Building high-performance teams: Lessons from the 2024 Australian Women’s Soccer success

In 2024, the Australian Women's Soccer team showed us what high-performance teams can achieve. From trust and resilience to teamwork, their journey holds valuable insights — both on and off the field. Let's break down their gameplay tactics and see how to leverage a collaborative approach.

Key elements of a high-performance team

Without trust, a team can't function as a cohesive unit. The Australian Women's team built a foundation of interdependence that allowed them to rely on each other.

In the workplace, building this level of trust means fostering an environment where everyone feels safe sharing their ideas and concerns. Encourage open discussions and always circle back to the team's vision. When people feel valued and heard, they're more motivated to commit to a collaborative direction.

The role of team collaboration in success

The Australian team's success came from a collective mindset and ability to work as a cohesive unit. Each player's strengths have a place in the team's strategy, which creates synergy on the field. Cooperation was at the core of their approach, rather than individual achievements.

In business, this translates into understanding each person's skill set and finding ways to work together. Maybe one team member is more detail-oriented, while another excels at big-picture thinking. Leveraging individual strengths creates that interdependence mentioned earlier.

Motivating teams for peak performance

Motivation was key for the Australian coaches, who built an environment that inspired players to push their limits. They connected the team's mission to each player's drive, fostering a sense of joint purpose and accountability.

Start by understanding what motivates each member. Is someone looking to grow their skills, achieve specific outcomes or learn something new? By connecting roles to what the individual cares about, you'll maintain peak levels of personal and collective investment. If you're unsure about your team's personal motivators, just ask them.

Handling setbacks and celebrating wins

The Australian Women's Soccer team faced their share of losses but treated every setback as an opportunity to recalibrate. Rather than getting bogged down by mistakes, they used challenges as a chance to improve, demonstrating resilience at every turn.

See setbacks as learning moments. When something doesn't go as planned, hold a team debrief: What worked? What didn't? How can we adjust for next time?

Just as important is celebrating wins. Small victories reinforce positive behaviours and keep the team striving for the next success. In fact, I'd say recognition lies at the foundation of high-performing teams — celebrating milestones and valuing hard work keeps everyone's morale high and motivation strong.

Building a winning team culture

At the core of any successful team is a culture built on shared values. For the Australian Women's team, accountability, respect and commitment defined their approach. This culture didn't just exist on game day; it was woven into their daily interactions.

Creating a shared vision means clarifying values and integrating them into routines. Are you committed to collaboration? Constant learning? Whatever you decide, it has to be reflected in action. When you reinforce values regularly, they become second nature, building a team culture that strives for resilience and success.

Create your team's success story with ICML

High-performance teams aren't made solely from talent. Trust and collaboration form a culture that aligns everyone around common goals. These are the real driving forces. By leveraging lessons from the Australian Women's Soccer team into the workplace, you can build resilient teams inspired to reach new heights and committed to shared success.

For more insights on building strong teams, explore our Building High-Performance Teams course.