Measures of Team Effectiveness
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Many organisations depend on teams to deliver – effective team working is therefore essential and assessment against seven dimensions can help to stay ahead of the game.
Teams need to be able to measure their own effectiveness in team working for two reasons:
1. Identify where things are wrong, quickly, in order to put them right
2. Know when they are doing OK so they can get on with their work confidently
Therefore, teams need a simple framework to guide them in checking that they are effective in the ways they need to be. One simple framework is called PERFORM – an acronym for the seven dimensions of effectiveness it comprises.
Productivity (or Outcomes)
Most important of the dimensions because it is about whether the team is getting the job done.
– Is it achieving its goals?
– Are its customers satisfied? (Internal and external)
It can be useful to gather data (through surveys/complaints etc.) to make an accurate assessment. However, teams are often very insightful and very honest with themselves about whether they are achieving what they need to do, as fast as they need to and to the standard they need to.
Empathy
This dimension considers whether team members feel comfortable with each other. It is important because if they do not, it can drain energy and creativity, which affects performance. Empathy is strongly related to the ability of the team to communicate effectively about difficult issues. It is not about being close friends or having lots of warm feelings in this context.
– Do the team members feel comfortable with each other?
Roles and Goals
This dimension relates to individuals knowing what their role is and how it fits in with others’ roles on the team. Team tasks can fall through the cracks if people are not clear who should be taking responsibility for them, or if they don’t know where their responsibility ends and another begins.
Flexibility
This dimension considers whether the team is responsive to outside influence and contribution. Some teams develop a rigid ‘fortress-like’ way of operating which can limit its functioning. Team members should ask themselves:
– How do they respond when the goalposts move?
– How much communicating do they do with teams around them?
– Do they listen and respond as well as tell?
Openness
This dimension relates to the free and ready communication between team members. It includes both information giving and opinion giving. Key questions are:
– Do people tell each other everything they need to know, including information about difficulties, mistakes, risks and problems?
– Do people say what they think?
Recognition
This dimension is important to the long-term health of the team and considers whether the team members celebrate their successes, both corporately and by praising each other. It may occur when people simply say ‘Well Done’ or ‘That’s a good idea’ to each other or it may be a team treat. The important thing is whether team members feel their good work is recognised.
Morale
The word morale means many things to many people and is often a token word used by many organisations. Here it means that the team members want to be in the team, they are proud of it and of themselves in it – belonging to it makes them feel good. If morale is high, it is more likely that team members will achieve their potential and therefore, ultimately, so will the team.
Team effectiveness is essential for organisational success and through regular assessment and discussion, teams can diagnose issues and develop solutions to achieve their combined potential.
