Teamwork
has become the new mantra for many organizations. Too often this
means that if managers start calling their subordinates a team,
they will start acting like one. It's
the case of calling something a horse even though it swims, waddles and
quacks.
A
team is really a special type of group that possess unique characteristics.
These beliefs and behaviors allow individuals to achieve
at high levels of performance when working together, than when working
by themselves.
Leadership
is important in building teams since it acts as the force that molds
a group into a team.
Access Transformational Leadership Books
From Across the Globe
The book covers six basic principles:
• Keep team small
• Ensure that individuals have complementary skills
• Focus on a common purpose
• Set shared goals
• Define clear roles and responsibilities
•
Strive for mutual and individual accountability
While these principles are pretty basic, they
serve as a starting point to begin the process of turning
a group into a team.
6,000 Team Members and Leaders Tell What
It Takes to Succeed
by Frank M. J. LaFasto and Carl E. Larson
The
authors discovered
five factors that determine a team's
success: collaboration, relationships, group processes, leadership,
and the organizational environment. These sound principles help
one understand why some teams fail and others succeed.
