So, You’re Thinking About Forming a Team?

Not all groups of people who work together are teams. Sometimes there is a strict hierarchical structure in which the group leader comes up with the ideas, makes the decisions, and delegates various tasks to the others. The group members then do what is asked of them, report back to the group leader, and proceed with the next assigned task. This is NOT a team!

A team is a group of people that come together “guided by a common purpose, striving for the same results” (Mallory, 1991). Great teams are made up of people with different strengths, different backgrounds, and different thoughts. Every member of a true team contributes ideas and is involved in the decision-making process. The tasks they complete are determined by their strengths and unique characteristics.

Teams are ideal for solving problems that demand diverse knowledge and perspective. The diversity of knowledge can be technical in nature with the team composed of product designers, marketers, and manufacturers. Diversity of perspectives of the team members is important when there are disparate views among stakeholders such as when making decisions about a tax levy to build a community recreational center. Working on team projects enhances understanding and trust among the team members, increasing workplace morale and job satisfaction, as well as quality of results.

Excellent teams have a leader who facilitates the team’s work, ensuring clarity of the team’s target outcomes and effective communication channels. All team members share their insights and skills freely and embrace the contributions of other team members. When team parameters encourage collaboration and team members share their unique strengths, teams have the potential to produce results that far exceed what the individuals could have done independently.

What result are you trying to get on your own that could be achieved better or in a more timely fashion if you worked with an engaged team? When are you going to recruit your team members? When will the first meeting of this team be held? May you experience the incredible power of a synergetic team!