in , , , , ,

15 Characteristics Of A High-Performing Tech Team (And Why They Matter)

15 Characteristics Of A High-Performing Tech Team (And Why They Matter)

If asked who tech leaders would want to have on their teams, many might say, “The most highly skilled, knowledgeable tech pros out there.” But while it’s true that a thorough understanding of cutting-edge technology and industry evolution are outstanding traits in any individual tech professional, it’s not the only—or maybe even the most important—ingredient of a high-performing tech team as a whole.

Even if a tech team is filled with superstar talent, that doesn’t mean it will function well as a unit. Below, 15 members of Forbes Technology Council share a few “essential ingredients” of a high-performing tech team and why they’re so important.

1. Commitment To A Shared Goal

A shared and accepted goal is the key to a successful tech team. Therefore, I would always try to set respective goals in a shared team meeting and to make shared goals along with their progress visible. – Matthias Woggon, eyefactive GmbH

2. A Lack Of Big Egos

Cultivating unity in your team’s mission is vital, and it starts with hiring the right people. Ego can be a production-killer, especially when it causes someone to put themselves above the goal of the team. Hiring with this in mind will mitigate potential problems before they can arise. From there, creating an atmosphere where everyone is truly pulling in the same direction becomes easier. – Kazuki Ohta, Treasure Data


Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?


3. A Willingness To Have Difficult Conversations

High-performing teams are not afraid to have hard conversations. They know it’s okay to disagree and even escalate when necessary. Escalation is not a bad word; it just means a situation needs help. If teams don’t have these conversations internally, it will impact customers. So you have to take the time to ​solve the issue and then commit wholly to the final decision or outcome. – Chet Kapoor, DataStax

4. Strong Leadership

As the CEO of Cepton, I have seen some of the most creative and passionate minds in the technology industry. Talent, however, can be deemed useless without the proper guidance. Thus, the essential ingredient of a high-performing tech team is leadership. Without a strong, steadfast leader, what could have been a diamond is reduced to a pile of sand in which nothing can come together. – Jun Pei, Cepton

5. Trust

The existence of trust among members is the backbone for a tech team’s effectiveness and success. This would be evidenced and reflected in practice through the elements of intra- and inter-team positive relationships, good judgment backed by expertise and consistency, as detailed in Harvard Business Review’s timeless article, “The 3 Elements of Trust.” – Philip Samson, Ericsson

6. Communication

Communication is essential for tech teams to succeed. In order to function well as a unit, team leaders need to first convey what their expectations and goals for the team are and make sure each team member understands their individual responsibilities. This helps to avoid confusion and shows team members that each one of them is bringing something of value to the table. – Joshua Pantony, Boosted.ai

7. Individual Initiative

A key element of high-performing tech teams is that each team member—not just the superstars—takes initiative in their role. Starting at the junior level, be the “CEO” of your role, and work/manage as if you own that part of the business. This will help position you for upward momentum and increase the overall performance of the entire team and company. – Mike Morini, WorkForce Software

8. Connection To A Shared Mission

Ensure people understand how their team supports the organization’s larger vision. In healthcare or healthcare IT, you cannot succeed by yourself, whether you’re a brilliant physician or a superstar analyst. If you want to improve the health of a community or even an individual, you have to work as a team. Sharing the connection between day-to-day work and the larger outcome is critical. – Tabitha Lieberman, Brightwork Health IT

9. Diversity

High-performing tech teams thrive on diversity, which brings balance to thought processes to ensure the probability of failure is low. Additionally, a collaborative environment with a common, established goal is key to success. – Arungalai Anbarasu, Waygate Technologies – a Baker Hughes Business

10. A Culture Of Mentorship And Knowledge Transfer

An essential ingredient of a great tech team is a culture of mentorship and knowledge transfer. Team members should be striving to make each other better every day. Those with experience and in-demand skill sets need to be open to transferring that knowledge. Taking the time today to help upskill your fellow team members will pay dividends for you tomorrow by empowering your up-and-coming IT professionals. – Alex Waddell, Adobe Care and Wellness

11. Commitment To One Another

An essential ingredient of a high-performing tech team is commitment to each other. When all the players commit to each other and to the success of the team, they will continuously deliver and improve—not just technically but also with their relationships. In teams that are highly dependent on each other, highly committed “B” and “C” players will outperform selfish superstars. – Gavin Hupp, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

12. A Desire To Make An Impact

Buy-in and alignment from the team keeps us working together toward a common goal, which is our mission. Employees who want to make an impact will make a difference for the company. Our mission drives all of our decisions, and this keeps us moving the company forward, together. – Matt Pierce, Immediate

13. A Shared, Clear Roadmap

An essential ingredient of a high-performing team is a shared and clear product roadmap, complete with stage-by-stage milestones. By keeping long-term goals in mind, everyone will stay in sync. Having a clear execution plan for deliveries quarter after quarter is also important. – Yu Xu, TigerGraph

14. Autonomy

You must allow your teams to have a voice! Hire the best—but don’t hire the best and then tell them what to do and how to do their jobs. Then, set success metrics for a project, and let them drive the project toward those metrics. Trust—but verify—that the team will get you where you want to go. Be sure that hiring the best includes a filter for hiring team players only—a strict “no jerks” rule is a must. – Andrew Siemer, Inventive

15. Mutual Respect

Looking beyond the moment is vital. Good teams aren’t made up of members who are all equal in terms of skills and abilities. Everyone has a role to play, and some roles are more crucial than others. A team’s weight is seldom uniformly carried, and at times the “superstars” may vent their frustrations on peers—which, while understandable, is not not the right thing to do. Of course, if it does happen, they must atone for their actions and reconcile with their teammates, who in turn should be willing to forgive. The key is mutual respect. – Pramod Konandur Prabhakar, Pelatro PLC

What do you think?

DJI unveils Avata, a cinewhoop-style FPV drone

DJI unveils Avata, a cinewhoop-style FPV drone

The Argument Over Whether Tesla FSD Will Run Over A Child Or Dummy Child Misses The Point

The Argument Over Whether Tesla FSD Will Run Over A Child Or Dummy Child Misses The Point