How to Create High Performing Teams

How to Create High Performing Teams
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Vector clients work in the world’s most critical industries and rely on us to deliver intelligent software solutions that will make them more successful by empowering them to make safer, smarter, better decisions. In our experience, an organization’s health and future success is by and large determined by the health and well-being of their internal teams. Teams perform better when their organization displays a deep commitment to effective communication, invests in learning and training opportunities, and prioritizes the physical and mental health and safety of their people. Here are our top tips for creating high-performing teams, and how the right tech stack can make it easier for organizations in critical industries to ptimally perform.

TOP QUALITIES TO NURTURE FOR HIGH-PERFORMING TEAMS

Everyday, we see firsthand the way our clients leverage the tools and technologies we provide them to nurture a culture of excellence and to optimize their response to the challenges facing their organizations. But, technology is only a piece of the puzzle. The bottom line: high-performing teams also need psychological safety: trust, communication, collaboration, and commitment. Here are three factors that can help you deliver on that need.

1. Communication

One of the most critical factors for a high-performing team, if not the most critical, is communication. In good times, communication keeps everyone aligned toward the same goal and mission, and, in challenging times, communication ensures your teams know how to respond effectively. In truly critical industries like fighting wildfires or emergency response, effective communication saves lives.

Even in less high-stakes situations, direct and frequent communication from leadership and open conversation keep team members engaged and energized. Technology is a powerful communication tool, particularly in circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic, where teams who are used to working in person are suddenly in remote or hybrid environments.

At Vector, we have leveraged technology to increase the quality and quantity of communication with our team members. Providing frequent video messages from leadership, as well as holding collaborative town-hall style meetings, allows for transparency and two-way communication, so that our team members feel heard and empowered, even in challenging times. This also gives senior leaders in your organization the opportunity to respond to questions in the moment and demonstrate that they are open to feedback and input from their valued team members.

In critical industries, technology can provide powerful risk intelligence tools, allowing organizations and individuals to work preventatively. Our risk intelligence communication platform, Vector LiveSafe, harnesses the power of early warning insights, empowering organizations to act proactively to keep their employees safe. Commercial enterprises, schools, and government agencies use features like geofencing to send targeted communication as well as allow for anonymous tip reporting to identify and track resolution to potential threats.

In every workplace, safety is important, but in critical industries where the stakes are that much higher and purposeful, effective communication can make the difference in keeping frontline workers, school staff and students, and other critical personnel safe.

2. Trust 

Just as communication is a necessary component for the psychological safety needed to create high-performing teams, trust is what determines whether teams can be open to that communication. It doesn’t matter what you say you’ll do if your teams don’t believe you’ll actually do it. Lack of accountability, failure to follow through, and other negative experiences can erode trust quickly and it’s difficult to rebuild.

Building a culture of trust means creating an atmosphere where it is safe to share ideas, collaborate and interact, and speak openly. In critical industries, trust is absolutely essential to creating high-performing teams. Employees have to know they are safe, they are heard, and, when they have concerns, that they will be taken seriously, followed up on, and resolved.

Vector clients in critical industries rely on our Vector Check It and Vector SDS & Chemical Management solutions to ensure accountability and compliance and prevent incidents. This includes the ability to control and track controlled substances, ensure vehicles and machinery are properly equipped for emergency response, and facilitate anonymous tip reporting and tracking incidents through resolution. In critical industries, having the right equipment and confirming that it’s operating safely and effectively is not optional – their safety and well-being rely on it. Teams have to be able to trust that the organization takes compliance seriously in order to perform optimally.

3. Commitment to Learning and Training

Learning and training should be a pillar for every organization, providing development opportunities and resources that build leaders from within, attract talent, and optimize performance. In critical industries, learning and training save lives by delivering important information, updated protocols, and the opportunity to master skills and techniques in low-risk settings. Our clients rely on systems like Vector Perform, Vector Assessment, and industry-specific course libraries to train teams on their subject matter, navigate changing regulations from governing agencies, and assign and track the completion of courses and learning goals by team members.

Providing learning and training opportunities shows your teams you care about their growth and success. It helps you attract and retain top talent, grow the skills of your valuable team members, optimize performance and improve safety – and for many employees, access to training and development matters more to them than compensation.

 

Are You Committed to Creating High-Performing Teams?

Creating high-performing teams is the most powerful investment you can make in your organization. At Vector, our mission is to support the everyday heroes in our communities, empowering them to make safer, smarter and better decisions. We recognize that high-performing teams require the ability to access critical knowledge when, where and how they need it. Everything we do is done to elevate the safety and success of our clients and the communities we serve. Learn more about our award-winning online education, safety, compliance and performance optimization solutions here.

Want to Know More?

Reach out and a Vector Solutions representative will respond back to help answer any questions you might have.