People in every workplace talk about building the team, working as a team, and my team, but few understand how to create the experience of team work or how to develop an effective team. Any group of people working together does not form a team. Thus, committees, councils and taskforces are not always teams. There is a clear difference between teams and workgroups. So let’s first find out what does the word “Team” exactly mean? A Team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, a set of performance goals and an approach for which they can hold themselves mutually accountable. A team based approach improves efficiency and productivity levels in an organization.
Generally the number of people in a team ranges from 2 to 25. A team of 50 or more members is theoretically possible, but such team will invariably break off into sub teams and will rarely function as a single and cohesive unit. Thus, a team with around 10 members can be far more effective than a team that has more than 50 people.
But what does it take to make a team successful? Dr. Warren Bennis, a pioneer of the contemporary field of leadership studies, conducted a study to identify the principles that made great teams successful. He studied a number of teams including some worth mentioning like:
The Manhattan Project - Team behind the Atom Bomb
Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) – Team behind Computer Technologies like GUI and Ethernet
Apple Computers – Macintosh, iPod and more recently, Invention of the Year 2007: iPhone
Walt Disney Studios – Team behind those wonderful Animated features we all adore
Although all of the teams were extraordinary in their own ways, there were some principles which were common across all of them:
A Shared Dream - All the great teams shared the dream of making the world a better place to live in. They sincerely believed they would change the world for the better. These teams were obsessed with what they were doing and did not treat their work simply as a job, but a fervent quest.
Mission is bigger than Ego -During the Manhattan Project, two members were at loggerheads and one of them decided to leave. But the Project Leader reminded him that the mission was more important than individual egos and this made the team member rethink his decision and ultimately stay back.
Protection from Leaders - All the great teams had leaders who protected them from the corporate headquarters. These leaders managed to keep the headquarters satisfied and told their team members to remain focused on their work.
Fostering Enmity - A team with even the noblest of missions benefited when it had real or invented enemies. For example, in the heydays of Apple computers, its mission was to bury IBM and their cunning advertisements almost always reflected this enmity in one way or the other. An implicit mission such as destroying the enemy is more motivating than an explicit mission.
Daring To Be Different - Great teams generally consist of people who consider themselves as mavericks and are generally at the periphery of their disciplines. They like to operate on the fringes and according to Bennis, it is this sense of operating on the fringes that feeds their appetite to succeed.
Pain and Suffering - A place in great teams is rarely assured without personal sacrifice. The nature of work could demand intense pain and suffering from its team members, but it’s only the teams which actually hold on to their commitment and survive.
Strong Leaders - Though great teams are non hierarchical, egalitarian and open, yet they have strong leaders. Bennis observed that the leaders are not always the most intelligent or capable in the team but neither are they passive players. They are like curators who appreciate and preserve talent in the team. Great teams make great leaders.
Meticulous Recruiting - Great teams are a result of understanding what talent is needed in the team and spotting where it is available. The leader of the team and the other members consider recruiting a serious exercise. This ensures that the right people are in the right place.
Young and Energetic - All great teams had people who were quite young. Young people have the physical stamina necessary to withstand the arduous tasks involved. Great teams are also young in spirit, ethos and culture.
Great Teams Deliver - Great teams always believe in tangible outcomes. Almost all leaders reminded their team that their work was not good enough unless it resulted in a great product at the end.
Thus, belonging to a team, in the broadest sense, is a result of feeling part of something larger than you. It has a lot to do with your understanding of the mission or objectives of your organization. In a team oriented environment, you contribute to the overall success of the organization. You work with fellow members of the organization to produce these results. Even though you have a specific department, you are unified with other organization members to accomplish the overall objectives. The bigger picture drives your actions and your function exists to serve the bigger picture.
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