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Performance Management

Published May 2009

Managing Team Performance

 

  Craig Runde and Tim Flanagan

One of the first hurdles talent managers face when assessing team performance is determining what exactly should be measured. The most obvious metrics relate to team goals such as drive new sales, develop new products or improve customer support. These are clearly part of an overall performance evaluation. They also are some of the easier aspects to measure.

If these metrics are the sole determinants of team performance, talent managers risk focusing on short-term success at the expense of sustainable excellence. They may be tempted to overemphasize individual talent contributions instead of fostering strong working relationships that will enable a team to develop the ability to be highly creative, work together closely, debate and vet issues thoroughly, make good decisions and implement them effectively.

Before measuring performance, we need to look closer at the elements that contribute to the development of effective teams.

The Nature of Effective Teams

To accomplish their goals, team members must be able to work together effectively. This includes working collaboratively, communicating clearly and managing differences. Effective teams know how to create the right climate to enable open and honest discussion of any issues they might face. They also understand and use constructive communications techniques to engage these issues. In both cases, they develop norms for how team members will interact and how they will address conflicts that inevitably arise.

Creating the right climate requires fostering trust and safety, working closely with individuals to develop a sense of "teamness" and improving the team's emotional intelligence.

For team members to discuss issues openly, they need to trust that other team members will not use what they say against them. When there is robust give-and-take among team members, creativity is enhanced. Further, teams can make better decisions because it's more likely new ideas will emerge and then be examined from all perspectives.

In order for team members to be open to such examination and debate, they must be willing to make themselves vulnerable. This requires confidence that others will not advantage of them. While it is not realistic to legislate trust, it can be fostered by developing and enforcing norms that actively ensure respect for each person's views and comments.

When a climate of trust is established, teams can more confidently and effectively deal with conflicts and other challenges. Winning teams rise to the occasion when faced with obstacles. When team members grow accustomed to working together closely, it becomes natural to rely on that closeness during stressful situations.

This process of working together closely is known as "behavioral integration." It involves sharing information openly, making decisions collaboratively and sharing in risks and rewards collectively. As the sense of togetherness grows, teams are able to address challenges, differences and disagreements when they arise. Team leaders can promote behavioral integration by developing processes and norms that emphasize group interaction as opposed to individual action.