Unpack the Characteristics of Highly Effective Teams
The Characteristics of Effective Teams can be summarized as follows:
1. Team members have a strong commitment to the achievement of organisational goals and objectives. Getting the job done, whatever it is, has top priority. Tasks are clearly understood and accepted by all. A sense of urgency, excitement and purpose permeate the working atmosphere.
2. Team members communicate openly and frankly with each other. Each is skilled in giving and receiving constructive feedback.
3. Team members actively listen to each other. A climate of trust and understanding has been developed.
4. All members of the team participate in the problem solving and decision-making process. Members use skills to ensure the involvement of the whole team.
5. Team members confront each other’s assumptions in ways which do not close off further contributions. Conflict is regarded as a healthy and necessary part of the problem solving process. It is resolved through negotiation and collaboration.
6. Team members are capable of using both competing and co-operating behaviours at the appropriate time.
7. A cohesive bond exists between individual team members and the team as a whole. Each member has made an emotional investment. This strong unity is the basis for the energetic support of organisational objectives and goals.
8. Team members are skilled in recognising and assuming the needed task (content) and maintenance (process) roles required for effective team operation.
9. When discussion is completed, team members feel responsible and committed to the successful implementation of the team’s decisions and objectives.
10. Team leadership is appropriate. The appointed leader strongly desires an effectively operating team and takes the time to construct one. When the team is working, the leadership role may shift to whomever has the expertise, without the appointed leader feeling threatened. Power and authority are shared when possible. Much of the decision making will be by consensus.
11. The team is capable of periodically evaluating its own effectiveness as a team. It recognises the need to continually sense problems that hinder its effectiveness, collect objective data to define problems precisely, analyse data, and modify methods of operation. The team has made a strong commitment to its own growth and maturity.
12. Team members recognise those situations where it is appropriate to work on tasks independently, in pairs or as a team. When working as a team, members strive toward a synergistic result by consciously applying team effectiveness concepts and skills. High quality individual contributions are expected and welcomed. Individual talent does not go unrecognised.
Team or Co-operative Group?
A CO-OPERATIVE GROUP
• People work together
• Feelings aren’t necessarily part of work
• Conflict is accommodated but not necessarily dealt with
• Trust and openness are measured
• Information is passed on a need-to-know basis
• Goals/objectives are either personal or unclear
An Effective Team
• People trust each other
• Feelings can be expressed openly when appropriate
• Conflict is worked through and resolved
• People support each other
• Information is shared freely
• Goals/objectives are common to all
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