You know your team is good. But you don’t want to get complacent. So how to you get your team to great, or outstanding?
Building high performing teams is something all managers aspire to. When a team is thriving, everything gets easier — performance lifts, problems shrink, people collaborate, and results accelerate. But high performing teams don’t happen by accident. They’re built intentionally through clarity, capability, connection, and great leadership.-
This practical, people-first programme shows managers exactly how to build a high performing team by “zooming in” on each individual while also “zooming out” to strengthen the team as a unit.
We recommend adding this workshop to your leadership development programme.
Next course: 19-20 February 2026. Contact us if you’d like to bring this course in-house.
Who this training is for
This building high performing teams course is ideal for:
- Experienced managers who want to take their team’s performance to the next level.
- Leadership teams who want to build a shared understanding of what high performing teams look like in their organisation.
- HR practitioners who want to support leaders in their organisation to build high performing teams.
- Business owners who want stronger companies than their competitors.
Who this training is not for
This course probably isn’t for you if:
- You don’t yet manage staff.
- You are a brand new leader and haven’t been in the seat for long.
- You are more interested in a command and control style of leadership.
- You want a quick fix to lifting organisational performance.
- You want to manage underperformers out of your business.
Why building high performing teams matters
When you have high performing teams, everyone wins: your people, your organisation and your customers
High performing teams are the engine of every successful organisation. They solve problems faster, adapt more easily, collaborate more smoothly, and deliver consistently stronger results. But they don’t emerge simply because talented people were placed together.
High performance is designed.
It’s built through clarity, trust, aligned goals, psychological safety, and leadership that knows when to zoom in on the individual and when to zoom out to strengthen the team.
When managers know how to build high performing teams, the impact is immediate and measurable:
Higher engagement
Better collaboration
Stronger accountability
Faster performance improvement
Lower conflict and friction
Greater alignment to organisational goals
This course gives your managers the mindset, tools, and confidence to build teams that are not just functioning — but truly high performing.
What you'll gain from this building high performing teams course
Give your managers the capability and confidence to create teams that are focused, connected, and performing at their best.
This course delivers clear, measurable benefits at every level — strengthening organisational performance, building confident leaders, and creating better experiences for employees.
For the organisation
More consistent performance and accountability across teams
Stronger engagement, collaboration, and psychological safety
Clearer alignment between strategy, team goals, and daily work
For your leaders
Confidence and clarity in how to lift performance without micromanaging
Practical frameworks to manage individuals and the team as a system
Stronger relationships built on trust, feedback, and accountability
For individuals
Greater clarity about expectations and priorities
More meaningful development and coaching conversations
A stronger sense of purpose, belonging, and contribution
Your leaders will walk out of this course energised and with a clear plan for taking their team to the next level.
Course delivery and practical info
Delivery options
Training can be delivered as:
- In‑person workshops (in-house)
- Virtual workshops (public offerings)
- Modular programmes over time
- Blended learning with coaching and follow‑up support
Practical info
Next dates: 19-20 February 2026
Time: 9am to 2pm
Cost: $1,092.50 incl GST
You need: computer, webcam, headphones (if attending in an office) and good wifi connection.
Resources provided: workbook with models and frameworks.
Our approach
At Epic People, our courses are grounded in:
- Real workplace experience — not theory alone
- Adult learning principles that respect managers’ experience
- Practical tools managers can apply straight away, rather than abstract theoretical concepts
- A supportive environment that builds confidence and capability
Why choose Epic People as your training course provider?
After 30+ years working in Human Resources and training across a variety of industries, we’ve seen firsthand poor teams, good teams and great teams. Everything that we’ve put in this workshop, we’ve coached managers through many times. We combine theoretical knowledge with this real-world experience, to design engaging and immersive training, building skills that managers can use the very next day.
Our workshops are –
- Practical, real-world centred — immediately usable, not theoretical
- Built for busy managers — frameworks, scripts, examples, and step-by-step guidance
- Human-centred — grounded in engagement, psychological safety, and behavioural science
- Designed for modern workplaces — from hybrid teams to fast-growth environments
- Facilitated by an experienced HR Director & leadership specialist — with deep expertise in team dynamics, coaching, and organisational culture
Course overview - building high performing teams
Building High Performing Teams is a practical, evidence-based programme designed for managers who want to lead with intention, elevate performance, and create a team culture where people can do their best work.
