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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
The definitive and accessible guide to building and leading high-performance teams
In Leading High-Performance Teams For Dummies, talent and leadership expert Dr. Shirley Davis demonstrates how to unlock your team's full potential at work. The book offers a science-based deep-dive into high-performing teams, covering everything from becoming a purpose driven leader to creating a work culture in which you and your people can thrive, both individually and as a team.
You'll learn about the latest workplace research, trends, and strategies you need to understand to address the most common challenges that leaders and companies face, from motivating remote workers to competing for the best talent in a dynamic labor market.
Inside the book:
- Effective ways to navigate the distinct stages of team development
- Ways to show up as an emotionally intelligent leader and help your team members develop emotional intelligence
- Techniques to recognize and reward individual achievement while maintaining a focus on the team's collective goals
Drawing on the author's 30+ years of real-world business experience, Leading High-Performance Teams For Dummies is an invaluable resource for emerging and experienced leaders, supervisors, human resources professionals, entrepreneurs, founders, and students of management, business, or team dynamics.
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Seitenzahl: 545
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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Leading High-Performance Teams For Dummies®
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Table of Contents
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Getting Started with High Performance Teams
Chapter 1: Understanding the Science of High Performance
Explaining the Unique Impact of Dopamine, Cortisol, and Serotonin on the Brain
Understanding What Motivates High Achievers and Builds Resilience
Optimizing Team Output through These Key Drivers
Chapter 2: Exploring Common Models of Teams
Richard Beckhard’s GRPI Model
Richard Hackman’s Five Factor Model
Bruce Tuckman’s Five Stages of Team Development
The T7 Model of Team Effectiveness
Which Model Is Best?
Common Types of Work Teams
Chapter 3: Identifying Key Attributes of High-Performance Teams
Exploring the Role of Shared Leadership
Shared Purpose
Mutual Accountability
Continuous Improvement
Diverse and Complementary Skills
Effective Communication
Defined Roles and Responsibilities
Trust and Psychological Safety
Healthy Conflict Resolution
Agility and Adaptability
Celebration and Appreciation
Chapter 4: Detailing the Business Benefits of Exceptional Teams
Building Organizational Proficiency
Sparking Innovation and Continuous Growth
Delivering Better Problem-Solving
Making More Informed Decisions
Realizing Positive Customer Service Results
Improving Worker Retention
Part 2: Becoming a High-Performance Leader
Chapter 5: Developing Core Leadership Competencies
Moving from Managing to Leading
Getting Clear on Purpose and Vision
Developing Your Purpose and Vision Statements
Modeling Integrity and Ethical Decision-Making
Cultivating Trust and Psychological Safety on the Team
Demonstrating Emotional Intelligence and Empathy
Chapter 6: Advanced Skills and Strategic Behaviors for High Performance
Mastering Strategic Thinking and Problem-Solving
Providing Feedback, Coaching, and Mentoring
Showing Empathy in Words and Actions
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology
Demonstrating Leadership Accountability Consistently
Chapter 7: Moving from Being Risk Averse to Risk Ready
Revealing the Key Drivers of Risk Aversion
Detailing the Consequences of Remaining Risk Averse
Fostering a Risk-Ready Workplace Culture
Assessing Your Tolerance Level for Risk-Taking
Evaluating the Payoff of Risk-Taking in Organizations
Chapter 8: Leading the Team through Change and Transitions
Comparing Change and Transition
Managing Personal Change
Steering the Change-Management Process
Handing Resistance to Change
The Beckhard-Harris Change Equation
Part 3: Recruiting, Selecting, and Onboarding a High-Performance Team
Chapter 9: Getting Clear on Changing Workforce Demographics and Needs
Becoming More Globally Connected
Seeking More Flexibility in How and Where Work Gets Done
Bringing a Variety of Backgrounds, Perspectives, Experiences, and Identities
Reporting More Stress, Burnout, and Disengagement
Insisting on Greater Inclusion, Belonging, and Accessibility
Demanding More Growth Opportunities
Chapter 10: Sourcing and Selecting Top Talent
Closing Gaps with a Variety of Skills, Experiences, and Perspectives
Casting a Wider Net to Build a Strong Pipeline of Talent
Watching for Biases in Selection and Decision-Making
Reviewing Job Descriptions to Ensure Inclusive Language
Chapter 11: Orienting and Onboarding New Team Members
Distinguishing between Orientation and Onboarding
Creating a Memorable and Impactful Orientation Program
Clarifying Roles and Duties
Defining Your Team’s Charter and What Success Looks Like
Sidestepping the Most Frequent Onboarding Pitfalls
Part 4: Creating and Sustaining a World-Class Culture Where Teams Can Thrive
Chapter 12: Understanding Company Culture and How It’s Established
Describing the Key Components of Culture
Detailing the Impact That Culture Plays on Performance and Business Success
Viewing Leaders as Thermostats: The Role of Leadership in Setting the Tone
Chapter 13: Identifying and Addressing Work Culture Challenges
Diagnosing the Current State of Your Team Culture
Presenting the Culture Spectrum
Turning a Toxic Team Environment into a Positive and Inspiring One
Chapter 14: Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being on the Team
Describing the Current State of Global Mental Health
Assessing How Stigma Influences Productivity, Innovation, and Team Dynamics
Implementing Team Practices for Camaraderie, Trust, and Mutual Support
Adopting Flexible Approaches to Work–Life Integration
Evaluating the Mental Health Needs of Leaders and Their Ripple Effects
Reflecting on Organizational Practices That Build a Culture of Holistic Well-Being
Building a Mentally Healthy Team
Chapter 15: Navigating Team Conflict Effectively
Addressing the Reasons for Avoiding Team Conflict
Normalizing Conflict as a Tool for Higher Performance
Seeing the Benefits of Engaging in Uncomfortable Conversations
