a team. This may seem obvious, but it's crucial. Members must authentically feel that they're "in it together." The journey of high performing teams is deeply shared. There is a sense of collective purpose, not just an individual one.
High performing team members are accountable to each other, develop camaraderie and trust, and feel a sense that each person has the other's back.
High performing teams are on a mission. Perhaps most important, they don't just exist in a vacuum. They are on a mission — a continuous improvement journey, fulfilling their own purpose and the purpose of the organization.