Lets first start by defining the term from a corporate perspective:A group of people with a high degree of interdependence geared toward the achievement of a goal or the completion of a task. Or in other words, members of a team agree on a goal and agree that the only way to achieve that goal is to work together. Some groups have a common goal but they don’t work together to achieve it. For example, many teams such as yours are really groups because they can work independently to achieve the goal. Some groups work together but they don’t have a common goal.
So we have the term defined, let’s take a look at different types of teams:
The Traditional Team
A group of people who have a traditional boss but who also share some of his/her responsibility and authority. How much is shared is usually dependent on the topic under discussion. A person is in charge, but on various issues, that person may allow other team members to take the leadership role.
The IT Team
In this team model, members see one another infrequently or not at all. They are also called “cyber” or “virtual” teams. What makes these teams different is that they have to work together to accomplish goals, but they may meet only at the beginning of their project and thereafter interact through e-mail and telephone. They can also fit any of the four models listed above.
The Comrade Team
This is a group of people who are happy working for one boss, and everything seems to be going well. These people have team spirit, but in reality they aren’t a team because one person calls all the shots, with no sharing of authority or responsibility.
Team Committee
There is a group that comes together for a specific time to work on a special project or task. This group has traditionally been called a “task force” or “committee” and may include “quality circles” used in break out groups to lead parts of projects.
Self Managed Team
This is a group of people who manage themselves. No one person in the group has the authority to make all the decisions about the events that impact the group. This is referred to as a self-directed work team because everyone has authority and responsibility for all the decisions they have to make.
Why do these teams sometimes fail? Well some reasons are: members do not participate in setting goals, the goals are unclear, the goals are not communicated, and everyone is doing his or her own thing without attention to team goals.
Overcoming team failures or avoiding them all together takes a commitment and understanding of the life cycle of teams. Think about for a minute, you usually don’t get to pick a top notch team or choose who will be in your team in a business environment. Sometimes you get what you get as a leader, and as a team member, you may have accepted the offer for employment before you met anyone in the team so this is where the life cycle of teams comes in. I’ll explain in the following outlilne:
Cycle 1: Formation
Characteristics of this cycle:
— Group members may be anxious, adopt wait-and-see attitude, be formal, etc.
— No clear idea of goals or expectations.
— Not sure why they are there.
What you can do to help:
— Team writes its own charter or mission statement and clarifies goals. Remember goals must have personal buy-in.
— Help team establish boundaries and determine what is expected.
— Team members get to know each other doing non-conflict laden task. This builds commitment towards one larger goal.
— Help them know what to expect; communicate and reassure.
Cycle 2: Formation
Characteristics of this cycle:
— Team members eager to get going.
— Conflict can arise as people bring different ideas of how to accomplish goals and notice differences rather than similarities.
— Some members may drop out mentally or physically.
What you can do to help:
— Continue with no surprises and communicate.
— Tensions will increase; this is normal, so recognize and publicly acknowledge accomplishments.
— Lead/participate in meetings.
— Value diversity.
— Gather information and be supportive.
Cycle 3: Growing
Characteristics of this cycle:
— People begin to recognize ways they are alike.
— They realize its sink or swim, we’re in this together.
— People get more social.
— May forget their focus in favour of having a good time.
What you can do to help:
— Recognize how they are alike
— Help with training if applicable.
— Encourage them to feel comfortable with each other and with systems.
— Help group stay focused on goal.
Cycle 4: Executing
Characteristics of this cycle:
— Team members are trained and competent, and able to do their own problem-solving. Now the leader will ask for critical self-assessment and look at ways to challenge them and develop them.
— Mature, understand their roles and responsibilities
— Want more input in processes
— Self-motivated and self-trained
What you can do to help:
— Recognizing efforts
— Encouraging growth
— Giving new challenges
No matter what you do, where you work or live, the quality of your attitude determines the quality of your relationships—not to mention just about everything else in your life. The good news is that attitudes are yours to select. And if you are free to choose any one you please, why not Choose a Really Positive Attitude. In face to face situations, your attitude precedes you. It is the central force in your life; it controls the quality and appearance of everything you do.
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