Interpreting Two Models for Managing Conflict
Applying Best Practices to Real-World Scenarios
Chapter 16: Measuring and Maintaining High Performance
Identifying Key Performance Metrics for Team Success
Correcting Low Performance
Handling Persistent Underperformance at the Individual Level
Demonstrating Accountability as a Leader and as a Team
Chapter 17: Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams
Establishing Roles, Responsibilities, and Clear Expectations for Working Remotely
Creating and Maintaining Connection, Community, and Engagement with a Distributed Workforce
Adapting Leadership Styles to Meet the Needs of a Distributed Workforce
Overcoming Common Pitfalls in Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams
Shifting from Remote to Return-to-Office Work
Chapter 18: Operating as a Savvy Financial Business Leader
Understanding Why Financial Literacy Matters for High-Performing Teams
Speaking the Language of Business with Confidence
Understanding Operations and Managing the Business
Navigating Economic Shifts and Marketplace Trends
Thinking and Acting Like an Intrapreneur
Building Financial Literacy: Practical Exercises and Applications
Part 5: The Part of Tens
Chapter 19: Ten Best Practices for Leading a Multigenerational Team
Know Your Generational Mix
Communicate with Agility
Encourage Cross-Generational Mentoring
Align on Shared Values and Norms
Personalize Your Management Approach
Promote Psychological Safety for All
Offer Flexible Career Development
Build in Flexibility and Autonomy
Celebrate Milestones and Life Moments
Lead with Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
Chapter 20: Ten Team Activities That Build Trust, Collaboration, and Communication
“Teach Me” Presentations
Virtual Murder Mystery Party
Stop, Start, Continue
Book Club
Film Festival
Time Travel
Copy-Paste
Theatersports
Indoor Ropes Course
Personality Assessments
Chapter 21: Ten Practices for Productive Team Meetings
Make Your Meetings Consistent
Start and End on Time
Create Your Meeting Agenda Collaboratively
Set Clear Expectations and Group Norms
Foster a Safe and Welcoming Environment
Save Space for Appreciation and Positive Feedback
Use a Virtual Meeting Platform
Encourage Varied Forms of Participation
End the Meeting with Accomplishments and Action Items
Follow Up and Iterate
Chapter 22: Ten Ways High-Performing Teams Will Evolve in Ten Years
Increased Collaboration between AI and Humans
More Globally Distributed Across Borders
Increased Diversity in Every Dimension
Even Greater Prioritization of Well-Being
More Multigenerational and Experience-Rich Teams
Greater Mastery of Agility and Continuous Reinvention
Committed to Purpose and Values
Radical Transparency and Trust
A Seamless Blend of Permanent, Gig, and AI Talent
Measured of Impact, Not Activity
Index
About the Author
Dedication
Author’s Acknowledgment
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 5
TABLE 5-1 Managers versus Leaders
Chapter 9
TABLE 9-1 Snapshot of Generational Cohorts
List of Illustrations
Chapter 2
FIGURE 2-1: GRPI model by Richard Beckhard.
FIGURE 2-2: Five factor model by Richard Hackman.
FIGURE 2-3: Tuckman’s model of team development.
FIGURE 2-4: Korn Ferry’s T7 Model of Team Effectiveness.
Chapter 3
FIGURE 3-1: The RACI model.
Chapter 8
FIGURE 8-1: The Bridges Transitions Model.
FIGURE 8-2: John Kotter’s change process.
FIGURE 8-3: The Beckhard-Harris change equation.
Chapter 13
FIGURE 13-1: The Culture Spectrum.
Chapter 15
FIGURE 15-1: Thomas–Kilman conflict modes.
FIGURE 15-2: Intercultural conflict styles.
Chapter 17
FIGURE 17-1: The ROI of mental health (according to WHO).
FIGURE 17-2: Situational leadership.
FIGURE 17-3: Transformational leadership.
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Begin Reading
Index
About the Author
Dedication
Author’s Acknowledgment
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Leading High-Performance Teams For Dummies®
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Introduction
Leading a team in today’s workplace is one of the most rewarding and challenging responsibilities a leader can have. The success of organizations depends less on individual brilliance and more on how well teams come together to innovate, collaborate, and deliver results. High performance is a business imperative and a competitive advantage, especially in an age of constant disruption, rapid technological advances, shifting demographics, and heightened customer expectations. Moreover, the ability to build and sustain high-performance teams can be the key differentiator between organizations that thrive and those that simply survive.
As I often remind leaders, teams are not simply collections of talent. They become high performing when the right conditions are created, such as building trust, setting clear goals, and making every individual feel both valued and included.
High performance is not about busyness or checking more boxes. It’s about focus, alignment, and harnessing the collective energy of diverse individuals. The most effective teams know how to balance urgency with excellence, and they consistently deliver results that exceed expectations.
Creating such teams requires leadership at its best. That is the real work of leadership today; not just directing tasks, but cultivating environments where people bring their whole selves, feel motivated to contribute, and see their work as meaningful.
About This Book
This book is designed to be your practical playbook for building and leading high-performance teams in a rapidly changing world. It goes beyond theory to show you how to create the conditions that allow teams to consistently excel. You’ll find proven strategies grounded in neuroscience, psychology, and organizational behavior combined with lessons I’ve learned from decades of working with leaders and teams across industries and around the globe.
Throughout these pages, I explain what drives motivation, resilience, and accountability at the team level and how leaders can use that knowledge to elevate performance. You’ll explore models of team effectiveness that help diagnose and improve dynamics, find out how to strengthen your own leadership competencies, discover how to move from a risk-averse to a risk-ready leader, and understand what it takes to recruit and onboard the right talent. You’ll also discover ways to create thriving cultures that reduce burnout, build trust, and foster well-being while navigating conflict and change with confidence.
