Everybody wants the top professionals in their field on their t team but finding them in the crowd of candidates isn’t an easy task. To recruit the best, you’ve got to know what you’re looking for. The biggest lesson recruiters learn is that it’s about finding individuals who not only excel today but have the potential to drive the business’s future success. This article will show you how to identify these hidden gems, develop their skills, and keep them engaged to build a high performing team.
How do you define a high-performing team?
Every team and business define what makes a team high performing differently. Generally, a high performing team is a group of individuals with their own technical skills, experience and strengths who work cohesively to achieve shared goals.
What that means for you could be going above and beyond their delivered targets, efficiently completing projects to a high standard or solving problems to drive business success.
The characteristics of a high performing team
- Communication
- Trust
- Accountability
- Organised
- Goal focused
- Strong leadership
- ED&I
- Continuous learning
- Confidence
The three high performing traits to focus on:
Learning agility:
They don’t shy away from the unknown. They’re the ones who can jump into unfamiliar territory, figure things out quickly, and adapt to changes without missing a beat.
Emotional intelligence:
Employees with high emotional intelligence can build relationships, navigate office politics, and inspire others. They listen, communicate effectively, and know how to manage both their own emotions and the emotions of those around them.
Drive and motivation:
High-performing employees aren’t satisfied with just doing their job well. They want more. They actively seek opportunities to grow, whether through additional responsibilities, professional development, or leadership opportunities.
What defines a high-performing employee?
It’s impossible to know and do everything; it’s the Dunning–Kruger effect– you don’t know what you don’t know. You need high-performing professionals who excel in their specific areas of expertise to have a high-performing team.
So, how do you define a high-performing professional? They’re experts in their field and consistently deliver results, but they can also take on more complex challenges and think creatively and innovatively. You need to be looking for people who exhibit not only strong performance but also adaptability, vision, and a hunger for growth.
Internal mobility
An often overlooked aspect is not providing opportunities for employees to showcase their potential. If your team is siloed into specific tasks and roles, how will you ever know who can handle broader responsibilities or innovate in new areas? You need to give them room to experiment, fail, and grow.
Internal mobility is a hot topic, but how do you identify those within?
Stretch assignments
These are projects or responsibilities that push employees beyond their current skill set. Assigning a high-potential employee to lead a cross-functional team or manage a new initiative gives them the opportunity to develop leadership skills while still under your guidance.
Job rotation
Allowing high-potential employees to rotate through different departments not only gives them a broader understanding of the business but also helps them develop relationships with other teams. This creates well-rounded leaders who understand how different parts of the business work together to achieve the company’s goals.
Leadership development programs
Investing in formal leadership training sends a strong message: You’re serious about their future. Look for programs focusing on hard and soft skills, from strategic thinking to communication and conflict resolution. These programs can be internal or external, depending on your resources, but the important thing is that you’re proactively building their leadership capabilities.
Having a high team is only half the battle—you need to keep them engaged. The last thing you want is to lose them to a competitor. So, how do you hold on to them?
Clear Career Paths
They need to see a future with your company. If they feel like they’re stagnating, they’ll start looking elsewhere. Show them their career path and provide tangible steps they can take to get there.
Recognition and Rewards
Everyone likes to be recognised, but high-performing employees thrive on it. They’re often highly driven, so they’ll appreciate knowing their efforts are seen and valued. Recognition can be public or private, financial or otherwise—but it must be meaningful.
Mentorship and Coaching
High-performing employees benefit from mentorship, particularly from senior leaders who have navigated the path they’re on. A good mentor can help them avoid common pitfalls, develop essential leadership qualities, and think strategically about their career growth.
Identifying high-performing employees requires a thoughtful approach that combines observation with opportunities for growth. Our consultant’s expertise is in finding those game changers. From contractors for a short-term project to permanent employees to grow your business, we can know or find them using our extensive network and technology.