Many studies have been completed on the topic of what effective teams look like. They agree on key characteristics that effective teams share. The chart that follows identifies skills and attitudes that help teams function effectively. Show KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEAMSClarity of PurposeThe purpose of the team must be clearly defined in concrete and measurable objectives. Effective teams know how their work contributes toward an organizational goal. The team leader reminds members of how each team member makes business success possible.Good CommunicationOpen and accurate communication both between the team members and between the team and the larger organization is critical to keep members informed, motivated and focused. Part of the communication process involves establishing roles, making plans, and following standard business protocols and procedures.Positive Role for ConflictWe will look at the role of positive and negative conflict in more detail later in this module, but generally effective teams use conflict to improve decision-making and problem solving processes.Accountability and CommitmentEach member of the team understands his role on the team and takes responsibility for his actions. Team members take proactive measures to ensure that they can complete tasks, and they alert management when a problem arises. Members of effective teams not only know the team‘s purpose but are committed to achieving it and demonstrate the behavior needed to meet the goals. Team members have the authority to do what they need to do without being checked every step along the way. Finally, members must be incentivized and rewarded on both an individual and team basis.Shared LeadershipEffective team members are willing to assume leadership roles when appropriate. Shared leadership reinforces a sense of shared responsibility and increases morale and team performance.Positive Group DynamicsInterpersonal relationships in effective teams are built on trust, respect, honesty, and acceptance. Conflict will still occur, but a positive group dynamic will focus the conflict productively. Check out the following video to discover what Cisco has found to be the key tips for building effective teams: Common Techniques for Team BuildingOnce you know the characteristics of effective teams, how do you go about building those qualities into a group? When initially forming the team, follow these procedures and techniques to help create the environment needed for the development of those characteristics.
Optimal Team SizeThere seems to be no question about the right size of many teams. Basketball teams have five players (on the court), football is played with eleven members on the field, and a bridge team is made up of only two players. Businesses don’t have rules for the proper size of a team. Jeff Bezos, CEO and founder of Amazon, has his own rule for the right-sized teams: the team should only be as big as can be fed with two pizzas. By normal standards, that would suggest five to eight people on a team. Bezos is said to have followed this guide when he created the innovative and decentralized start-up that has grown into one of the most successful companies in the country. When in doubt about the right size of your team, you can always fall back on the “two-pizza rule.” The ideal size, according to most management experts, falls within the range of five to nine people. The reason the size is so important that it is the focus of research studies has to do with processes and outcomes. Too few people and the team may not have enough resources or skills. Too many people and communication becomes more challenging. Groupthink and social loafing may occur and negatively affect team performance. In one study, it was determined that teams with more than twelve people had greater conflict and formed subgroups that disrupted the team cohesiveness. Experts also agree that the optimal size of the team is driven by other factors: what type of task the team will perform, what skills the team requires to complete the task, and the time provided to complete the task. Answers to those questions will often determine the best size for a team. If the task, for example, is a sales function, then one individual may do most of the work until the very end, when a finance and delivery/inventory manager gets involved. One business may be fortunate to have four employees with multiple skill sets whereas another company would have to include six or seven people to reach the same level of abilities. Finally, the shorter the timeframe to complete the task, the fewer the people should be on the team. Larger numbers increase complexity of communication and administration. Under which conditions would teams be more effective than individual?Teams are effective in several project situations: When no one person has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to either understand or solve the problem. When a commitment to the solution is needed by large portions of the project team. When the problem and solution cross project functions.
Why are some teams more effective than others?The structure is Essential in Teams
In addition to being of manageable size, teams must have structure as well. A team may be small enough to manage, and have team members who trust each other and are dependable, yet if it lacks structure and a defined hierarchy it will fall short of its potential.
Are Teams truly Effective?In terms of successfully completing goals, teams are proven to be more effective because everyone is working interdependently toward a shared goal or outcome. Unlike in a group setting where each person is working independently, a team project relies on each member of the team to achieve success.
Which of the following is true about management meetings?Which of the following is true about management meetings? They are oriented toward developing plans, tracking progress of existing plans and making adjustments to plans in response to new information.
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