Importantly, this book is forward-looking. It prepares you not only to tackle today’s challenges but also to anticipate the future of teamwork, from managing hybrid environments to leading multigenerational groups and harnessing technology and AI to amplify results. My goal is to give you a resource that you can return to often when you need clarity, direction, best practices, or inspiration for how to get the best from your team.
To help you navigate the content, I’ve divided the book into five parts:
Part 1
lays the groundwork by explaining the science, models, business benefits, and attributes that define high-performing teams.
Part 2
focuses on developing your leadership skills and behaviors so you can unlock the full potential of your team.
Part 3
addresses recruiting, selecting, and onboarding the right talent to build a strong team foundation.
Part 4
highlights how to create and sustain a world-class culture where people thrive, including strategies for well-being, psychological safety, and accountability.
Part 5
provides quick, high-impact best practices, tools, and forward-looking insights to accelerate your journey toward high performance.
Foolish Assumptions
After decades of working with leaders at every level (from first-time supervisors to CEOs of global organizations to C-suite executives), I’ve seen the common challenges, questions, and aspirations that so many of them share. I’ve listened in boardrooms, facilitated workshops, coached executives, and partnered with organizations across industries. From these experiences, I know the realities leaders face today. With that knowledge in mind, I made a few assumptions about you as I wrote this book:
You’re the team leader of at least one other person.
Although this group of people may each work alone occasionally, it’s necessary for them to work together some of the time.
You want more than average results.
You’re committed to leading in a way that brings out the best in people and creates an environment where they can thrive. Whether you are stepping into leadership for the first time or have been leading for years, you recognize that yesterday’s skills are not enough for today’s demands or tomorrow’s uncertainties.
You’ve seen the difference between a group and a team.
You know that having talent isn’t enough. It takes clarity, trust, discipline, and a leader who can inspire and empower. You may also feel the pressure of faster change cycles, shifting employee expectations, and customers who demand more, and you’re seeking strategies that will help your team rise to the occasion.
You’re committed to your own growth.
You may be curious, cautious, or even skeptical about what it really takes to build and sustain a high performance team — but you’re open enough to explore, learn, and apply. That tells me you’re serious about becoming the kind of leader who doesn’t just manage people but unlocks their full potential.
You recognize that the workforce of the future will look dramatically different.
You understand that demographic shifts, advancing technologies, and new workplace models will continue to reshape how teams are built and how they operate. Preparing now to adapt, stay agile, and lead effectively in this evolving landscape is essential.
Icons Used in This Book
Throughout this book, icons in the margins highlight certain types of valuable information that call for your attention. This section explains the icons you’ll encounter:
This icon alerts you to helpful hints that may save time, effort, stress, embarrassment, and money while developing and implementing some of the practices.
This icon marks information that’s especially important to know. If you’re in a hurry, you can siphon off the most important information from each chapter by reading through these icons and skimming the rest of the text for useful tidbits.
The Warning icon tells you to watch out! It marks important information that may save you headaches, time and money.
Beyond the Book
The lessons and strategies you’ll find in these pages provide a solid foundation for leading high-performance teams. But leadership is a journey, not a destination. The best leaders are lifelong learners who keep stretching, adapting, and growing. That means your learning doesn’t stop when you close this book — it’s only the beginning.
To continue your development and keep sharpening your leadership edge, consider these resources and opportunities:
Dummies resources:
Visit
www.dummies.com
to find bonus content, updates, and the downloadable Cheat Sheet that accompanies this book for quick reference. You can find the Cheat Sheet by typing
High-Performance Leadership For Dummies Cheat Sheet
in the Search field on the home page.
My other books:
Expand your toolkit with my earlier works,
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion For Dummies
and
Inclusive Leadership For Dummies
, which complement this book and deepen your understanding of how inclusion fuels high performance.
Online learning:
Explore my LinkedIn Learning courses, especially “Leadership Foundations” and “Inclusive Leadership” in which I bring these concepts to life with video lessons, real-world examples, and AI-powered practical exercises you can apply immediately.
Coaching and consulting:
If you or your organization need tailored support, training, leadership coaching or strategic guidance, connect with me through
www.drshirleydavis.com
.
Professional networks:
Join leadership communities, attend conferences, and engage in peer learning to exchange insights and best practices with others who are committed to building strong, thriving teams.
High performance is not a one-time achievement; it’s a sustained commitment. By continuing to seek out new insights, applying what you learn, and investing in yourself and your team, you position yourself as the kind of leader who doesn’t just manage performance but inspires it at every level.
Where to Go from Here
This book is designed for flexibility. Some readers will want to start at the very beginning and read it cover to cover. Others may want to flip directly to the chapters that address their most pressing needs right now. Either way works. Think of this book as both a reference manual and a toolkit that you can return to whenever a challenge or opportunity arises with your team.
If you’re brand new to leading teams, begin with Chapter 1 to understand the science of high performance and Chapter 3 to learn the essential attributes of successful teams. If you’re dealing with change or uncertainty, go to Chapter 8 for practical strategies on leading your team through transitions. If conflict is undermining your progress, head to Chapter 15 for proven conflict resolution models and techniques.
When you’re focused on building the right team, you’ll want to spend time in Chapters 9 through 11, which guide you through understanding changing workforce demographics, sourcing and selecting top talent, and onboarding new members effectively. If culture and well-being are your priorities, Chapter 12 explains how culture is formed, Chapter 13 helps you diagnose challenges, and Chapter 14 shares strategies for promoting positivity, resilience, and mental health on your team.
