High Performing Team Building

90% of leaders think their teams are effective. Only 15% actually are. Where do you fall? If you've been struggling with team performance, I've got a framework that transformed my own leadership approach. The traditional way to build teams focuses on individual performance. We hire for skills, evaluate based on output, and reward personal achievement. But this approach misses something critical: true high-performance comes from how people work together, not just how skilled they are individually. In my experience leading multiple teams across different industries, I've found a simple but powerful approach: 1. Establish Clear Goals  Not just what needs to be done, but why it matters. When team members understand the purpose behind their work, motivation soars. 2. Foster Open Communication Create an environment where everyone feels safe to share ideas, concerns, and feedback. The best solutions often come from unexpected voices. 3. Emphasize Collaboration Set up systems that reward collective achievements over individual heroics. This shifts the focus from "me" to "we." 4. Celebrate Diversity Different perspectives lead to better decisions and more creative solutions. Actively seek out and value varying viewpoints. 5. Lead by Example Show the behaviors you want to see. If you want collaboration, collaborate. If you want open communication, communicate openly. High-performing teams don't happen by accident. They're built intentionally. What's one team-building practice that's worked well for you? ✍️ Your insights can make a difference! ♻️ Share this post if it speaks to you, and follow me for more.

Ever built a house of cards?  One wrong move, and the whole thing collapses. Leadership is like that—only instead of cards,  you’re dealing with people. Back when I was an English teacher, I saw firsthand how learning stalled when students didn’t feel safe, supported, or seen. A student didn't get enough to eat?  ↳Forget Shakespeare. A student up all night because parents were yelling? ↳Nouns and verbs just don't matter.   A kid scared of what will be shared on SnapChat?  ↳Could care less about the symbolism of the A. Leadership isn't much different. A single dad who is trying to make ends meet?  ↳Forget staying late to cover for the team. An executive whose marriage is falling apart?  ↳Don't push any buttons.  Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs reshaped how I approached leadership—first in the classroom and later with teams. Here’s what I realized: 1. It all starts with the basics.  If your team doesn’t have what they need, forget high performance. Just like students struggling with unmet needs, teams stuck in survival mode can’t innovate. 2. Safety isn’t just physical—it’s psychological.  People need to know their job is secure, their voice matters, and their leader has their back. In teaching, I built trust by making mistakes okay. The same applies to teams. 3. Connection fuels motivation.  I watched burned-out students re-engage when they felt seen. The same happens in organizations—teams revive when genuine relationships replace transactional interactions. 4. Esteem is about more than performance. It is rooted in well-rounded relationships. Learning about my students' lives outside of the classroom gave me increased opportunities to praise their successes. 5. Self-actualization is where the magic happens. In both classrooms and companies, people perform at their best when they feel a sense of purpose. When their work matters, passion drives results. This hierarchy isn’t just theory—it’s a playbook for resilient leadership. When leaders align with human needs, teams trust more, collaborate better, and reach new levels of performance. Curious how you can apply this to your leadership journey? Let’s connect. ----- ♻️ Repost to share with your network 💡 Follow Julia LeFevre for more Leadership content 📢 DM or email me at julia@braverestoration for workshops, coaching and speaking

