Work teams are all around us today. With the innovations of Skype, email, and social media it is easier than every to have not only centralized work teams but also global ones. A team is a type of organizational group that is composed of members who are interdependent, who share common goals, and who must coordinate their activities to accomplish these goals (Northouse, 2016). Team members must work as one in order to achieve their team goals. The increase in the use of teams at the organizational level lead to greater productivity, more effective use of company resources, better decisions and problem solving skills, better-quality product and services, and greater innovation and creativity (Parker, 1990).
Work teams also have the benefit of helping to develop future leaders, in that often there is often shared leadership within work teams that enable individuals to grow as leaders. This may give these individuals the confidence necessary to achieve new things in their life that they may have never none was possible. Some may find hidden talents or skills that they never knew they had.
Work teams also help to build a collaborative climate within a company. The ability of a team to work well together is essential to the team being effective. A collaborative climate is one in which members can stay problem focused, listen to and understand one another, feel free to take risks, and be willing to compensate for one another (Northouse, 2016).
Work teams and team leadership can be the keys to a companies success, however these teams need to stay focused on the common goals of the team in order to be successful. A central leader or shared leadership are often the keys to making this happen and keeping the team focused on accomplishing it ultimate goal.
References:
Parker, G.M., (1990). Team players and teamwork. San Francisco: Joey-Bass.
Northouse, P.G., (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice 7th edition. Sage.
Carl Haffer says
Your post provides an interesting account of that which defines teams and the integral components of organizational based teams. Differentiating organizational teams from organizational groups, teams consist of interdependent members who work together to accomplish common goals (Northouse, 2016). Organizational groups work independently of one another to accomplish common goals (Northouse, 2016). Your blog further describes the benefits provided to organizations that promote the use of teams. Increased productivity, effective use of resources, better decision making and problem solving, more quality outcomes or services, and greater innovation and creativity are benefits provided by organizational teams (Northouse, 2016). Current team-based leadership has identified six factors that contribute to organizational team effectiveness. Compelling purpose, right people, real team, clear norms of conduct, supportive organizational context, and team-focused coaching are the six contributing factors (Hackman, 2012). In conclusion you point out that teams can be, key, to a company’s success, but can require assistance to remain focused on common goals and leadership can facilitate this support. Additional leadership based research has develop a team-based leadership model that can be implemented to assist and assure that teams function effectively.
The Hill model for team leadership persists that effective team leadership begins with leadership decisions. In this model a leader continuously observes a team until taking action is required (Northouse, 2016). When a team requires an intervention the next decision to consider, in the Hill model, is whether the intervention should be task related or relational oriented (Northouse, 2016). Whether a team requires assistance with tasks related to goal accomplishment or assistance with team relationship problems or maintenance. The final decision important to consider in assisting team effectiveness is whether to internally intervene or externally (Northouse, 2016). Whether the team itself requires assistance or does something in the team’s environment require an intervention. My current occupation of construction project manager requires the leadership of many teams simultaneously. Within my organizational context, I find that teams that require the most internal relational oriented interventions are the least effective. Teams who require task assistance continuously remain effective. Teams experiencing external relational problems increase team commitment and remain effective. Teams lacking resources or receiving external pressure still come together and remain effective. Teams with internal interpersonal problems do not hold it together and their goal accomplishment is never as precise or timely managed.
References:
Hackman, J. R. (2012). From causes to conditions in group research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33(3), 428-444. Online. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/job.1774/epdf
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.