How To Create A High-Performing Team.

Are you finding that your team is not behaving the way you want? 

Maybe their attitude is not quite where you want it to be.

Or they just aren’t performing in general.

If that’s the case, this will help.

Creating a high-performing team is all about getting the right culture. 

And here’s something people don’t understand about culture.

Most people think that if you look after your team and they are happy – that’s going to make them productive.

Well, actually the research doesn’t show that. 

What the research shows is that productive employees are happy. 

So you need to create a work culture that allows your crew to be well organized, gives them the tools and the systems that they need to be productive and that will make them happy and enjoy their work.

So there are lots of strategies you can use to help with this. 

Have you got job descriptions for your team so they know what’s required of them?

Are you doing regular performance appraisals, so you are giving them good feedback?

Do you have a team incentive program so you reward the guys after good effort?

And, are you doing regular team meetings and having some social events to build relationships?

Those are a good start, but there’s one key strategy I want to share with you today and it’s called “team rules of the game”.

Another way of looking at it is your code of conduct.

Now the way to understand your team’s rules of the game is to think like a professional sports team.

Now the Chicago Bulls (of the 90’s) had a very strong culture and it was governed by their team code. 

That team code outlined what behaviors were expected, what behaviors were acceptable, and what behaviors were not acceptable.

It was designed to make sure that everyone was in top shape after the game.

Same in your business.

Now the key to having the team rules of the game is that you have got them written down and that they are signed off by all your team members so everyone is clear on what’s expected.

Once it’s written down, it’s much better than you continually telling the team what you expect.

Your team rules of the game also form a part of your contracts, are a part of your induction program and you need to include them in your vans/trucks and your operations manual.

Make them front and center so they are seen often.

Lastly, it helps massively to get your team involved in the process of creating the rules.

That way, they’re going to contribute to it, they are going to buy in and you get much better results and much better adherence to those rules.

Here are some things that you can include. 

Simple things like your work hours and that you expect the guys to be ready for the start of the day ten minutes before.

• Things like all timesheets must be completed prior to leaving the job.

• No swearing on site.

• Clean up all your rubbish including your lunch rubbish.

• Make sure that you have got clean and tidy company uniform on and it’s to be worn at all times.

Now with anything, the key to success is how you implement and the consequences.

So you have to call the team when they don’t come up to standard.

And just as importantly, yourself.

Also, it’s critical that you catch guys when they’re doing a great job living out the rules of the game.

That is going to help enforce that culture in the code much more than when you call them on when it’s not going so well.

So get your team rules of the game.

Get them down on paper.

It’s going to help in creating a really productive work environment which will help build the business make more money and give you head space.