Creating Effective Teams.

 

Many have tried to identify factors related to team effectiveness. Let´s look at the team effectiveness model but before doing so, keep in mind two things. First, teams differ in form and structure. Because the model attempts to generalize across all varieties of teams, avoid rigidly applying its predictions to all teams. Use it as guide. Second, the model assumes teamwork is preferable to individual work. Creating “effective” teams when individuals can do the job better is like solving the wrong problem perfectly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We can organize the key components of effective teams into three general categories:

1. Resources and other contextual influences.

2. Team´s composition.

3. Process variables are events within the team that have influence over the effectiveness.

 

1. Context: What Factors Determine Whether Teams are Successful?

 

Adequate Resources

A scarcity of resource directly reduces the ability of a team to perform its job effectively and achieve its goals. Perhaps, one of the most important characteristics of an effective work group is the support the group receives from the organization. This support includes timely information, proper equipment, adequate staffing or encouragement.

 

Leadership and Structure

Teams can´t function if they can't agree on who is to do what and ensure all members share the workload.

 

Climate of Trust

Interpersonal trust among team members facilitates cooperation, reduces the need to monitor each others´ behavior, and bonds members around the belief that others on the team won't  take advantage of them.

 

Performance Evaluation and Reward Systems

In addition to evaluating and rewarding employees for their individual contributions, management should modify the traditional, individually oriented evaluation and reward system to reflect team performance.

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