Superior performance: how to manage a team of high achievers

Teamwork is what leads to long-term success. Whilst it can be relatively easy to get people to work together, getting the best out of them and turning their performance up to 11 is where the real skill lies.

Here are some tips on how to select and develop a high performance team:

High performance means high standards

Building a team that is destined for great things begins by setting high standards. Getting the best out of yourself and – more importantly – your team can be a lot easier if all parties continually push themselves.

Saying no to the average or mundane will only be of benefit further down the line. Encouraging each and every member of a team to be the best they can be will not only make them more productive and focussed at work, but it’s likely to increase their self-worth too.

Be supportive

Having high standards is incredibly important but being too ruthless will only present issues. If a member of a high-achieving team is underperforming, be honest with them but do so in a tactful manner.

A big part of management is providing support. Doing so in a way which enables staff to better themselves in the long term will lead to any high-performance team having more sustainable prospects.

Encourage progressive thinking

Teams of high achievers will benefit if each individual member is allowed leeway in how they view their goals. Having a set model for how business should be done and targets achieved is perfectly acceptable. However, better results will come when you let the team think differently.

Even encouraging the occasional risk can be fruitful. Giving staff the opportunity to bend – not break – the rules will not only give them a sense of being trusted, but it will likely produce better results, too.