For leaders who want to elevate their skills, Chapters 5 through 7 explore the core and advanced competencies that distinguish high-performance leaders, including accountability, empathy, risk-readiness, and the ability to coach and mentor others.
Finally, if you’re looking for quick wins and easy-to-apply ideas, turn to Chapters 19 through 22, where you’ll find best practices for multigenerational teams, productive meetings, trust-building activities, and insights on how high-performing teams will evolve by 2035.
No matter where you begin, my goal is that you’ll come away with practical strategies you can apply immediately and the confidence to lead with greater clarity, purpose, and impact. Use this book as a resource whenever you need inspiration, guidance, or reassurance, because leading a high-performance team is an ongoing journey, and each step you take makes a difference.
Part 1
Getting Started with High Performance Teams
IN THIS PART …
Get clear on what high performance means and why it matters in today’s workplace and uncover the neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral science behind performance.
Explore proven models of team effectiveness that help you diagnose how teams work.
Recognize the key attributes that set exceptional teams apart from average ones.
Understand how exceptional teams drive stronger business outcomes, such as higher proficiency, innovation, problem-solving, and so on.
Chapter 1
Understanding the Science of High Performance
IN THIS CHAPTER
Describing how dopamine, cortisol, and serotonin influence the brain and behavior
Identifying the factors that motivate high achievers and strengthen resilience
Applying neurological drivers to elevate individual and team performance
I’ve worked with organizations around the globe, and I’ll let you in on a secret: Your team’s greatest competitive advantage isn’t just their skills; it’s their brains. Yep, that three-pound miracle between our ears is the engine of innovation, resilience, and extraordinary results. Yet, too often, we try to drive performance with outdated tactics such as key performance indicators, more meetings, and tighter deadlines without ever tapping into what truly moves people: the science of motivation, mindset, and belonging.
High-performing teams are not accidents. They’re intentionally designed. They’re the result of thoughtful leadership, deliberate strategies, and an understanding of how our brains and bodies function under pressure, purpose, and pursuit. In my decades of experience coaching leaders and organizations around the world, I’ve learned that excellence isn’t just about willpower; it’s about wiring. The more we understand the neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral science of performance, the better equipped we are to lead ourselves and others toward sustainable success.
This chapter will take you on a journey through the performance trifecta — dopamine, cortisol, and serotonin — and show you how, by harnessing these neurochemicals, you can transform your team from good to unstoppable. We’ll dig into the role of sleep, diet, exercise, mindset, and emotional intelligence, and I’ll share real-life examples, practical strategies, and reflection questions to help you activate high performance that lasts.
Explaining the Unique Impact of Dopamine, Cortisol, and Serotonin on the Brain
To understand what drives human behavior at work, it helps to look inside the brain. This section breaks down how dopamine, cortisol, and serotonin influence your team’s motivation, stress levels, and sense of belonging.
Dopamine: The motivation molecule
Dopamine is your team’s rocket fuel. It’s the brain chemical that gets people excited about their goals, keeps them coming back for more, and rewards them for making progress, not just for crossing the finish line. When you set clear, attainable goals and recognize small wins, dopamine surges. That’s why checking off a task feels so good. It’s not magic; it’s biology.
At a Fortune 500 technology company that I consulted with, the CEO implemented daily “win celebrations.” At the conclusion of each team meeting, employees highlighted their microwins, such as resolving technical issues or receiving positive customer feedback. Additional programs allowed for sharing of risks and rewards (or lessons learned) without penalty and permitted staff to publicly acknowledge a “staff hero/shero” who stepped up or went out of their way. Those were huge hits. Employee engagement increased by 28 percent over nine months in the category of Rewards and Worker Recognition. Workers stated how much they appreciated the opportunity to share their successes and to see the CEO take the lead.
Break large projects into microgoals. Celebrate every milestone, no matter how small. Use visible progress trackers (think dashboards, leaderboards, or kudos boards) to keep dopamine flowing.
Cortisol: The stress regulator
Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone. In the right dose, it’s a lifesaver. It sharpens your awareness, helps you meet deadlines, and pushes you to innovate under pressure. But when cortisol sticks around too long, trouble starts (for example, absenteeism, disengagement, and even conflict).
When stress becomes chronic, when people feel unsafe, marginalized, or unsupported, cortisol floods the system, which leads to burnout, poor decisions, and a breakdown of trust. In fact, according to Gallup, unregulated stress leads to $190 billion in annual healthcare costs and is a leading cause of employee turnover. In Chapters 9 and 14, I cover more on workplace stress.
In inclusive teams, leaders are “stress aware.” They model healthy boundaries, encourage self-care, check in on workload, and make it safe to speak up about what’s overwhelming. They also watch for patterns: Who’s always the one “taking one for the team”? Who’s not raising their hand but clearly feeling the burn?
Create performance rituals that blend motivation, recovery, and connection. It’s not about avoiding stress but about orchestrating energy.
Let me share two quick stories from my own consulting work: I once coached a manager who realized, after a team meeting, that only certain team members ever felt comfortable voicing deadlines that felt unreasonable. Others, especially those from underrepresented groups, kept quiet and were afraid of being labeled as complainers or not being “team players.” Changing that norm, and actively inviting all voices to the table, cut team stress in half and boosted engagement.
In another instance, I was consulting with a health services company during a major merger. My role was to advise on the culture integration and to assess the significant differences as well as the risk levels of merging the cultures. The workers’ stress levels spiked during that time, but leaders got proactive. They began introducing “recharge rooms” for brief meditation, scheduling “no meeting” afternoons, and equipping managers with burnout recognition training. Ultimately, it resulted in a decrease in turnover by 11 percent over the next year.
