abhishreshthaa
Abhijeet S
There are many definitions of a team existing but an appropriate one would be as given below.
A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.
This definition highlights the essentials of a team or in other words the team basics. Here the focus or emphasis is on three characteristics - small number, complementary skills and commitment. These are what basically differentiates a team from a group and makes a team something much more productive and result oriented than a group.
There is no doubt that the understanding and application of these team basics is so fundamental for the success of a team. We shall further analyze these briefly in the following paragraphs.
Small Number: Indication of a small number is a pragmatic guide. A large number of people, say fifty or more, can theoretically become a team. But groups of such size are more likely to break into sub teams rather than function as a single team. Five to ten people are far more likely to successfully work through their individual, functional, and hierarchical differences toward a common plan and hold themselves jointly accountable for the results, than fifty.
Complementary Skills: Members of a team must possess the appropriate balance or mix of skills and traits. Homogeneous teams are not usually as effective as teams composed of members whose skills and talents differ in relevant ways, especially when dealing with complex problems. On the other hand, it is disruptive if teams consist of members whose talents and especially personalities are more heterogeneous than required by the nature of the problem and the demands placed on members. The team skills fall into three categories, technical or functional expertise required for the task, problem solving and decision-making skill, and interpersonal skills.
Commitment to a Common Purpose and Performance Goals. Most teams shape their purpose in response to a demand placed or opportunity offered by the Organization or management. This helps the team in defining the boundaries and scope of authority, clearly enough to indicate direction, but flexible enough to allow the modification required for commitment to develop. Specific performance goals are an integral part of the purpose. A team's purpose and specific performance goals have a symbolic relationship; each depends on the other to stay relevant and vital.
Commitment to a Common Approach. Teams also need to develop a common approach. Every member of the team must do 'equivalent amounts of real work. Team members must agree on who will do a particular job. Agreeing on the specifics of work and how it fits together to integrate individual skills and advance team performance lies at the heart of shaping a common approach.
Mutual Accountability. At its core, team accountability is about the sincere promises we make to others and ourselves. Promises that underpin two critical aspects of teams, commitment and trust
A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.
This definition highlights the essentials of a team or in other words the team basics. Here the focus or emphasis is on three characteristics - small number, complementary skills and commitment. These are what basically differentiates a team from a group and makes a team something much more productive and result oriented than a group.
There is no doubt that the understanding and application of these team basics is so fundamental for the success of a team. We shall further analyze these briefly in the following paragraphs.
Small Number: Indication of a small number is a pragmatic guide. A large number of people, say fifty or more, can theoretically become a team. But groups of such size are more likely to break into sub teams rather than function as a single team. Five to ten people are far more likely to successfully work through their individual, functional, and hierarchical differences toward a common plan and hold themselves jointly accountable for the results, than fifty.
Complementary Skills: Members of a team must possess the appropriate balance or mix of skills and traits. Homogeneous teams are not usually as effective as teams composed of members whose skills and talents differ in relevant ways, especially when dealing with complex problems. On the other hand, it is disruptive if teams consist of members whose talents and especially personalities are more heterogeneous than required by the nature of the problem and the demands placed on members. The team skills fall into three categories, technical or functional expertise required for the task, problem solving and decision-making skill, and interpersonal skills.
Commitment to a Common Purpose and Performance Goals. Most teams shape their purpose in response to a demand placed or opportunity offered by the Organization or management. This helps the team in defining the boundaries and scope of authority, clearly enough to indicate direction, but flexible enough to allow the modification required for commitment to develop. Specific performance goals are an integral part of the purpose. A team's purpose and specific performance goals have a symbolic relationship; each depends on the other to stay relevant and vital.
Commitment to a Common Approach. Teams also need to develop a common approach. Every member of the team must do 'equivalent amounts of real work. Team members must agree on who will do a particular job. Agreeing on the specifics of work and how it fits together to integrate individual skills and advance team performance lies at the heart of shaping a common approach.
Mutual Accountability. At its core, team accountability is about the sincere promises we make to others and ourselves. Promises that underpin two critical aspects of teams, commitment and trust