Business projects, no matter the size and scope, are complex. If they weren’t, they might as well just be tasks on a to-do list. Luckily, project planning is a team effort—for every project, there is a project team working together to make deliverables a reality.
How do these teams come together? Not on their own! There are many ways to form project teams and many factors to consider.
Assembling a project team is just as much about selecting team members as it is fleshing out the project organizational structure. Regardless of the organizational structure you choose, this entails setting up rules and procedures, defining expectations, and establishing communication. If these things aren’t clearly defined before the project begins, they’ll inevitably lead to trouble down the road.
As we head into 2023 with a new budget cycle and new projects on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about how you can set your project team apart from the typical.
What sets apart a high-performing project team from the standard? Here are 4 things they do differently:
1.) High-Performing Teams Are More Strategic With Their Meetings
It’s no surprise that poorly run meetings contribute to employee dissatisfaction and can drain cognitive bandwidth. By ensuring that time together is both efficient and collaborative, high-performing teams don’t just make better use of their meetings — they also set the stage for more fruitful interactions, contributing to better relationships.
46% of high-performing teams often or always require pre-work, compared to 33% of other teams.
77% have an agenda, compared to 60% of other teams.
54% have a meeting ritual, compared to 33% of other teams.
2. ) Share Authentic Feelings at Work – Both Positive and Negative
Studies have shown that authenticity contributes to workplace well-being and individual performance. While there are instances when expressing negative emotions at the office isn’t helpful or appropriate, there is a time and place for it. What these studies suggest is that, to the extent that team members experience the psychological safety to express their full range of emotions with their colleagues, overall team performance tends to benefit.
82% of high-performing team members often or always compliment their teammates, compared to 71% of members of other teams.
35% of high-performing team members complain to each other, compared to 27% of other teams.
3.) High-Performing Teams Are Not Afraid to Communicate
Recent studies have found that while most people anticipate that phone calls will be awkward and uncomfortable, that’s a misperception. Not only are phone calls no more awkward in practice, they also tend to strengthen relationships and prevent misunderstanding, contributing to more productive interactions among teammates.
10 phone calls per day on average, while other teams reported 6.
19 emails per day, while other teams reported 11.
3 messages per day on task management software, while other teams reported 1.
4.) Invest Time Connecting Over Non-Work Topics
From a managerial standpoint, it’s easy to frown upon workplace conversations that have nothing to do with work. After all, what good can come from employees spending valuable work time chatting about a major sporting event or blockbuster film? Research suggests that discussing non-work topics offers major advantages. That’s because it’s in personal conversations that we identify shared interests, which fosters deeper liking and authentic connections.
65% start meetings with a check-in with their teammates, compared to 42% of other teams.
People make a difference. No matter if you’re virtual or in the office, centered in one place or across the globe, members of high-performing teams care deeply about the quality of work they’re doing each day and the impact it has on the world around them.
Sources:
About the Author: Taylor Genter
Taylor is the Marketing Manager at Extract with experience in data analytics, graphic design, and both digital and social media marketing. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing at the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater. Taylor enjoys analyzing people’s behaviors and attitudes to find out what motivates them, and then curating better ways to communicate with them.