As the third article in this series, the last piece of the puzzle in the PurposeFused High Performing Teams model is process.

In summary, the best performing teams:

1. Align their positions where they can contribute the greatest impact;
2. Embody the principles of aligned purpose, collaborative culture and agile ownership; and
3. Commit to the processes that keep them focused on what matters most.

Today, we outline the processes:

While every member of the team commits to these processes, they each contribute to them in alignment with their positions. Each position has their own natural energy for processes in their segment but can’t succeed without all processes being followed. What this means is the team members work together seamlessly, embracing their diverse perspectives, providing feedback, supporting and holding each other accountable in executing the processes that bring out the best and highest collective  impact from the team. They’re all capable of implementing every process but they lean into each other’s strengths, to ensure each process is optimally executed.

We continue to use The GC Index model for looking at team-positions and relevant processes. This enables us to assess individuals and teams, with data and language that aligns directly to high performance. In doing so, identifying what the team values and focuses on, their blind spots, and practical steps to improve team performance.

1. Play Maker Processes: Sitting in the middle of the team is the Play Maker, who acts as a culture keeper. The Play Maker orchestrates action on the team, via three primary processes:

• Building Relationships: They may focus on investing time in developing strong relationships within the team, fostering trust and collaboration.
• Facilitating Communication: They may encourage open dialogue, ensuring that all team members feel heard and valued, which can enhance team cohesion.
• Aligning Goals: They may work to align individual contributions with the team’s shared objectives, helping to create a sense of purpose and collective achievement.

2. Game Changer Processes: Kicking off the team performance cycle are Game Changers. Their three primary processes are:

• Encouraging Creative Thinking: They may inspire team members to think outside the box, fostering an environment where innovative ideas can flourish.
• Challenging the Status Quo: They may question existing processes and encourage the team to explore new possibilities, which can lead to transformational changes.
• Connecting Ideas: They may help to connect disparate ideas and concepts, facilitating a creative synthesis that can drive the team forward.

3. Strategist Processes: Building upon the ideas of the Game Changers, the Strategists seek to make sense of the ideas, converting them into strategic priorities for the team to follow:

• Identifying Patterns: They may focus on analyzing data and trends to provide insights that guide the team’s direction and decision-making.
• Setting Clear Objectives: They may articulate a clear vision and strategic goals, helping the team to understand the ‘why’ behind their actions.
• Evaluating Progress: They may regularly assess the team’s progress against strategic objectives, ensuring that the team remains focused and aligned.

4. Implementer Processes: Translating strategic priorities into actionable steps, implementers ensure the team gets things done and starts building momentum by moving things forward. They do this via:

• Creating Action Plans: They may develop structured plans that outline clear steps for achieving team objectives, bringing clarity to the execution process.
• Monitoring Execution: They may keep track of progress and ensure that tasks are completed on time, which can help maintain momentum within the team.
• Providing Practical Support: They may offer practical support and resources to team members, enabling them to focus on their tasks and contribute effectively.

5. Polisher Processes: Closing out the cycle but also ensuring high quality performance throughout the cycle, are the polishers to strive for perfection and may settle for excellence. They like taking on the following processes:

• Setting High Standards: They may establish and communicate high expectations for quality, inspiring the team to strive for excellence in their work.
• Encouraging Continuous Improvement: They may promote a culture of learning and development, encouraging team members to reflect on their work and seek ways to improve.
• Facilitating Feedback: They may create opportunities for constructive feedback, helping the team to learn from experiences and enhance their performance.

It’s the team’s collective commitment to these processes and the individual contribution to them that creates the flywheel of how the highest performing teams function. When combined with the right mix of positions (against desired objectives) and the embedding of team principles (foundational to team performance) – high performing teams set themselves apart.

These teams embrace productive and high quality debates, make the best decisions with imperfect information, execute by focusing on the things that matter most and continuously review their performance against agreed objectives.

In any subpar team, or for a team not quite reaching their potential, you can look to positions, principles and processes. Using this model, you’ll be able to identify what’s going well, what would benefit from improvement and any connections or gaps between the two.

If you’re interested in a team diagnostic to assess your team’s potential against their actual performance – let’s chat! We love this stuff – you will to and most importantly, it’s going to make a huge impact on how you work together.