Team
Teams’ focus is a collective performance, where the members have both individual and mutual accountability. Therefore, companies create teams to bring together groups of people with complementary skills and interests to work toward a common goal. The main advantage is that a team brings together different people with diverse skills and allows them to make something that nobody could do alone. The communication level is higher on teams. Effective teams can discover new approaches and improve product and service quality. One more team’s advantage is the efficiency in product development within the traditional hierarchy. Team members are able to analyze and identify dependent tasks, sometimes applying great improvements.
Types of team
1. Functional team
A functional team is permanent. It includes members of the same department with different responsibilities. There is a manager who is responsible for everything. Everyone in the team reports to him. A functional team can be usually recognized in traditional project management companies.
This type requires a manager who ensures that there are no obstacles when it comes to transferring work from one team to another.
2. Cross-functional team
A cross-functional team consists of members from different departments. This kind of team tackles specific tasks that require different expertise and inputs.
Cross-functional teams are becoming increasingly popular all over the world. However, there is an opinion that the whopping number of all cross-functional teams are dysfunctional.
3. Matrix team
A matrix team is a “2-boss system”. Here an individual reports to a different manager for his/her work. A matrix team is the product of a Matrix management approach.
It helps top managers to retain control over the project without being involved in decisions.
4. Contract team
A contract team is an outsourced team where the members are tied down by a contract. The client can easily cut all ties to the team after the project is completed and the contract has ended. In this kind of team, the role of project managers is crucial. They have to maintain constant communication between the customer and team members, to compensate for the lack of the team’s physical presence, to bear full responsibility for project success or failure.
5.Self-managed teams
Self-managed teams consist of employees of the same company who work together. Although they have a wide set of objectives, their key goal is to reach a common result.
There is no manager here. The members of self-managed teams should determine rules and expectations, solve problems and barely shared responsibilities.
Thinking about creating a self-managed team, you should pay attention to the levels of responsibility and the autonomy that is given to the team.
The main advantages of self-managed teams are:
- Improved motivation because of autonomy
- Ability to manage own time and handle tasks when it suits employees
- No pay for office
- Pride in team accomplishments because of shared responsibility
6. Virtual team
A virtual team involves employees who work in different locations and who rely on the power of communication and collaboration tools to get things done together. This kind of team provides people with a better life-work balance and allows business owners to hire the best experts.
There are different types of virtual teams that are characterized by 3 dimensions: time, space and culture.
- Time is about when people work (during different hours, on different shifts, in different time-zones).
- Space is about where people work (right next to each other or hundreds of kilometers away).
- Culture is about how people work (including such factors as gender, age, race, language, education, nationality, social, religious, economic factors, etc.)
7.Operational team
An operational team deals with supporting other types of teams. It is formed to make sure that all office processes go smoothly. Operational teams may have their own projects and function as they also have well-defined roles and responsibilities.
8.Problem-solving team
A problem-solving team is usually temporary. It is focused on solving a specific issue. This kind of team may be created after the financial crisis or any unplanned event or challenge. It is aimed to come up with solutions to help the company climb out of a steep recession.
Once guidelines are set in place and plans are formed, the task forces and committees are disbanded.
Team Development
Teams are becoming a key tool for organizing work in today’s corporate world. Teams have the potential to immediately amass, organize, relocate, and disperse. But, teams are an effective tool for employee motivation. It is essential to consider the fact that teams develop and get mature over a period of time. Team development creates a captivating atmosphere by encouraging co-operation, teamwork, interdependence and by building trust among team members.
The four stages of team development are:
Stage 1: Forming
During this stage, group members may be anxious and adopt a wait-and-see attitude. They will be formal towards each other. There would be no clear idea of goals or expectations. Besides, they may not be sure why they are there.
This is the stage where the team needs to write its own charter or mission statement as well as clarify goals. The most important thing here is that goals must have a personal buy-in.
By doing this the team will be able to establish boundaries as well as determine what is expected. Team members will get to know each other doing non-conflict laden task. This builds the commitment towards one larger goal.
Thus, during the forming stage, the team members are in the process of knowing each other and getting at ease with them.
Stage 2: Storming
During this stage, team members are eager to get going. Conflict can arise as people tend to bring different ideas of how to accomplish goals. At this time, they notice differences rather than similarities. This leads to some members dropping out mentally or physically.
At this stage, communication is important. Tensions will increase. So recognizing and publicly acknowledging accomplishments also becomes important. It becomes important to participate in meetings and diversity needs to be valued.
Thus, during the storming stage, the team members begin showing their actual styles. They start getting impatient. They try to probe into each other’s areas, leading to irritation and frustration. Control becomes a key concern during this stage.
Stage 3: Norming
This stage is when people begin to recognize the ways in which they are alike. They realize that they are in this together. Hence, they tend to get more social and may forget their focus in favor of having a good time. This is the time to help with training if applicable. It becomes important to encourage them in order to feel comfortable with each other and with systems. Also, the group needs to stay focused on the goal.
Thus, during the norming stage, there is conflict resolution. There is greater involvement of team members. There is a greater “we” feeling rather than “I” feeling.
Stage 4: Performing
This stage is when team members are trained, competent, as well as able to do their own problem-solving. At this time, ways need to be looked at in order to challenge them as well as develop them. The team is mature now. The members understand their roles and responsibilities. They would require more input in processes. The members would be self-motivated as well as self-trained. Thus, their efforts need to be recognized. Growth has to be encouraged. This is done by giving new challenges to the team.
Thus, teams at the stage of performing are self-controlling, practical, loyal as well as productive. Focus is there on both performances as well as production.
Forming an Effective Team
This is the general approach to forming a successful work team. But not all will take the same steps as discussed above. Success is usually hinged on taking all of the steps just discussed. We have a tendency to want to surround ourselves with people who are just like us. In case you get to choose a team, instead of organizing a pre-formed team, then you’ll look for a team of people with a variety of strengths. In case of a team that is already in place, organizing can be more subtle. Like, all the workgroups can be called together in order to discuss what goals you want to accomplish and how everybody can help.
You will also find that imposing goals on people doesn’t work nearly as well as having them tell you as to what goals they will strive for. But setting goals is not easy work. Too often they end up in being too unrealistic, too vague, impossible to measure, or just stretching into eternity without any deadline.
Traits of an Effective Team Behaviour
- Keeping the peace
- Friendly Nature
- Passionate about work
- Generating ideas
- Take Initiative
- Solving problems
- Appropriate humor
- Encouraging others
Key Points of Team Functioning
- Good Communication
- Team Bonding
- Team Involvement
- Mutual Understanding
- Common Objective & Commitment
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