How to form work teams
There is no 'I' in 'T-E-A-M'. Teams are made up of people with complementary skills, committed to a common purpose and performance goals, and an approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. They may be established ad hoc as project teams or as more permanent work groups. Although most teams can outperform individual people, it's the ‘people issues’ that cause most of the problems. So when you believe a team is required in your workplace, consider these points...
1. Establish clear, achievable goals.
One of the main reasons for the failure of teams is that they don't know where they’re going or why they’ve been formed. A team works best when members clearly understand its purpose and its goals.
2. Set a clear plan.
Having formed a team for a specific purpose and made that purpose clear, the next step in the process is to ensure that the team is not left to ‘muddle through’. Help the team determine what advice, training, assistance, materials, and other resources it may need. Develop a flow chart setting out the steps of a project and the resources required, and list any training and budgetary considerations.
3. Define roles clearly.
Effective teams empower members and require contributions; performance expectations are essential. Focus attention on ‘who’ is to do ‘what’. Shared roles, too, need to be clearly stated. An added advantage of ensuring clearly defined roles is that it limits the possibility of the same people getting stuck with the same tedious tasks.
