Any high performing team will always demonstrate an element of pure class. They’ll have the guns or the stars who have the ability to do extraordinary things - whose competence in the technical aspects of their work make them outstanding contributors to the team.

We all recognise the importance of ‘having the right cattle’ in the pursuit of high performance and getting results; but a group of individuals coming together for a common goal does not automatically constitute a strong and effective team. It runs much deeper than that.

In our pursuit of seeking "the right cattle" we can encounter other issues that come with accessing highly driven people. Can they work together in a team? We must constantly challenge ourselves as managers and leaders to not only look for the best people but for the ‘right’ people for our organisation.

For performance to be efficient and effective we must challenge individuals to come together on a more personal and deeper level than simply being joined by name or company; and get them to work together for a common purpose and a common result.

Two characteristics that differentiate high performing teams are support for one another and mutual accountability or responsibility for shared team results.

We can get so wrapped up in our own world of achievement, we can often forget about the impact that our own behaviour is having on those around us. That at times, we are willing to do something that doesn’t just look like ‘by numbers’.

Great teams are willing to look out for one another. To cover for a teammate until they are able to resume their role. They have players who swallow their own ego and perform a role for the team even though they think they may be too good for that role.

Great teams have players who have the ability to not only perform their role for the team, but to also help others around them to achieve their goals. To think beyond themselves, not only when they are playing well, but when they are playing below their best.

Great teams have players that ensure team rules are followed and that the style of game they want to play is encouraged and supported by everyone.

They have a group of people who accept mutual accountability for the result of the team. They share the glory or the pain irrespective of personal performance because their commitment is directly linked to team results.

This is difficult to balance, because with high achievers and high performers there will always be strong individual ambitions, goals, wants and needs.

It’s about submitting your ego to the team cause - accepting a role for the good of the team, and appreciating and recognising others who do likewise.

If we have too many individuals who want to be the star then we can encounter problems in the work environment. Not enough people will want to contribute the most to the team cause or be the person who has the most influence on the team result.

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