Building Successful Teams
What is a Team?
One definition of a team is ¡§A small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, common performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually responsible¡¨ (Moorhead & Griffin, 2001, p.604). Another definition is ¡§¡Kgroup of two or more entities linked by a common bond to foster the achievement of a common goal¡K¡¨ (Chillis, 1999). Whichever definition is used it is understood that commonality is the guiding force for a successful team. With their purpose and goals defined and accepted the team becomes interdependent; they coordinate their various skills and abilities to direct themselves toward the desired result.
Characteristics of a Successful Team
There are common characteristics that make an effective team successful. These characteristics are developed by the individual team members and by the group itself. As stated above, the first and probably the most important, is the understanding of the purpose, mission, or main objective of the team. Each team member must ensure that communication is direct, open, and straightforward. There must be a strong team leader who is responsible for building team member¡¦s understanding, and assuring commitment to their common purpose. Without effective team leadership, members often pursue independent and diverse interests (Cooke, 1999).
The team should have adequate resources that are available to permit the team to perform its function, including expertise, facilities, materials, and budgets. Furthermore, synergy should exist so the team performs in a way that is greater than the sum of its parts. There should also be regular assessments that measure the performance of the team during the implementation of their purpose, mission, or main objective.
Team Development Stages
A common rational why a team has been formed is to complete a specific task or meet a specific goal. When this is the case, there is a set of particular stages in team
One definition of a team is ¡§A small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, common performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually responsible¡¨ (Moorhead & Griffin, 2001, p.604). Another definition is ¡§¡Kgroup of two or more entities linked by a common bond to foster the achievement of a common goal¡K¡¨ (Chillis, 1999). Whichever definition is used it is understood that commonality is the guiding force for a successful team. With their purpose and goals defined and accepted the team becomes interdependent; they coordinate their various skills and abilities to direct themselves toward the desired result.
Characteristics of a Successful Team
There are common characteristics that make an effective team successful. These characteristics are developed by the individual team members and by the group itself. As stated above, the first and probably the most important, is the understanding of the purpose, mission, or main objective of the team. Each team member must ensure that communication is direct, open, and straightforward. There must be a strong team leader who is responsible for building team member¡¦s understanding, and assuring commitment to their common purpose. Without effective team leadership, members often pursue independent and diverse interests (Cooke, 1999).
The team should have adequate resources that are available to permit the team to perform its function, including expertise, facilities, materials, and budgets. Furthermore, synergy should exist so the team performs in a way that is greater than the sum of its parts. There should also be regular assessments that measure the performance of the team during the implementation of their purpose, mission, or main objective.
Team Development Stages
A common rational why a team has been formed is to complete a specific task or meet a specific goal. When this is the case, there is a set of particular stages in team