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What
is a Team?
A team
has been defined as "a small number of
people with complementary skills who are equally committed to a
common purpose, goal, and working approach for which they hold themselves
mutually accountable." *
Gathering
a group of people together does not make a “team.” As
opposed to a group, a team has clearly defined goals and performance
objectives for which members are individually and collectively accountable.
A team:
- Is
trained and mentored in group dynamics and communication.
- Is
strongly interdependent not only for expertise and information,
but also for mutual support and assistance.
-
Develops individual and group behavior norms and enforces them.
- Has
strong commitment both to team and individual member success.
This
does not mean that "groups" cannot also be effective within
an organization. Sometimes working groups, committees, or other
group forms are more appropriate for a task than a team. A team
requires special training and time to develop before reaching peak
performance.*
*Katzenbach,
J.R., Smith, D.K., The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance
Organization, Harper Business, 1993.
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