HIGH PERFORMING TEAMS

A recent discussion with a colleague prompted me to share the following experience, as it highlighted the importance of leaders simplifying complex problems, to enable their team to succeed. The conversation recounted the message provided at a leadership workshop by their guest speaker, Mark Dobson, who spoke of the behaviours required to create an “Elite Team.

1. Presume the best of intentions.
2. Make each other look good.
3. Use “We” not “I”.
4. Believe (in the vision).

My leadership experience was realised on a project that I managed throughout 2013/2014. When I joined the project our project team were working hard, working long hours with the best endeavour, but performing poorly. To define performing poorly;

1. We were spending a lot of money and achieving very little of real value;
2. We were always significantly over budget;
3. We were always significantly over time;
4. Our quality was so poor that our defects list appeared to be larger than the original scope of works; and
5. We had a toxic relationship with our Client and several service providers.

Following the implementation of design change control and constructability inputs, together with sound project controls this project team transformed into a high performing team. This high performing team delivered modules in a reduced time of 50%, reduced cost of 60% and reduction in quality defects of 60%. This transformation can be summarised under the following 5 headings:

1. Shared and meaningful purpose – The project team consisted of Client personnel, our prime contract personnel, and a collection of subcontractors. Through a series of workshops we established common goals to provide significantly better quality deliverables, completed in a timelier manner, at a heavily reduced cost. The foundation of this shared vision was the creation of a sustainable business model, which provided benefits to all stakeholders.
2. Specific and challenging goals – We developed realistic plans with stretch targets, to ensure we continued improving over time. Significant changes were made to subcontract terms and conditions, in particular the rates were changed from day works rates to quantity based rates. This resulted in the productivity improving significantly, as the more quantity that was installed per day resulted in a larger payment for the day’s work. The introduction of a defects liability period was another significant change, which resulted in a demonstrable improvement in quality.
3. Clear roles – The roles and responsibilities of all project team members were defined and single point contact was established between members of the Client team, our prime contract team, and each of the subcontractors. The specific and challenging goals that we set were measured and reported daily, with appropriate corrective measures implemented for the following day if the planned activities were not achieved.
4. Common and collaborative approach – We established a culture that all members of the project team intended to succeed, and we would not foster a situation where one team member succeeded at the expense of another. This collaborative approach quickly transformed the poor team performance, to an acceptable standard. However the transformation to high performance was achieved through;
   1. The constant measurement of the planned work; and
   2. Implementing appropriate corrective actions, to return to the plan when deviations were reported.
5. Complimentary skills – When I first joined this project team there was a common belief that we did not possess the skills and knowledge required to deliver the project successfully. My early observations were that many personnel lacked the required skills and knowledge to improve our delivery performance. Throughout a series of conversations and the establishment of clearly defined performance goals, we implemented a program where skilled personnel complimented personnel that required development. This arrangement continued until performance improved to the required level. This enabled the project team to overcome deficiencies and become a high performing team.