Real Teams

Often groups of people are referred to as “teams” when they are merely a collection of people assigned to coordinate their efforts to perform a task. There has been much confusion about what it means to be a team, and how effective teams can really be. Should we invest in establishing and building them?

In our experience, resilient, collaborative teams can be the fundamental building blocks of an effective organization. Such teams--in which the combination of members’ contributions is obviously and substantially greater than the simple sum of their individual efforts—take time and effort to create, and require energy for maintenance. It is important to keep in mind that such “real” teams are most needed when their members are interdependent, when the stakes are high, and when the tasks they must undertake are complex, requiring innovation, cooperation, and substantial impact. Collaborative work teams function well in an atmosphere of safety, trust, and mutual respect. They foster in their members a sense of dynamic stability despite changing and fluid environments, and despite major challenges. Their members understand the vision and goals of the organization, and help align their team goals with the broader goals of the organization. So they provide major return on investment in them. 

GLS helps organizations decide where to use teams to best effect, and has extensive experience in creating and maintaining them.