Normalize stress conversations. Build in regular “pulse checks,” encourage mindfulness breaks, and make recovery part of every workweek, just like you’d schedule a critical team meeting.
Serotonin: Building trust, well-being, and belonging
I can’t talk about thriving teams without mentioning serotonin, also called the “well-being” neurochemical. When serotonin flows, people feel calm, valued, and connected. They trust their leader and each other. Serotonin is what makes people feel seen, heard, and safe. It’s the secret ingredient of trust, collaboration, and emotional intelligence. When serotonin flows, teams communicate better, innovate more, and bounce back from setbacks. Refer to Chapter 3 for a more detailed description of these team competencies.
How do you boost serotonin on your team?
Start with rituals of appreciation, acts of kindness, and a relentless commitment to equity. When team members see that everyone (regardless of background, role, or identity) is treated with respect and given equal opportunity, trust grows, and serotonin follows.
Here are some practical inclusion strategies that have worked for me:
Schedule regular check-ins. Not just about work, but about well-being and growth.
Rotate meeting roles and responsibilities to give everyone a chance to shine and contribute.
Invite team members to share their goals, passions, and strengths; then connect those to team projects and initiatives.
Be transparent about decision-making. When people know the “why,” trust deepens.
Celebrate diverse holidays, backgrounds, and life experiences. Make room for everyone at the table.
Understanding What Motivates High Achievers and Builds Resilience
High achievers aren’t superhuman; they’re just really good at structuring their environments and routines to work with, rather than against, their brains. Motivation isn’t just a feeling; it’s a process that can be engineered.
Motivation is about purpose, meaning, and momentum. It’s often sparked by dopamine and sustained through discipline. But when the going gets tough, resilience takes over. That’s when serotonin and a regulated cortisol system help people stay emotionally centered. (See the preceding section for more information about dopamine, cortisol, and serotonin.)
I’ve coached leaders who were on the verge of burnout, yet they found a way to reset through reframing challenges, recommitting to purpose, and leaning into community. These aren’t just psychological tricks; they’re neurobiological strategies that tap into the brain’s resilience network.
Dopamine drives action, cortisol signals danger, and serotonin stabilizes mood. High performers master all three, fueling momentum, managing stress, and building resilience to weather storms.
Resilience is less about gritting your teeth and more about knowing how to recover and reframe. The most resilient teams aren’t immune to adversity; they’ve just built the habits and relationships that help them “bounce forward.” Refer to Chapter 3 where I cover more on resilience.
Optimizing Team Output through These Key Drivers
High achievers don’t just work hard. They live in ways that support brain optimization. Every high-performing team I’ve coached shares one thing: a relentless commitment to the foundational drivers such as sleep, diet, exercise, mindset, motivation, discipline, emotional intelligence, and commitment.
In the discussion about leading high-performing teams, it’s easy to focus on systems, strategies, and skill sets. But the real foundation of sustainable success isn’t just what’s happening around the team; it’s what’s happening within each individual. The science of high performance reminds us that human beings are wired for rhythm, restoration, and regulation. If we ignore the biological and psychological drivers that fuel performance, we may get results, but they’ll be short-lived and unsustainable.
In the following sections I explore three essential lifestyle factors (sleep, nutrition, and movement) that directly influence cognitive performance, emotional balance, and overall team effectiveness.
Sleep
One of the most powerful, yet underestimated, drivers of high performance is sleep. Yes, sleep. Not hustle. Not willpower. Not caffeine. Sleep. It’s the ultimate recharger, and when it’s prioritized, it restores memory, focus, and emotional regulation. During deep sleep, our brains reset dopamine, regulate cortisol, and produce serotonin. All of these are critical neurochemicals for motivation, stress resilience, and social cohesion. But when we neglect sleep, those systems fall out of balance, and performance suffers. Research from the National Institutes of Health found that even one week of sleeping less than six hours a night can lead to a 30 percent drop in cognitive performance.
One client I worked with implemented a “no email after 7:00 p.m.” policy and saw an immediate shift in team morale, productivity, and overall well-being. When leaders model rest and recovery, teams learn to value it too.
Diet
Diet is another key factor that directly shapes how we think and feel. The connection between the gut and the brain is now well documented in neuroscience and nutrition science. The foods we eat influence our mental clarity, our moods, and our ability to regulate emotions. Omega-3 fatty acids and nutrient-rich foods such as leafy greens and lean proteins support healthy brain function, while sugar crashes and caffeine spikes undermine performance.
I’ve worked with organizations that made simple changes like swapping sugary vending machine snacks for nuts, fruit, and whole grains, and employees reported feeling more alert, energized, and focused throughout the day. It’s a reminder that performance starts in the kitchen as much as in the boardroom or the cubicle.
Exercise/movement
Movement is another form of medicine. Exercise presses the brain’s reset button. It boosts the three performance chemicals I mention earlier in this chapter (dopamine, serotonin, and cortisol) and improves focus, energy, and emotional control. Studies by the American Psychological Association show that even just 20 minutes of moderate aerobic activity can improve memory and cognitive flexibility.
One tech firm I coached launched a simple “movement matters” campaign. Twice a day, teams took a 15-minute walking break. Not only did productivity increase, but collaboration and communication improved as well. When I worked at the Society for Human Resource Management, the staff enjoyed our yoga sessions on Thursdays, the fitness center on the first floor, and the subsidized onsite massages every other week. It increased worker engagement, creativity, and overall well-being according to our employee surveys.
The important point to take from these examples is that when leaders create space for movement and exercise, it demonstrates that physical health is a performance strategy, not a luxury. And when it is a priority, teams follow suit.
