Building High-Performing Teams
High-performing teams don’t happen by chance—they are built through intentional leadership and clear direction.
According to Tuckman’s model, teams progress through four stages: forming, storming, norming, and performing. The performing stage is where teams shine. They operate with trust, collaboration, and a shared vision.
As a leader, your role is to delegate and empower your team. Here are three ways for you to do that:
Encourage ownership: Trust your team with decision-making and problem-solving.
Provide resources: Ensure they have what they need to excel.
Celebrate wins: Recognize achievements, big or small, to maintain momentum.
Here is an activity I love to do during team trainings and when teaching undergraduates at Georgia Southern University. I call it One-Word Story. It sounds hokey, yet it works by enhancing creativity, active listening, and collaboration.
Stand in a circle.
Start a story with a single word (e.g., “Once”).
Going around the circle, each person adds one word to continue the story.
The aim is to create a coherent story with each participant contributing only one word at a time. These sometimes turn out to be hilarious. One-Word story also works at the dinner table.
When teams feel valued and supported, they exceed expectations. What will you do to elevate your team this week?