Across two half-day live online workshops, participants learn the full set of tools and frameworks needed to understand every person in their team, strengthen team dynamics, build psychological safety, and create alignment with wider organisational goals.
Managers walk away with a complete “Zoom In, Zoom Out” approach — understanding when to focus on the individual, when to focus on the team, and how to lift performance at every level. Here’s what the course covers.
Zoom in — elevating the individual
- Understand and apply the Zoom In, Zoom Out approach to building high performing teams
- Recognise their role in engaging each individual
- Use the Willing & Able Matrix to tailor support to each team member
- Give effective corrective and confirming feedback using the BE COOL model
- Co-create goals with employees for stronger clarity and ownership
- Hold great development and coaching conversations (using GROW and OSKAR)
- Identify, develop, and use each team member’s strengths
Zoom out — elevating the team
- Identify where their team sits in Tuckman’s stages of team development and actions to move toward “performing”
- Apply the modified Glaser & Glaser team effectiveness model, including psychological safety
- Strengthen team relationships and establish operating principles and working agreements
- Connect team goals to organisational goals using the Golden Thread framework
- Identify and address gaps in team psychological safety
Zoom right out — elevating collaboration and alignment
- Map stakeholders using the Eight-I Lens
- Understand who influences, informs, impacts, or is invested in their work
- Analyse the quality of collaboration with other teams
- Use a step-by-step collaboration planning tool to improve cross-team performance.
Your managers won’t just learn about high performing teams — they’ll learn how to build them.
Courses that complement this training
Advanced coaching skills for managers
This course is also for experienced managers that want to lift individuals; performance. It supports the ‘zoom in’ aspect of this building high performing teams training. While there’s some crossover in content, advanced coaching skills introduces other tools and broadens this skillset significantly.
Managing poor performance
Sometimes building a high performing team means having to do the difficult things, like managing a poor performer. This course covers the entire process with the goal of turning performance around, or managing the person out of the business.
Creating and running performance development programs
High performing teams should be supported by a robust performance development program. And the same is true in reverse: truly effective performance development programs can keep your team performing at a high level long after you’ve laid the groundwork for your team.
Social intelligence training
Building a high performing team depends strongly on leaders’ relationship with each person on their team. Social intelligence training builds awareness of how behaviour and interpersonal dynamics impact performance conversations, feedback, trust and engagement; just a few of the elements necessary for high performing teams.
Course FAQ's - Building High Performing Teams
Here are some common questions about our Building High Performing Teams training.
What is a high performing team?
A high performing team is a group of people who are aligned around clear goals, trust each other, communicate well, and consistently deliver strong results. Performance comes from both individual contribution and how the team works together and how well they collaborate across the organisation.
Is this course suitable for new managers?
This training is not part of our team leader development program, and we recommend that this building high performing teams workshop is done three to six months after completing the team leader development program.
I'm doing the team leader development program. Should I do this course?
Yes! Our training is designed by us, not purchased from overseas. We know kiwi workplaces and have designed this training with that in mind.
Is this training relevant for NZ workplaces?
Yes it can! We will work with you to understand your organisation’s culture and values, and can build them in to the program.
Can this training be customised for our workplace?
We’re not just trainers, but we’re HR consultants too! We’re on hand to help with any ongoing support and learning, or to help you though any difficult staff situations. You can bounce ideas off us, role play, or validate the approach you’re planning to take … be prepared to be coached!
What are the key characteristics of high performing teams?
High performing teams typically share clear goals, strong leadership, psychological safety, accountability, open communication, and effective collaboration — within the team and with stakeholders.
How do managers build high performing teams?
Managers build high performing teams by balancing focus on individuals and the team as a whole. This includes setting clear goals, giving effective feedback, building trust, strengthening relationships, and aligning team goals to organisational priorities.
Why is psychological safety important for high performing teams?
Psychological safety allows team members to speak up, share ideas, challenge assumptions, and learn from mistakes. Teams with high psychological safety perform better, adapt faster, and collaborate more effectively.
How does this course improve team performance?
This course improves team performance by giving leaders practical tools to diagnose performance issues, strengthen engagement, improve communication, and create clear alignment between people, purpose, and priorities.
Ready to build high performing teams that deliver real results?
Equip your leaders with practical tools to lift performance, strengthen engagement, and create teams that thrive.
Get in touch to book this course or discuss in-house delivery.
Epic workplaces have high performing teams.
Let’s talk about how we can help your managers take your teams from good to great, to exceptional.