Mindset
If there’s one thing I’ve taught again and again in my LinkedIn Learning courses and coaching sessions, it’s that your attitude determines your altitude. This is now known as a growth mindset. The term was coined by Dr. Carol Dweck, and it’s referring to the belief that talent and intelligence can be developed through effort, feedback, and learning. This mental flexibility fuels curiosity, risk-taking, and innovation, all of which are vital ingredients for high-performing teams. I once worked with a nonprofit that created a “fail forward” wall where teams documented experiments that didn’t go as planned, alongside the lessons learned. The result? Risk-taking increased, and so did the number of creative breakthroughs. When we normalize effort over perfection and celebrate progress as much as results, we invite high performance in through the front door.
Mindset alone isn’t enough. People need motivation to sustain effort, especially when outcomes are delayed or challenges arise. Intrinsic motivation, which comes from curiosity, passion, and purpose, burns longer and cleaner than the temporary thrill of external rewards. Daniel Pink’s book Drive (Riverhead Books, 2011) lays out the pillars of lasting motivation: mastery, autonomy, and purpose (also referred to as MAP).
REIGNITING PURPOSE IN EVERYDAY WORK
One hospital system I consulted with in a large metropolitan area and serving a diverse community had been experiencing alarming turnover rates among its nursing staff. Burnout was high, morale was low, and exit interviews consistently revealed that nurses felt disconnected from their purpose. They loved patient care, but the daily grind of charting, shift coverage, and administrative tasks had begun to overshadow the impact of their work.
The leadership team knew they needed to reignite a sense of meaning and purpose among their frontline caregivers. So, they launched a storytelling initiative that highlighted how nurses were directly changing lives. They began sharing real patient testimonials, heartfelt videos, handwritten letters from families, and in-person thanks during staff huddles that spoke to the difference individual nurses had made. These stories were tied back to specific actions, connecting the nurses’ daily work to real human outcomes.
They also created a “Purpose Board” in the breakroom where team members could write why they chose this profession and what still fuels their passion today. Nurse managers regularly asked in check-ins, “What part of your work this week reminded you why you’re here?” It was a simple, yet powerful question that grounded staff in mission and meaning.
Within six months, the hospital reported a double digit increase in nurse retention and a notable rise in employee engagement scores. Nurses weren’t working fewer hours or encountering fewer challenges, but they were reconnected to the why behind their work. And that made all the difference.
I give an example of the power of purpose as a motivator in the nearby sidebar. But another factor that affects motivation is structure, which helps people to stay consistent. That’s where discipline comes in. High performers don’t rely on inspiration; they rely on habits. They create systems and routines that make high performance automatic.
Research published in the European Journal of Social Psychology found it takes an average of 66 days to form a habit that sticks. One marketing team I worked with adopted a “Power Hour” (60 minutes of uninterrupted, focused work time every Friday). They turned off notifications, shut down email, and dialed into deep work. It quickly became their most productive time of the week, and the habit spread across the department. The lesson from this example shows that discipline is the multiplier of talent — it takes what you have and makes it repeatable.
Emotional intelligence
The other drivers I’ve mentioned won’t work without emotional intelligence (EQ), which is the ability to manage your own emotions and navigate others’. I also cover this in detail in Chapter 5. Teams with high EQ are more adaptable, more collaborative, and more innovative. In fact, TalentSmart research shows that 90 percent of top performers have high EQ, and it’s no surprise. Emotionally intelligent leaders stay calm under pressure, listen actively, resolve conflict with empathy, and foster psychological safety.
I’ve seen the power of EQ firsthand. One startup I supported began each team meeting with a two-minute “emotional weather report.” Everyone had a chance to share how they were feeling with no judgment, just acknowledgment. That simple shift built trust, reduced misunderstandings, and opened the door for more honest feedback and deeper collaboration. I actually began to implement this great practice in my own team meetings and with clients, and I can attest that this simple shift contributed to greater team inclusion, offers of support where applicable, and overall greater team spirit.
The drivers of sleep, nutrition, exercise, mindset, motivation, discipline, and emotional intelligence are not isolated habits. They’re interconnected pillars that build the foundation of high performance. They’re inextricably linked and build on each other. They influence how people show up, connect, lead, and recover. They aren’t just individual practices; they are cultural values. And when they’re embedded into the DNA of a team, performance becomes not just a goal, but a way of life. I speak more about workplace culture in Chapter 12.
Commitment
Another vital driver that often goes unspoken but is felt in every high-performing team is commitment. While motivation gets people excited to start something, commitment is what keeps them going long after the excitement fades. It’s the difference between showing up because you have to and showing up because you’re invested. In today’s workplace, where change is constant and attention is scattered, commitment is the glue that holds performance together.
Commitment is what transforms talent into traction. It’s what keeps a team aligned and focused when priorities shift, deadlines loom, and setbacks arise. Committed team members don’t just do their job, they own outcomes. They see the work through, they care about the impact, and they hold themselves and others accountable. This isn’t about blind loyalty or toxic hustle, it’s about a deep sense of responsibility to the mission, to the team, and to doing the work with excellence.
When I worked with a global financial services company that was undergoing a major digital transformation, I experienced this first hand. The senior leaders were all in on the new changes, but many workers were hesitant, unsure about the changes and feeling overwhelmed by the pace of implementation. One team, however, stood out. They consistently met project milestones, stayed optimistic through the transition, and adapted quickly to the new systems. When I interviewed the manager to understand what was different, she said, “We committed early, not just to the outcomes, but to each other. We agreed that we weren’t going to let fear or fatigue fracture our progress.” That kind of team-based commitment created psychological safety, accountability, and resilience (see Chapter 3 for more on this). Their team not only met its goals ahead of schedule but also became a model for others across the organization.
