Flying out of the comfort zone or how to build a high-performing team.

Teams -- virtual or otherwise -- are the order of the day in most organisations. However, the high-performing team -- risk-taking and innovative but focussed on delivery -- is rarer than wed like.

Flying out of the comfort zone or how to build a high-performing team.

Teams -- virtual or otherwise -- are the order of the day in most organisations. However, the high-performing team -- risk-taking and innovative but focussed on delivery -- is rarer than wed like.

In fact, for some people, working in a team can be extremely stressful. Relying on others to get something done can be painful, unleashing a variety of interpersonal and/or procedural points of difference

The predominance of team based working is itself contributing to the increasing levels of dysfunctional conflict evident in many organisations at the moment.

So -- how do we realise the benefits of team-based working without increasing disharmony in the workplace.

Its self-evident that teams can succeed only if there is a culture and organisation (training, reward and recognition) that supports this style of working. However, once the decision is made to 'become a team based organisation -- what are the skills an organisation needs to build?

Most organisations will understand the need to have the right mix of technical (task-oriented) skills. But teams will often lack the full range of interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence necessary to succeed. These are the skills and competence needed to really understand stakeholder needs, define vision and goals for the team, manage diverse work-styles. to understand emotions and to deal with differences and disputes.

It is particularly the last two areas -- the ability to deal confidently with conflict -- that distinguishes the really high performing team from the mediocre or failing alternative.

A team with inadequate skills in conflict management will try to avoid differences. So, instead of exploring more options leading potentially to better solutions, this team will suppresses conflict altogether by avoiding risks. Moreover, by not dealing with disagreement in the early stages of the project, the team finds it difficult to generate commitment or cohesion. Differences remain, potentially arising again in the later phases of the project when they may be far more damaging.

Contrast this with the team who can -- and does -- deal effectively with differences. This is the team that is far more likely to innovate, to develop a strong shared vision and ultimately to deliver the business benefit(s) defined at the outset.

So -- to answer the question posed at the beginning -- there is clearly a link between people management skills, innovation and service/product improvement. People who can transform difficult workplace relationships so as to capitalise on their creative potential are invaluable in any organisation.

Working with Conflict (http://www.workingwithconflict.co.uk) is an UK based company committed to delivering high value, customised solutions based on the belief that conflict can be a positive and powerful stimulus for change and development.