Building an Effective Team

Optimizing Team PerformanceCohort 6 Webinar 1

What is a team?

• 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 are mutually accountable.

R. Katzenbach & D. Smith The Wisdom of Teams. Harvard Business School Press. 1993

• People working together in a committed way to achieve a common goal or mission. The work may be interdependent and team members share responsibility and hold themselves accountable for attaining the results.

MIT Information Services and Technology (no date) "Guide for Creating Teams: Definition of Teams"http://web.mit.edu/is/competency/guide/definitions.html

"A team is a group of people working together towards a common goal.“

Team Technology (1995-2006) "The Basics of Team Building"http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/tt/t-articl/tb-basic.htm

"A group in which members work together intensively to achieve a common group goal."

Lewis-McClear, Kyle and Taylor, M.S. (1998) "Psychological contract breach and the employment exchange: perceptions from employees and employers" Paper Presented to the Academy of Management, San Diego, August 1998.

Your main team• Core project teams should be strategically

chosen – so often they are not• The type of project determines the type of

person you will need• Needs to be more than just one person• Consider unlikely suspects

Qualities to consider in team members

• Demonstrates reliability• Communicates

constructively• Listens actively• Functions as an active

participant• Shares openly and

willingly

• Cooperates and pitches in to help

• Exhibits flexibility• Shows commitment to the

team• Works as a problem-solver• Treats others in a

respectful and supportive manner

Outside your main team…• You will need to consider all your stakeholders• When and how do you need them to be

involved – what are you expecting of them? • Consider unlikely suspects• Consider sub-working groups

What are some ways to build an effective team?

Clear Aim

Clarify each person’s role in achieving the common purpose

Be aware of the ripple effect

People are free in expressing their feelings as well as their

ideas

Pay attention to conflicts when they arise

Work out ways to resolve conflict

If you are the leader, remember your leadership role

Appraise and reward

Communicate team successes

What are other pearls of wisdom from your experience?

Resources

• UVIC – Team Effectiveness Model http://web.uvic.ca/hr/hrhandbook/organizdev/teammodel.pdf

• Creating Effective Teams – Dr. Matthew Ganis http://webpage.pace.edu/mganis/Creating%20Effective%20Teams-final-v2l.pdf

• Monash University - http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/human-resources/leadership-development/team-performance.html

• Twelve Ways to Build an Effective Team - http://people.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/People/TEAMS/Twelve%20Ways%20to%20Build%20an%20Effective%20Team.pdf