Commitment also shows up in the small things: staying late to help a colleague prepare for a big pitch, giving honest feedback when it’s uncomfortable, or continuing to improve a process even when no one is watching. It’s about consistency, not perfection. And it’s about being invested not only in what you do but in how you do it.
Commitment must be rooted in purpose, not pressure. When commitment is confused with overwork or martyrdom, it turns into burnout. I’ve seen too many high achievers push themselves to the brink in the name of being a “team player,” only to end up exhausted, resentful, or disengaged. That’s not sustainable. Real commitment includes healthy boundaries. It includes saying yes with intention and saying no when capacity is exceeded. Leaders must model that balance and encourage teams to commit with clarity, not compulsion.
One of the best ways to foster commitment on your team is to co-create expectations. Don’t just assign responsibilities. Instead, invite your team to align on what success looks like and what behaviors will get you there. When people help shape the plan, they feel more responsible for its execution. Invite conversations about what everyone is committing to, what they need to stay accountable for, and how the team will support one another when motivation inevitably dips. That shared commitment becomes a contract of trust, not just a checklist of tasks. In Chapter 11, I detail what a team contract (or charter) can look like.
Remember, commitment, when practiced well, becomes a culture. It’s felt in how people talk about their work, how they show up for one another, and how they bounce back when things don’t go according to plan.
Commitment anchors purpose, fuels consistency, and reinforces the idea that success is not just about the work, it’s about the willingness to stay the course together.
In my decades of coaching and consulting, I’ve seen countless teams with brilliant ideas, impressive skills, and big visions. But the ones who consistently rise above are those whose commitment is unwavering. They don’t just start strong, they finish well. And that, more than anything, is what high performance is all about.
High-performing teams don’t emerge by accident. They’re the result of intentional design. When workplace cultures prioritize well-being as a business strategy, develop leaders who model the behaviors they want to see, and implement systems that reinforce what science already confirms they experience optimized human performance.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
As I close out this chapter, I want to leave you with a few questions to reflect on.
Which of the three neurochemicals (dopamine, cortisol, serotonin) most influence your team right now?What are two ways you could intentionally boost dopamine in your daily operations?How does your organization handle stress and burnout, and what needs to change?Which habits — sleep, movement, nutrition — could you champion to support sustainable performance?How can you build more emotional intelligence into your leadership and team culture?Chapter 2
Exploring Common Models of Teams
IN THIS CHAPTER
Gaining clarity on teams and team leadership by exploring different theorists’ models of team and teamwork
Distinguishing among the types of teams, their needs, and expectations of leaders
Understanding common types of teams
Aleader of a high-performing team needs not only to understand the physiology and neuroscience that drives people to be motivated but also needs to have a fundamental understanding of what a team actually is.
“What is a team?” may sound like an obvious or easy question, but there are many considerations to how you define a team. Why does a team exist? When is a team necessary? How is a team different from a family unit or a group of friends?
Luckily, many prominent thinkers have tackled the question of what a team is. They ’haven’t necessarily agreed on every point, but by looking at all their work together, you can start to piece together what works for you and the team you lead.
’I want to start by establishing a working definition of “team.” I like the way the American Society for Quality (or ASQ) defines team on its website (https://asq.org/quality-resources/teams): “a group of people who perform interdependent tasks to work toward accomplishing a common mission or specific objective.” Note that this definition could describe anything from a volleyball team to a group of professionals who work together in an office setting.
Breaking the definition down into its parts, a team is first and foremost a group of people. I suppose a group of dogs pulling a sled through the snow could be defined as a team, but for the purposes of this book, we’re going to assume that a team is made up of a group of human beings. You may often hear people describe themselves as a “team of one,” but that’s more of a figure of speech than an accurate descriptor. My assumption as I write this book is that you’re the team leader of at least one other person.
Next, this group of people perform interdependent tasks, meaning that while team members may work alone occasionally, it’s necessary, at least some of the time, for them to work together.
Finally, this group of people performing interdependent tasks have a common mission or specific objective they are working toward.
Teams come in many forms. Some work together for a short time and then end. Others continue as long as needed. A team might be large or just two people. It could be made up of employees, partners from other groups, or even volunteers. Each type of team looks to its leaders for what it specifically needs, and those needs can be very different.
Now that you have a basic understanding of what a team is, ’read on to explore some models of team leadership.
Richard Beckhard’s GRPI Model
One useful framework for understanding what teams need is Beckhard’s GRPI model, first introduced in 1972. GRPI stands for goals, roles, processes, and interpersonal relationships, and it helps leaders design teams, set clear expectations, and diagnose challenges when they arise.
According to Beckhard, a team leader should be able to account for the major questions associated with each of these areas. Once a team has been established and problems invariably arise, the model can also be used to diagnose the root cause of these issues and correct them.
Figure 2-1 illustrates the four core components of the GRPI model and how they relate to one another in supporting overall team effectiveness. For a more detailed explanation of this model, visit www.aihr.com/blog/grpi-model/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
FIGURE 2-1: GRPI model by Richard Beckhard.
Goals
Goals equate to the “common mission or specific objective” I mention earlier in this chapter where I define what a team is. The primary question associated with this facet of the model is, “What does the team want to achieve?” or, at a more basic level, “Why does this team exist?”
How a leader answers this question informs the answers to all the others. Does your team exist to market your organization’s products? Create and sell a better dog food? Keep a performing arts organization well-funded? Improve a specific business process within your company? Defend your national borders? Your goal will determine how many skilled people you’ll need to recruit, the types of skills they need to have, the discrete tasks to be completed, and the kind of culture you’ll want to create to meet your goals.
