Howdy readers!
Companies are only as great as the teams that run them. So how do you get the right people, the right environment, and the right incentives? Here’s my answer:
- My 9 principles of high-performing teams
Let’s do it!
Last week I gave you the meeting template that gets your whole team on the same page.
But obviously, there’s a lot more to amazing teams than quarterly meetings.
I’ve built hundreds of teams (both in life and in business). Some of them were just a few people, and some of them were big groups making $10mm decisions.
Here are the 9 principles I use to craft high-performing teams.
1. The Peacemaker Principle
It’s tempting to create a team of all hard-chargers.
Rookie mistake.
High-performing teams often include a “people person." I don’t mean HR — it’s someone who naturally makes connections, brings people together, and inspires collaboration and camaraderie.
These personalities naturally defuse minor conflicts in the team before they get big.
2. 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. When people don’t have a why, performance, morale, and momentum will tank.
(This doesn’t have to be complicated — my favorite tool for this is the quarterly open book meeting, which I’ve written about before.)
3. Skin in the Game Principle
Teams perform best when the members are personally incentivized to succeed.
This can be ownership, a bonus, or a promotion, or non-monetary rewards like acclaim or recognition.
It’s worth taking the time to learn what makes your team feel valued. If you don’t, you can spend a lot of time and effort on incentives that just don’t connect.
Effectively tie personal outcome to the team outcome, and you’ll start winning more.
4. The Anchors Away Principle
Every team has weak links. But top performers will balance them out, right?
Wrong.
Weak team members act as anchors weighing down the whole team. And they can grind things to a halt.
Regularly asking your stars to cover for weaker contributors can lead to disaster. Best case, it slows them down. Worst case, they walk and the whole thing implodes.
Cutting your anchors can be tough. It might be about finding a better place for them in your organization. Or it might mean letting them go.
(If it comes to that, here are my tips on how to fire like a human being.)
5. 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.
Anyone who doesn't see the worth in a diverse team is missing out big time.
6. The No Responsibility Without Authority Principle
Responsibility = “you own this”
Authority = “you have the power to enact change”
If you’re asking your team to do something, make sure they have the authority to get it done. If you don’t, they’ll feel powerless.
Or worse, like they’re working on a pointless project.
(And if you don’t trust your team to enact change, what did you hire them for?)
7. The Hierarchy Principle
Sure, it might give everybody warm fuzzies to have a flat hierarchy. But business isn’t a commune, potluck, or campfire.
You always get the best results with a single person leading.
Otherwise, nobody is ultimately responsible for achieving the team’s goals.
8. 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 same applies to online business. I try to get remote teams together at least once a year. The trust, effectiveness, and morale of your team is more than worth the expense of a few plane tickets.
9. The Swoop Principle
Sometimes the boss needs to get in there.
Email wars? Tell them to pick up the phone. Stupid meetings? Do some coaching! Is good work happening? Compliment it!
Leaders must step in when needed.
BUT: Don’t get too in the weeds. And if you swoop too much, your team might start relying on it — and you want them solving their own problems as much as possible.
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That’s it!
Use these principles to build beautiful teams of happy, productive people making a difference.
I’d love to hear from you — are you a team builder? What principles do you think are most important?
Have a great week!
Michael