Do you feel part of a real team? Or are there moments when you feel isolated, uncertain, and disconnected, even though you're surrounded by colleagues? In the early stages of my career, I had the simplistic view that bringing together a bunch of high achievers would naturally create an outstanding team. However, the reality was quite different. Instead of creating synergy, there was noticeable discord. The team didn't seem to gel; it was akin to cogs not aligning in a machine. Every top performer, exceptional in their own right, appeared to follow their own path, often pulling in different directions. The amount of energy and time lost to internal strife was significant, and the expected outcomes? They remained just that – expected. This experience was a clear lesson that the success of a team isn't merely based on individual talent; it's about harmony, alignment, and collaboration. With today’s workplaces being more diverse, widespread, digitized, and ever-changing, achieving this is certainly challenging. So, in my quest to understand the nuances of high-performing teams, I reached out to my friend Hari Haralambiev. As a coach of dev teams who care about people, Hari has worked with numerous tech organizations, guiding them to unlock their teams’ potential. Here are his top 5 tips for developing high performing teams: 1. Be Inclusive ↳Put a structure in place so that the most vocal people don’t suffocate the silent voices. Great teams make sure minority views are heard and taken into account. They make it safe for people to speak up. 2. Leverage Conflict ↳Disagreements should be encouraged and how you handle them is what makes your team poor or great. Great teams mine for conflict - they cherish disagreements. To handle disagreements properly make sure to separate discussion from decision. 3. Decision Making Process ↳Have a clear team decision-making method to resolve conflicts quickly. The most important decision a team should make is how to make decisions. Don’t look for 100% agreement. Look for 100% commitment. 4. Care and Connect ↳This is by far the most important tip. Teams who are oriented only on results are not high-performing. You need to create psychological safety and build trust between people. To do that - focus on actually knowing the other people and to make it safe to be vulnerable in front of others. Say these 4 phrases more often: ‘I don’t know’, ‘I made a mistake’, ‘I’m sorry’, ‘I need help’. 5. Reward experimentation and risk taking ↳No solution is 100% certain. People should feel safe to take risks and make mistakes. Reward smart failure. Over-communicate that it’s better to take action and take accountability than play it safe. Remember, 'team' isn't just a noun—it's a verb. It requires ongoing effort and commitment to work at it, refine it, and nurture it. Do give Hari a follow and join over 6K+ professionals who receive his leadership comics in his newsletter A Leader’s Tale.

How to build high-performing teams and cultures of excellence with authentic leadership: 1️⃣ Create transparent and collaborative relationships within your work group and with the teams you support. I was successful at large, matrixed corporations because I was committed to building relationships at all levels of the organization. This included scheduling meet-and-greets any time I entered a new role or company, engaging my active listening skills to creating lasting connections. 2️⃣ Create environments where people understand their role and how their work performance will help the team achieve its goals. I firmly believe in qualitative and quantitative goals, and breaking down those goals into small, digestible pieces that your team can truly own and influence. For me, it starts with a three- to five-year strategic plan process that is inclusive, transparent, and collaboratively developed. 3️⃣ Allow anyone to earn their way into "the room where it happens." I learned from Bob Iger that hierarchy kills creativity. Don't let status or position be the deciding factor on your team. Let people prove they belong with their ideas and solid execution. 4️⃣ Consider an "open-door policy," to allow free flow of conversations and ideas. Good ideas can come from anywhere, and two heads are better than one. Of course, I employed amazing gatekeepers, and there were and are times I need to work behind closed doors, but I try to keep that to a minimum. 5️⃣ Embrace the realities of today's workforce and competition for talent. If you are open to a hybrid way of working and not being bound by geography, you are opening your access to true talent. I do not think we will ever return to five days a week in an office setting. I still believe it is important to pull your team together for key work events or strategy sessions, but as the leader, you must create and craft these opportunities to maximize the in-person times. I learned these lessons the hard way, through decades of trial-and-error, big wins and painful losses, through good times and bad! What would you add? How do you think about building high-performing teams? #leadership #authenticity #allpridenoego

