Delivering Excellence Through High Performance Teams Published April 7, 2015 By Lt. Col. Christopher Joseph 436th Medical Support Squadron commander DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- By: Lt. Col. Christopher Joseph, 436th Medical Support Squadron Commander The great American industrialist, Mr. Henry Ford, is credited with the quote, "Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, and working together is success." All of us at one point or another have had the opportunity to participate on a team or observe teams as they pursue their goals and objectives. Many successful organizations are utilizing High Performance Teams (HPT) to solve issues, improve quality and boost productivity. HPTs can be defined as a collection of motivated individuals with specific roles and complementary talents, sharing common goals and a vision. Members of the team are committed to each other and the team's purpose which ultimately leads to outstanding results. Through experience and observation, I have learned there are several key characteristics of HPTs including establishing clear goals, togetherness, communication, value diversity and accountability. Establishing clear goals is fundamental to the HPT's success. It serves as a road map and helps set the stage for follow-on activities such as clarifying roles and responsibilities. Most HPTs employ the SMART criteria to ensure goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-related. A strong sense of togetherness enables HPTs to focus on their goals and avoid external distractions. The team shares an impressive bond and commitment to its purpose which enable members to hurdle all obstacles and achieve desired outcomes. The importance of effective communication cannot be overly stated. Open and trusting communication fosters esprit de corps and loyalty, stimulates ideas and inspires team members to always contribute maximum effort. HPTs create efficient and effective means for collaboration and spawning ideas. Everyone on the team is encouraged and expected to participate. Conflicts are expeditiously resolved and constructive criticism is viewed as a different approach to aid critical thinking and problem solving. Members of the team feel valued because their talents are appreciated and they are given equal opportunity to provide input. Embracing diversity of thought allows HPTs to generate new ideas and potential solutions. The team capitalizes on innovative skills of its members and leverages different perspectives. With this approach, driving towards consensus is subordinate to unorthodox ideas and thinking outside the box. In my opinion, the most interesting aspect of HPTs is the emphasis placed on accountability. There is so much pride and personal investment in the team's success, the ramifications of any member not fulfilling his or her responsibilities could potentially result in the waste of limited resources, mission failure and ultimately negatively impact the entire team. The significance of accountability to me is similar to being a good Wingman and also serves as a reminder of the Airman's Creed, "...I will never leave an Airman behind, I will not falter, and I will not fail." In an attempt to gain further insight regarding HPTs, I questioned several team participants on what they thought were the reason(s) for their effectiveness. The unanimous response was that the experience was fun and gratifying because it provided an opportunity to collaborate, expectations were understood, all members contributed and learned from each other. As leaders and members of Team Dover, it behooves all of us to ensure that the teams we lead, develop or join have the key characteristics to support mission accomplishment, deliver excellence, and realize the vision of America's premiere global mobility team!