You’ve probably been on a team that just worked. Things clicked. Everyone knew what to do, conversations were smooth, and the results? Well, they spoke for themselves.
And then, there are those teams where everything feels like a struggle. Miscommunication, missed deadlines, people not showing up fully, sound familiar? The difference between these two worlds often boils down to something most leaders overlook: the right high-performing teams model.
Teams aren’t magic. They’re a blend of people, process, and purpose. The way you build, grow, and support your team makes all the difference.
So, if you’ve ever wondered how to turn a group of individuals into a powerhouse team, keep reading. We’ll dive into some of the best high performance teaming models out there and share how they can change the way your team works, without the fluff.
What does it really mean to be a high-performing team? If you asked ten people, you might get ten different answers.
But, we all agree on some same things somehow, that are: trust, clear goals, good communication, and people who care about the team’s success.
The high-performing team is not just about hitting targets. It’s about how the team feels while hitting those targets. Are people trusted? Are voices heard? Is everyone pulling in the same direction?
Here’s a quick check for you:
Does your team know exactly what success looks like?
Can people speak up without worrying about backlash?
Are roles clear, or is everyone doing a bit of everything (and maybe nothing well)?
Do you celebrate wins and learn from screw-ups?
If you hesitated on any of those, that’s totally normal. Teams aren’t born perfect. They need help, usually a good high performance teaming model.
Okay, but why bother with a model? Why not just wing it like everyone else?
Sure, some teams might “figure it out,” but most don’t. If your team’s been struggling, it’s probably because no one hit the pause button to say, “Hey, are we even working right?”
Teams often crash because they lack structure or don’t address what’s really going on beneath the surface. You might see people talking past each other or avoiding tough conversations. Maybe roles aren’t clear or nobody’s clear on the goals.
A model helps by:
Highlighting what’s broken before it gets ugly.
Giving you a clear way to fix things, instead of guessing.
Helping everyone get on the same page.
Building habits that stick, not just quick fixes.
Think of it as the difference between wandering in the dark and having a flashlight.
So, when you use a model, you’re not just hoping for magic, you’re creating it.
Google wanted to crack the code of what makes a team click. They studied tons of teams and found out it wasn’t about having the smartest people or the flashiest tools.
It came down to something called psychological safety, the feeling that you can be yourself, ask questions, and even fail without getting punished or judged.
They also found teams need:
Dependability (people do what they say they’ll do)
Clear roles and goals
Meaningful work that connects to personal values
A sense of impact, knowing your work matters
Think about your own team. How safe do you feel to speak up? Are people reliable? If the answer’s “meh,” Google’s model gives you a way to fix that.
Here’s one that’s a little like a story your team lives through.
It breaks down team life into seven stages, from first meeting each other to becoming a high-performing group and then renewing for the next project. Those stages are:
Orientation: Figuring out why you’re here
Trust Building: Building trust
Goal Clarification: Getting clear on goals
Commitment: Committing to the plan
Implementation: Doing the work
High Performance: Crushing it together
Renewal: Deciding what’s next
This model reminds you that skipping steps, like rushing to implement before building trust—will trip you up. It’s a great high performance teaming model because it shows you the natural flow of teams and how to keep things moving.
The GRPI model keeps it simple. It’s four things you have to get right for your team to work:
Goals: Everyone knows what success looks like
Roles: Everyone knows what they’re responsible for
Processes: You have ways to get work done smoothly
Interpersonal relationships: You actually like working with each other
If your team feels stuck or confused, ask: are you clear on all four? This model is a straightforward way to check if your basics are covered.
You've probably heard of this one: forming, storming, norming, performing.
Teams don’t start out perfect. At first, everyone’s polite and careful (forming), then the conflicts show up (storming), then the team starts to gel (norming), and finally, they get stuff done (performing).
Understanding this helps leaders not freak out when teams hit rough patches. Those struggles are normal and necessary. So, if your team’s stuck in the storming phase, that’s okay, it’s part of the process.
Sometimes, it’s easier to know what’s wrong before knowing what’s right.
Lencioni’s model points out five things that stop teams from working well:
No trust
Fear of conflict
Lack of commitment
Avoiding accountability
Ignoring results
Sounds harsh? Yeah, but it’s spot on. If your team struggles, this model gives you a checklist to diagnose where you’re stuck, and how to fix it.
So, you’ve read about these models. How do you actually use them?
Here’s the deal:
Don’t try to use all models at once. Pick one that fits your team’s biggest need.
Get your team involved, explain the model, and ask for their thoughts.
Use honest feedback to see where your team is struggling.
Set small, clear goals to improve one thing at a time.
Celebrate progress. Even small wins build momentum.
Remember, these models aren’t magic spells, they’re tools to help you build the habits and culture that grow over time.
Building a great team doesn’t need to feel like guesswork. It just needs structure, trust, and the right tools. Every team hits bumps, that’s normal. But staying stuck? That’s optional.
No matter if your team is just starting out or deep in the “storming” phase, picking a high performing teams model gives you the map to navigate through it all. And if you’re looking for a partner to help guide that journey, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
We, GroveTools Inc, specialize in transforming teams through real-world frameworks, team alignment tools, and strategies that actually work (no corporate preaching, we promise). Let’s build your high-performance teaming culture together.
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Ever felt like everything at work should feel fine, but it just doesn’t? There’s a steady paycheck, deadlines are being met, and colleagues are decent. But there’s this weird disconnect, like going through the motions without feeling connected to any of it.
Thom Sibbet
Author