High-performing teams don’t happen by accident. They happen in SYNC™ — through rhythm, alignment, and courageous leadership. Early in my career, I thought high performance came from talent, systems, and vision. Then I led teams across borders, cultures, and stages of growth. And I realized: 📌 Sustained performance lives in rhythm, not reaction. Here are 10 overlooked practices that drive high-performing teams using The S.Y.N.C. Method™ 👇 (You’ll want to save these.) 1️⃣ Preferred Discomfort Growth doesn’t wait for comfort. 🟣 SYNC™ It: Ask, “What challenge would stretch us and grow us this quarter?” 2️⃣ Ownership Over Obedience Aligned teams don’t wait for permission, they co-create. 🟣 SYNC™ It: Assign roles by vision, not just title. 3️⃣ Radical Transparency Teams can’t harmonize if the truth is off key. 🟣 SYNC™ It: Host monthly Rhythm Retros. What’s working? What’s missing? 4️⃣ Psychological Safety If your team fears being wrong, you’ll never get what’s right. 🟣 SYNC™ It: Share your own mistake before inviting feedback from others. 5️⃣ Distributed Intelligence Great leaders don’t lead alone, they listen. 🟣 SYNC™ It: Rotate decision ownership. Let insight rise from everywhere. 6️⃣ Purpose-Led Communication Task without meaning leads to burnout. 🟣 SYNC™ It: Start meetings with, “Who are we serving by doing this?” 7️⃣ Healthy Dissonance Alignment isn’t sameness, it’s coordinated difference. 🟣 SYNC™ It: Ask, “What do we need to unlearn before we decide?” 8️⃣ Energy Management > Time Management Burnout doesn’t scale. Rhythm does. 🟣 SYNC™ It: After every sprint, ask: “What drained us? What fueled us?” 9️⃣ Micro-Alignment Tiny tune-ups prevent big breakdowns. 🟣 SYNC™ It: Use 15-minute huddles, async check-ins, or weekly pulse reviews. 🔟 Values in Action Culture lives in behavior, not in posters. 🟣 SYNC™ It: Spotlight one value each week and celebrate how it showed up. 🎯 The most effective teams don’t just perform. They sync. To each other. To purpose. To growth. ✨ Want to experience how this applies to your organization? Request a complimentary Clarity Session (link in comments). 🔁 Repost if this rhythm resonates. Inspire | Empower | Thrive™ #SYNCLeadership #TheSYNCMethod #HighPerformanceTeams #MutualProsperity #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipAgility #CulturalIntelligence #TeamAlignment #LeadershipDevelopment

I’ve built hundreds of teams in life and business. Some small — and some big teams making $10mm+ decisions. Here are 9 principles I use to craft high-performing teams: 🧵 👇 * The Peacemaker Principle It’s tempting to create a team of all hard-chargers. Rookie mistake. High-performing teams often include a “people person." These personalities naturally defuse minor conflicts in the team before they get big. * The Clear Mission Principle Great teams need a North Star. Can the team make a difference? What purpose do they serve? Create an inspiring mission to perform at the highest level. The whole team should know their WHY. * Skin in the Game Principle Teams perform best when personally incentivized to succeed. This can be ownership, a bonus, or a promotion. Or non-monetary rewards like acclaim or recognition. Tie personal outcome to the team outcome -- and win more. * The Anchors Away Principle Those projects when you covered for weak teammates? Do not ask your stars to cover weaker contributors regularly. Best case, it slows them down. Worst case, the whole thing implodes. * The Benetton Principle Teams with a variety of backgrounds and cultures perform better. This isn’t just about DEI lip service. Studies show diverse teams produce more patents than average. It’s not just right – it’s good business. * The No Responsibility Without Authority Principle Responsibility = “you own this” Authority = “you have the power to enact change.” If you don’t give a team both, they will feel powerless. Or worse, like they're working on a pointless project. * The Hierarchy Principle Sure, it’d be nice not to pick a leader for your team. But business isn’t a commune, a potluck, or a campfire. You get the best results with a single person leading. And accountable for the team's performance. * The We Are Humans Principle Get the team out of the office. Encourage them to know each other personally. Have fun. Build trust. Be people — even at the office. Studies show the highest-performing teams bond over non-work topics. * The Swoop Principle Sometimes you need to get in there. Email wars? Tell them to pick up the phone. Stupid meetings? Do some coaching! Is good work happening? Compliment! Leaders must step in when needed.

