Transforming a group of people to a high performance team.

1. Practical Steps for Building
High Performance Teams
Dr. Elijah Ezendu
FIMC, FCCM, FIIAN, FBDI, FAAFM, FSSM, MIMIS, MIAP, MITD, ACIArb, ACIPM,
PhD, DocM, MBA, CWM, CBDA, CMA, MPM, PME, CSOL, CCIP, CMC, CMgr

2. Learning Objectives
At the end of this course, participants should be
able to do the following:
Build team charter
Influence approval for team charter
Identify essential elements of high
performance teams
Identify key qualities/characteristics of high
performance teams
Organize effective selection of team members

3. “A team charter is a clear description of the
team's mission, as well as the authority and
resources provided to accomplish that
mission. The charter typically includes a
statement of mission, objectives or statement
of work; background; authority or boundary
conditions (scope, constraints, resources, and
schedule); membership; requirements or
specifications, and interface responsibilities.”
- Kenneth Crow, Team Charter

4. “A team charter is a written document that
defines the team's mission, scope of operation,
objectives, time frame, and consequences.
Charters can be developed by top management
and presented to teams, or teams can create
their own charters and present them to top
management. Either way the top
management's endorsement of a team's
charter is a critical factor in giving the team the
direction and protection it needs to succeed.”
- Donald Bodwell, Team Charter

5. Elements of a Team Charter
1. Team member roster (name and contact information)
2. Team member strengths, needs and expectations
a) individual strengths to contribute
b) new knowledge/skills to develop
c) overall expectation about the project
3. Team identity
a) name (acronym or other designation)
b) logo (diagram, picture, words, colors)
c) motto (a saying or slogan related to the team’s purpose, values,
composition, or preferred way of working)
4. Team purpose (team vision and mission)
5. Team values (behaviors that support the achievement of
outcomes in team purpose statement)
6. Signature of each team member agreeing to the charter
Source: Interprofessional Projects Program

6. Eight Criteria for Effective Charter Statements
1. Inspirational
2. Clear and challenging
3. Differentiating
4. Stable but constantly challenging
5. Beacons and controls
6. Empowering
7. Future oriented
8. Clear and concise
Source: A Guide to Writing Your Team’s Charter Statement

7. Functions of Team Charter
• Serves as a contract between the team and the sponsor
• Defines objectives and intent of the team - assures a
common objective among team members
• Defines the work effort and its intended results to the
rest of the program - avoids redundancy and "holes"
• Keeps the team focused - allows the team to determine
if its activity is relevant and on-track or off on a tangent.
• Defines boundary conditions and helps the team
determine when to raise an issue
• Helps control scope of team's efforts and re-negotiate its
objectives or boundary conditions
Source: DRM Associates

8. Example of Team Charter
TEAM NAME: Data Management Team
Opportunity/Problem Statement: The department has a significant number and variety of important informational
requirements that are growing as program personnel face increases in their workload, new legislation, and increasing
public demands. Senior management must also have accurate, timely information to make key business decisions. The
decentralized nature of information technology within the department fosters inconsistency in data management resulting
in: 1) no economies of scale, 2) difficulties in the sharing of accurate information, 3) systems that are either poorly
integrated with one another or not integrated at all, and 4) data access training challenges. Data management should be a
systematic and coordinated effort at the enterprise, divisional, and senior management levels.
Project Mission Statement: Implement quality data management practices to facilitate access and sharing of priority data
throughout the Department such that priority data can be accessed and shared by all stakeholders including public to
improve analysis and decision-making.
Description: The principle responsibility of the Data Management Team will be to establish a departmental data management
strategy. This strategy will include: 1) prioritize shared data needs, 2) insure interconnectivity, 3) identify, and oversee
design and implementation of permitting data integration projects for departmentally serviced sites, and 4) analyze budget
recommendations by August 15, 1998.
Background: Senior leadership is committed to environmental information management reforms and building information
technology infrastructure. With the departments creation in 1989, many divisions within the organization were either too
small, or lacked funding to support their information technology needs independently. Additionally, the central IT function
lacked resources. As a result, the Department realized the failing support of information technology throughout DENR. The
decentralization was recognized by the IRMT as an inevitable necessity due to resource limitations and specialized funding
sources; however, at times, the decentralization creates barriers to the sharing of data / information. The centralized
coordination of data management is needed to remove existing barriers to the sharing of information throughout DENR.
Scope: The team, working with divisional and departmental management will establish a departmental data management
strategy to include the following data management recommendations for review by the IRMB: 1) develop data related
policy, 2) setting standards for all electronic information to insure compatibility and security of data bases, 3) recommend
enterprise and desktop databases, tools and appropriate training, 4) address questions regarding the sharing of
information, 5) identify standards and practices that are consistent with industry practices such as ODBC and publishing
metadata, 6) establish/recommend foundation for data management decisions support processes, 7) request mentoring
from programs with successfully operating information technology teams, and 8) develop continuation and expansion
budget recommendations.

