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Behaviors that ignite high levels of achievement and transformation

When Extraordinary Teams are clear on their motivations, we notice that they have a standard set of habits and practices that keep them on track. The Ten Practices of Extraordinary Teams™ offer a guide to start the team’s work together.

Outstanding Results: These outcomes are the more visible benefits of exceptional teaming. Extraordinary teams are clear about their goals and measure their progress toward those goals, which are often exceeded.

Personal Transformation: This highly personal experience typically happens one person at a time and can be felt as increased energy, connectedness, and hopefulness. Team members often report that they are changed by the work with the team.

Compelling Purpose: An inspiring and shared purpose sets the context for why the team comes together. It is often bold, innovative and linked to a noble cause that people view as the “greater good.”

Embracing Difference: Members see, value and use their diverse backgrounds as a team strength. Group members strive to understand differences and feel safe enough to openly share and discuss their unique views and perspectives.

Full Engagement: Members enthusiastically and fully participate in the team’s work. Team members work hard to make the team’s work a priority and demonstrate personal responsibility and follow-through so the work gets done.

Great Meetings: Members come to meetings on time, prepared and focused on the work that needs to be accomplished. Members describe the meetings as meaningful, energizing, productive and a good use of their time.

Genuine Curiosity: Team members are genuinely curious about each other’s views and perspectives and care about one another as human beings. Curiosity, rather than judgment, leads to high quality interpersonal relations both in and out of meetings.

Strong Relationships: Trust, respect, collegiality and friendships grow among team members who take risks together in service of their purpose. The relationships formed in these teams often last beyond the work of the team.

Adaptive Structure: The team’s structure is flexible and adaptive rather than burdensome and bureaucratic. Roles, responsibilities, plans, measurement, norms, agendas and leadership vary in order to serve the current focus for the team.

Shared Leadership: Team members take mutual responsibility for helping the team be successful and willingly share relevant skills and expertise. Individuals are encouraged and supported by other team members and by the positional team leader when they step into a leadership role.

We use our proprietary team assessment tool, the Extraordinary Teams Indicator (ETI), to create a path to move the team toward the Extraordinary.