💡 “The greatest leaders don’t chase results—they multiply them through people.” **Early in my career, my success was measured by one thing—MY output. How much could I get done? What results could I deliver? How could I make an impact? As an individual contributor, that mindset worked. It was all about my performance. But everything changed the day I stepped into leadership. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about my output—it was about the output of my team. At first, I tried leading with authority. “I’m the leader. Let’s get it done.” But I quickly learned… Titles don’t move people. Influence does. When I stopped focusing on control and started focusing on people, something shifted. I spent more time with my team, understanding their challenges and strengths. And I realized something simple but powerful: People WANT to do the right thing. It’s the leader’s job to remove the barriers that stop them. That’s when leadership stopped being about addition and became a game of multiplication. It wasn’t just me leading one person. It was me developing leaders who would then develop others—creating a ripple effect of growth and results. And here’s the truth: The best leaders don’t just drive results—they develop people who create results. ✔️ Here’s How to Multiply Leadership & Build High-Performance Teams: ✔️ Shift from “Me” to “We” Stop measuring success by what you can do. Measure it by what your team can achieve. ✔️ Lead Through Influence, Not Authority Titles fade. Influence sticks. Build trust and inspire ownership. ✔️ Remove Barriers, Don’t Create Them Your job isn’t to micromanage—it’s to clear the path so your team can thrive. ✔️ Focus on Multiplication, Not Addition Develop leaders who develop leaders. This is where exponential growth happens. ✔️ Capture Hearts, Not Just Hands When people are emotionally invested, they go beyond tasks—they commit to the mission. 💥 Leadership isn’t about how much you can do—it’s about how many people you can empower to do more. Are you still chasing results on your own? Or are you building a team that can multiply them without you? 👇 Drop a comment below: What’s the #1 skill you believe every leader should develop to build high-performance teams? #LeadershipDevelopment #HighPerformanceTeams #InfluenceOverAuthority #TeamBuilding #LeadWithImpact #MultiplicationLeadership #AmazonLeadershipPrinciples #BuildLeaders #LeadershipGrowth

If I've learned one thing in my years of leadership, it's this: The success of your team will be largely determined by the trust you build with them. This applies to nearly every aspect of teamwork: Who you collaborate with. Who you solve problems with. Who you rely on during challenging times. Who you share successes and failures with. Achieving goals matters, but ultimately, it's the trust and relationships you build along the way that drive long-term success. Not convinced? Research consistently shows that high-trust organizations outperform others. Trust leads to better communication, increased collaboration, and a more engaged and motivated team. Here are 3 ways I’m making trust-building a priority in 2024: Open Communication:  ➟I encourage regular, honest conversations with my team, creating a safe space for them to share ideas, concerns, and feedback. Consistent Support:  ➟I make it a point to support my team members, providing the resources and assistance they need to succeed, and showing that I have their backs. Leading by Example:  ➟I practice transparency and integrity in all my actions, demonstrating the behaviors I expect from my team. Building trust isn't a one-time effort; it's an ongoing commitment. But the results—a cohesive, resilient, and high-performing team—are well worth it. How do you build trust with your team? Share your strategies below! #Leadership #TeamBuilding #Workplace #SuccessThroughTrust #HighPerformingTeams #WorkplaceCulture

Trust: The Foundation of High-Performing Teams. Trust is the invisible thread that binds high-performing teams. When team members trust one another, they communicate openly, collaborate effectively, and hold each other accountable. This environment fosters innovation, resilience, and collective success. Building trust isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about consistency. Honoring commitments. Showing vulnerability. Creating space for others to speak and be heard. Over time, these actions build a culture where people feel safe, valued, and energized. Leaders have a special responsibility here. When they model trust—by listening, following through, and leading with clarity—they create teams that don’t just work well together, but believe in what they’re doing. And when belief takes root, performance follows. 📙 A great resource on the topic? All In by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton. Based on a 300,000-person study, it explores how top managers build a “culture of belief” where employees trust their leaders, engage deeply, and drive exceptional performance.

#1 mindset shift I’ve made as a founder: Hire people who are better than you at something. And then step aside. Here’s the trap many leaders fall into: They bring on top talent… but spend all their time trying to manage it. High-performance teams don’t need micromanagement. They need clarity, trust, and space to lead. Want to build a high-performance team? 📌 Here’s how to actually let smart people lead: 1) Hire for strengths that challenge your blind spots. ↳ Don’t look for copies of yourself. Look for what you lack. 2) Give them problems, not tasks. ↳ “Here’s the challenge” leads to better thinking than “Here’s the checklist”. 3) Make disagreement safe. ↳ Innovation starts when people feel safe to say “I see it differently.” 4) Ask their opinion early and often. ↳ You’re not the only one with answers. Show you want their perspective. 5) Share the big picture. ↳ If they know the “why,” they’ll figure out the best “how.” If you hire brilliant people just to hand them instructions… you’re wasting their potential. And yours. Because your job isn’t to have all the answers. It’s to build a team that finds better ones. Trust your people. Then get out of the way. ♻️ Repost if you believe leadership is about empowerment, not control. ☝️ And follow me, Victoria Repa, for more people-first leadership insights.