Teams that function as high performance teams have “participative leadership, shared responsibility, definition of purpose, high communication, a focused future, focused tasks, creative talents and rapid responses” (Gustafson & Kleiner, 1994). A high performance team therefore functions much like a team that one would expect to see on a volleyball court. The example qualifies as credible and relatable in light of the fact that the team members have to function in unison and with each member exercising his/her talents to the best of his/her abilities. There is seldom time to consult the coach once the team begins working and generally the team functions under instructions that the coach gave before the game actually began (Gustafson & Kleiner, 1994).

“The leader of the successful team involved subordinates in decision making during weekly meetings, during which he and the team worked together to set their priorities and goals. In contrast, the leader of the unsuccessful team never asked his workers’ for input for decision making” (Jong & Hartog, 2007). Similarly, the planning stage in high performance team is designed to address problems and develop flexible solutions that allow the team to function seamlessly and without any form of interruption during the course of its activity.