Building a high-performing team for greater success

Think of any person or organization who has achieved a successful outcome and, without a doubt, you'll find they had help in getting there.

Let's face it. Our entire existence depends on teams. Everything from giant corporations to small businesses to marriages to friendships, each demands a high performing team in order to be successful. If you want to increase your team effectiveness at both work and home then take charge now and practice these powerful habits:

Make your part happen. Synergy is defined as a combined action, a compatibility and cooperation of individual elements - the sum of the parts being greater than their individual components. Unless you do your part within the equation then the equation will not work. You don't have to be a renowned physicist to understand this concept. Fulfill your obligation. Give 100 percent of yourself. Give little regard if you think others might not follow through. Do your absolute very best to do your part. Just make it happen.

Define the expectations of all team members. To create a team that works together well, all members must know and agree on what it is they are going to contribute to the team's purpose and what types of behaviors are appropriate. Does everyone know what the goals or the measurable objectives are of the team? Do all the team members know and understand their specific roles within the team? Don't make it an international mystery. Spell out what needs to be done, and who needs to do what.

Treat everyone as important. Most people are so busy in their own lives that they aren't in the least bit interested in the lives of others. Why should they be? No one seems to be concerned for them! The truth is that your life will be beautifully enhanced by tuning into the lives of others. It would be hard to invent a better way to feel good about yourself. Listen carefully to others and allow people to express their thoughts and feelings. Listen.

Express areas of improvement. A team is not effective unless it is able to discover and express inefficiencies within the team. Be open to informing others of ways to improve. Unless you continually improve you'll be destined to the same old results. Avoid the common "ignore it and it will go away" syndrome. Meet team improvements head-on. It sure can be hard, but do it anyway!

Emphasize shared goals. Yah, it's about you. Seriously! Deep down we do what is in our own best interest. Yet creating a powerful team requires a variation to that approach, while not necessarily surrendering your personal goals. People are drawn closer together when they have a similar aim or when their goals can be mutually satisfied. The adage "You scratch my back, I'll scratch your back" applies. Give attention to how your cooperative efforts can help one another achieve a higher level of success as opposed to doing it alone.

Allow others to be right. This does not mean you are a "yes" person. This does not mean someone wins or someone loses an argument. Giving someone else the chance to be genuinely heard and respected can be far more satisfying than attempting to convince someone that you are right and they are wrong. More accurately, communication breaks down and eventually that relationship diminishes. Take the higher view; allow others to speak their mind and to be right.

Give credit when credit is due. Cite your sources, publicly applaud the ideas of others and recognize the people in your life that have helped you. A deep sense of admiration and respect is built when a person gives credit to others. The opposite occurs when a person claims all the credit for him or herself; people will go out of their way to sabotage another out of severe lack of respect.

Make a verbal commitment to follow through. Let it be known and of course follow through. A fast way to demolish relationships, shatter credibility and disrespect yourself is by not following through when you say you are going to do something. If there's a doubt in your mind that you might not follow through with an appointment, a task or a project, then don't commit yourself. However, a verbal or a public commitment is a great way to help you follow through!

Embrace diversity within the team. This habit can be tough. Running a marathon of 26.2 miles might be easier. Accept others for who they are, not for who you want them to be. This is far easier said than done. You might not want to sport purple hair, but maybe your son or daughter does. You might enjoy reading books while your significant other prefers to watch television. One of your co-workers talks real slow, and you speak real fast. A key to increasing your acceptance is to remind yourself of how boring life would be if we were all alike!

Compliment the ideas and work of other people. Acknowledge your friends and peers when they do a great job. Too often people don't compliment others for their contributions. It takes only a few seconds to offer an accolade or a few kind words of appreciation. Tell your kids that you're proud of them, thank someone for his or her keen insight, praise a diligent co-worker, tell your spouse you appreciate his or her work. Say it out loud. Others are much more likely to help you if they feel their efforts are noticed.

Be aware of the individual realities of others. Take the time to tune into what really matters to others. Read between the lines. Think of the rights and feelings of others rather than your own. We tend to think in terms of our own reality, believing that it is the same reality others share. Learn how to adjust your communication style in order to appeal to your audience's reality. A good way to understand a person's reality is to ask yourself this question: "How does this person view the world and his or her place in it?" This is more of an appreciation of perspectives rather than a sell-out of ideals.

How well you work within a team ultimately determines your success. Take the time to master these clear-cut habits so you can experience a quantum leap in your personal and professional endeavors.

Best of success to you!

Jeffrey Benjamin is the co-author of "Real Life Habits for Success" and the founder of Breakthrough Training in Reno. He hosts Breakthrough Radio every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. on KBZZ AM 1270. Contact him through www.breakthroughtraining.com.