9. Time Frame for Project Completion: Terms consist of 1 year terms with schedule commitments of 1st and 3rd Thursday of each
month.
Date/Time for Team Launch: May 15, 1998
Date/Time for Process Owner and Sponsor to meet with team to discuss the assignment and
agree on the project specifics: May 15, 1998, August 15, 1998
Team Participants:
Sponsor: Bill Holman
Process Owner: Information Technology Services
Team Leader: Bill Meyer
Facilitator: Chuck Buckler
Team Members: 1 Representative from Information Technology Services (Bill Golden), 1 Representative from Division of Water Quality
(Ken Eagelson), 1 Representative from Division of Air Quality (Deborah Webb-Clark), 1 Representative from Senior Staff (Michael
Shore), 1 Representative from Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance (Gary Hunt), 1 Representative from
Division of Water Resources (Charley Theobald), 1 Representative from Marine Fisheries (George Joyner), 1 Representative from
Parks and Recreation (Linda Pearsall), 2 Representatives from Field Offices (John Holley and Ken Schuster), 1 Representative from
SIPS / IRM (Bob Anderson), 1 Representative from IRMB (Laura C. Herbert), 1 Representative from Budget Planning & Analysis
(Doug Lewis)
List of Resources: John Graham, Year 2000 Project Manager Database Administrator, All divisional IT staff, All division directors, IRMB,
Senior Management, SIPS / IRM
Potential Stakeholders: All DENR divisions, Other state and federal agencies (EPA, Emergency Management / FEMA, OSBM, OSPL),
Senior Management, The Legislature, The Public
Team Contract:
We have read and understand this Team Charter, understand our roles, and have come to agreement with the Sponsor and/or Process
Owner on the opportunity or problem to be addressed, the actions to be taken, and the limitations on the project. If at any time
it becomes apparent that the Team Charter needs to be modified, we will consult the Sponsor and/or Process Owner and come
to agreement on the modifications.
Signatures of Team Members:
Example of Team Charter Continued

10. Standard Team Charter Template
Name: The Team’s Name
Purpose: The Team’s Vision and Objectives
Expected Results: Key Result Area, Measure and Target
Organisation: Members, Sponsors, Roles and Responsibilities
Decision Boundaries: Policy Decision Area and Team’s Role in Decision (Authority),
Action Decision Area and Team’s Role in Decision, Resource Decision Area and
Team’s Role in Decision
Milestones: Action and Target Date
Constraints: Areas of Limitation in Scope, Budget, Schedule and Resources
Key Interdependencies: Required Inputs, Affected Processes, Affected Projects and
Partners
Team Profile: Key Requirements Rooted in Required Attributes, Required Technical Skills,
Required Business Unit/Department
Stakeholders: Project Sponsor, Team Leader, Team Members, Internal Customers,
Internal Suppliers, External Customers, External Suppliers
Management Support: Required Support from Management of the Firm
Reporting Relationship and Expectation: Team Leader’s Vertical and Horizontal Reporting
Relationships, Frequency and Content of Report, Acceptable Method of Report

11. Approval for Team Charter
Best-in-Class practices provides for the
development of team charter by selected
members of a team and approval should be
effected by top management of the firm.

