Stage 6: High performance

The presence of psychological safety allows the team to fulfill its mandate and reach its full potential as it strives to realize its goals and vision. As Edmondson (2002) contends, “Psychological safety does not imply a cozy environment in which people are necessarily close friends, nor does it suggest an absence of problems. Psychological safety describes a climate in which the focus can be on productive discussion that enables early prevention of problems and the accomplishment of shared goals because people are less likely to focus on self-protection” (p. 7).

When a team is experiencing high performance, members may report experiences of “flow” or being in “the zone.” Characteristics at this stage often manifest as the team surprising themselves by exceeding their goals and expectations. There is group synergy and individuals have a felt sense of tapping their creativity and full potential.

The Role of the Leader

The leader needs to recognize the ephemeral nature of "high performance" and its often fleeting presence! When individuals and teams experience high performance - it feels great! People report an unleashing of creativity, resiliency, and energy that is focused and productive and at the same time reporting a sense of "ease" in one's accomplishments. The leader needs to be aware of the shadow side of high performance - that is, in some cases, high performance can come at the expense of the individual (and team) not maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

"Organizations can and do learn from their successes - their positive deviations - times when people, function, and the organization as a whole have been at their very best. Those positive deviations are best identified when we purposely ask questions about peak experiences or high points."

                                                                                                             DAVID COOPERRIDER