We throw around the term high-performing teams a lot. It’s a badge of honour, a benchmark, and often a blind spot. But in our work coaching hundreds of teams across industries, we’ve found that what many leaders call “high-performing” is actually just “high-functioning”—and there’s a big difference. When performance is only measured by outputs or speed, we risk missing the deeper foundations that truly sustain success. So, what does a genuinely high-performing team look like from the inside out? Let’s explore the anatomy of what it really means to be a high performing team.
Beyond the Buzzwords: What High Performance Actually Means
In today’s complex, hybrid workplaces, ticking boxes and hitting KPIs isn’t enough. Truly high-performing teams aren’t just efficient—they’re energized, aligned, and resilient.
Here’s what sets them apart:
- Shared Purpose: They’re clear on why they exist and how their work drives broader organizational goals.
- Team Alignment: They have explicit agreements around how they work together, make decisions, and hold one another accountable.
- Psychological Safety: People feel safe to speak up, challenge ideas, and admit mistakes without fear.
- Relational Trust: There’s mutual respect, empathy, and an understanding of each other’s strengths and motivators.
- Focus and Clarity: They prioritize ruthlessly and know what’s most important—especially when everything feels urgent.
- Agile and Adaptive: They are able to transition through the inevitable changes that occur within teams with speed; moving back to performance quickly.
And perhaps most importantly, they regularly pause to reflect and adjust. They don’t wait for formal reviews—they create space for continuous feedback, learning, and recalibration.
Performing vs. High-Performing: A Quick Team Diagnostic
Many leaders ask us: “How do I know if my team is really high-performing or just good at looking busy?”
Here’s a quick set of questions that we use in our team coaching work. Consider these a pulse check that provides areas to ‘dig deeper’:
Is Your Team “Performing” But Not High-Performing
- Are goals clear… but not shared?
- Do meetings happen… but few decisions get actioned?
- Are people supportive… but feedback and conflict is rare?
- Are outputs high… but morale inconsistent?
- Is accountability present… but driven only by the leader?
- Do individuals succeed… but the team lacks a collective rhythm?
If you’re nodding to a few of these, your team may be functioning—but not fully thriving. The good news? These gaps are coachable. And they don’t require a complete overhaul—just intention, conversation, and commitment.
At The Roundtable, we believe teams don’t become high-performing by accident—they’re built through clarity, trust, and shared commitment over time. If you’re reflecting on how your team operates and wondering what shifts could help unlock more sustainable performance, team coaching could be your secret weapon.
Ready to explore if team coaching is right for your organization?
Book a complimentary scoping session with a member of our coaching team. Let’s talk about how we can support your team and help you make the move from functional to exceptional.
And be sure to check out our Team Coaching Micro Course for practical tools grounded in the work of our team coaching content partner, Dr. Liane Davey, author of The Good Fight.