12. Characteristics of High Performance Team
1. Clear Elevating Goals
2. Results Driven Structure
3. Unified Commitment
4. Collaborative Climate
5. Standards of Excellence
6. External Support/Recognition
7. Principled Leadership

13. 7 Key Characteristics of High
Performance Teams (PERFORM)
1. Purpose and values
2. Empowerment
3. Relationships and communication
4. Flexibility
5. Optimal productivity
6. Recognition and appreciation
7. Morale
Source: The Ken Blanchard Companies

14. Essential Elements of
High Performance Teams
Commitment
Trust
Purpose
Communication
Involvement
Process Orientation
Continuous Improvement
Source: Kevin Eikenberry, Elements of High Performance Team

15. Critical Success Factors for High
Performance in Teams
• Mission
• Goals
• Objectives
• Overarching Values
• Leadership
• Processes
• Interpersonal Relationship
• Roles and Responsibilities

16. Sources of Conflict in Teams
• Belief
• Personality
• Values
• Diversity
• Roles
• Experiences
• Assignments
• Communication
• Time
• Shock

17. Selection Criteria
• Creativity and open-mindedness
• Good team players
• Well Respected among peers, stakeholders,
and other business leaders
• Balance qualifications with commitment to
team philosophy
• Align to team structure and roles

18. Establishing Balanced Team
• Focus on team composition
• Use fewer and better people
• Handle Biases
• Ensure only team players with requisite skills
and commitment become members

19. Team Composition
A well-rounded team includes a mix of people and skills. The team should
include:
• Some individuals who intimately understand the current process (experts
– could be at any level in the organization)
• Some individuals who actively use the process and work closely with
customers (including union involvement when applicable)
• Some technical wizards
• Some individuals who are completely objective toward the process and
outcome (consultants may fall into this category)
• Customers of the process (when possible) and suppliers (those people
who are involved with the process at the boundaries)
• Some individuals who are not familiar with your process (someone who
brings a fresh perspective and outlook to the team)
Source: Prosci

20. Exercise
The management of Brian Simpson requires you
to lead a new team for boosting enterprise-
wide cost management, in order to reduce
excessive waste and pointless expenditure.
How will you establish a high performance
team?

21. Dr Elijah Ezendu is Award-Winning Business Expert & Certified Management Consultant with expertise
in Interim Management, Strategy, Competitive Intelligence, Transformation, Restructuring, Turnaround
Management, Business Development, Marketing, Project & Cost Management, Leadership, HR, CSR, e-
Business & Software Architecture. He had functioned as Founder, Initiative for Sustainable Business
Equity; Chairman of Board, Charisma Broadcast Film Academy; Group Chief Operating Officer, Idova
Group; CEO, Rubiini (UAE); Special Advisor, RTEAN; Director, MMNA Investments; Chair, Int’l Board of
GCC Business Council (UAE); Senior Partner, Shevach Consulting; Chairman (Certification & Training),
Coordinator (Board of Fellows), Lead Assessor & Governing Council Member, Institute of Management
Consultants, Nigeria; Lead Resource, Centre for Competitive Intelligence Development; Lead
Consultant/ Partner, JK Michaels; Turnaround Project Director, Consolidated Business Holdings Limited;
Technical Director, Gestalt; Chief Operating Officer, Rohan Group; Executive Director (Various Roles),
Fortuna, Gambia & Malta; Chief Advisor/ Partner, D & E; Vice Chairman of Board, Refined Shipping;
Director of Programmes & Governing Council Member, Institute of Business Development, Nigeria;
Member of TDD Committee, International Association of Software Architects, USA; Member of Strategic
Planning and Implementation Committee, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria;
Country Manager (Nigeria) & Adjunct Faculty (MBA Programme), Regent Business School, South Africa;
Adjunct Faculty (MBA Programme), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology; Editor-in-Chief, Cost
Management Journal; Council Member, Institute of Internal Auditors of Nigeria; Member, Board of
Directors (Several Organizations). He holds Doctoral Degree in Management, Master of Business
Administration and Fellow of Professional Institutes in North America, UK & Nigeria. He is Innovator of
Corporate Investment Structure Based on Financials and Intangibles, for valuation highlighting
intangible contributions of host communities and ecological environment: A model celebrated globally
as remedy for unmitigated depreciation of ecological capital and developmental deprivation of host
communities. He had served as Examiner to Professional Institutes and Universities. He had been a
member of Guild of Soundtrack Producers of Nigeria. He's an author and extensively featured speaker.

22. Thank You