Roles
The R in GRPI is for roles, or sometimes you’ll see this facet of the model labeled roles and responsibilities. The primary questions here are not about who specifically you’ need to recruit to be a part of your team. Instead, they concern what roles those people will inhabit. What kinds of skills and prior experience do they need to bring in? How will different roles interact (or be interdependent of one another) and, at the same time, what boundaries will exist between roles (to minimize unnecessary conflict and disputes later on)? Does everyone on your team understand their own role (both its breadth and its limitations) and how it contributes to the team’s goals?
It’s important to think of roles before thinking about specific people. Often, when creating a startup or designing a brand-new team, a leader will already have an idea about some of the people they want to work with. When this happens, a role might be created around the skill set and personality of that individual. This might work in the short term, but if that person should need to be replaced eventually, their role might be so unique that it becomes difficult to fill. While it’s always a good idea to take advantage of an individual’s unique talents or motivations once they join your team, designing a role with one person in mind can cause unnecessary trouble later on.
Processes
Processes are the work that the people in the roles will do to achieve the goals. The primary question associated with this facet of the GRPI model is, “How will people collaborate and communicate?”
You don’t want to start with this question because you need to get clear on the goals and roles first. Once you’re clear on these things, figuring out how the team will do the work is indeed the next step. Here are some questions you need to consider:
Will some people on your team crave a certain amount of autonomy? If so, how much?
Is it important that everyone on the team know about the decisions that are being made elsewhere on the team? If so, how will this information be conveyed, and how often?
Interpersonal relations
Interpersonal relations are connected to the process of doing the work but is somewhat less formal. A team’s interpersonal relations are a window into the team’s culture. Some people describe it as a team’s “mood” or “vibe.” The primary question associated with this facet of the model is, “How do team members treat each other?”
It might seem like a given that all team members, on any team, should treat each other with kindness and respect. A bully anywhere on a team can destroy morale and derail a team from its common purpose. At the same time, there’s a lot of room for variance here, depending on goals, roles, and process. A group of creative professionals who typically generate ideas through brainstorming and general consensus will naturally interact very differently than a surgical team who perform operations on patients, where the slightest misstep could have fatal consequences. When you examine the goal of your team, the roles necessary to realize that goal, and processes you’ve put in place to enable the work, what kind of mood, vibe, or culture is going to be the most beneficial for your particular team?
Team culture doesn’t just happen. It’s created when certain kinds of people interact in certain kinds of ways. And while it’s true that any member of your team, from the most senior professional to the newest intern, can impact a team’s culture, you as a leader have an outsized influence on this. Leaders help create the culture they desire by doing the following things:
Talking about culture and setting clear and measurable expectations. I cover this in
Chapter 12
.
Role modeling the kinds of behaviors they’re looking for from others. (See
Chapter 5
.)
Diagnosing team issues
The GRPI model helps a leader design a team where goals, roles, processes, and interpersonal relations are aligned and all are working to support each other, but it can also be used to diagnose team issues. Notice in Figure 2-1 that the “Design/planning” arrow points down and has its point of origin in goals. As we’ve discussed, the first question you should ask yourself is about goals, roles, and so on.
However, when you’re diagnosing team issues, problems are often first visible in the area of interpersonal relations. While conflict on a team could be creative or generative in nature, when conflict is unresolved or people are quarreling over seemingly petty stakes, the team feels dysfunctional, and people no longer enjoy their work. At such moments, it’s important for a leader to step in and mediate.
Consequently, when in diagnosis mode, it’s helpful to use the model in reverse. Start with interpersonal relations (where the trouble often bubbles up). Are people behaving in alignment with your stated cultural values? If not, why not? Don’t be afraid to examine yourself and consider whether you’ve done an adequate job of role modeling the kinds of behaviors you want others to emulate.
If the squabbles aren’t because of individual bad actors, move up the model one rung and examine the team’s processes. Are the petty fights the result of poor communication, or have some individuals not been collaborating as they ought to? If so, you might have to do some work strengthening the norms of your team.
If he work isn’t the issue, move up again and examine roles. Are members of your team fulfilling their roles adequately? Are they perhaps doing more than they ought and infringing on someone else’s role?
If you’ve yet to diagnose your issue, the answer might lie at the top of the model — in your team’s goals. Ask these questions:
Are the goals still working for your team, or do they need to be re-examined?
If you asked each individual on your team to state the team’s goals, would their answers resemble each other?
Is everyone on your team truly committed to the same goals, or are some of them working at odds with one another?
Richard Hackman’s Five Factor Model
In 2002, renowned psychologist Richard Hackman developed a model for team effectiveness. It contains some of the elements that may seem familiar if you’ve read the earlier section about the GRPI model, but Hackman’s work lists five factors of a successful team. This model is more of a checklist than a process; if your team can exhibit the five factors shown in Figure 2-2, then it’s likely to be successful!
FIGURE 2-2: Five factor model by Richard Hackman.
A “real” team
The first factor identified by Hackman separates the idea of a team from a random group of people. Much of this goes back to the working definition of team from the beginning of this chapter. Does the team perform interdependent tasks? Is their work aligned in a common direction?
However, Hackman introduces another important concept here, which is consistency. According to Hackman, a consistent team is one where membership is fairly stable. People may come and go, but in general, team members have the time and space to get to know each other and develop relationships.
A compelling direction
The second factor is concerned with the “common mission or specific direction,” but again, Hackman provides an additional layer. The word compelling prompts the question of motivation among your team members. Are they driven to meet their defined purpose? If the direction is fuzzy, team members might be misaligned. If the goals are too ambitious, team members can easily feel overwhelmed or set up for failure.
If a leader not only dictates the desired end state but also micromanages every detail of the team’s work, team members feel a lack of agency and a longing to break free. Whether a team is properly motivated can make the difference between a high-performing team and one that simply does adequate work.
