THE HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL REPRINT. Structures of successful teams

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9th September 2018
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Introduction
The use of multidisciplinary teams to achieve a specific goal has become a common practice in both public and private sector. Teams play an important role since they are able to accomplish tasks that individuals cannot undertake. Therefore, creation of successful teams requires knowledge of the team formation process and structures. This essay evaluates the steps necessary for creating successful teams at various organizational levels, and further discusses the structures of successful teams. Finally, it explores how independent teams are vital toward organizational success and suggests ways through which I would empower my team members through compassion.
The steps for creating more successful teams at various organizational levels are as follows:
Step 1: Create Goals: It is important that all team members understands the purpose and overarching vision of the team. This is because people tend to be committed toward an objective if they participated in the formulation of the vision and objectives. The goals should be clearly defined and broken down into deliverables.
Step 2: Define Clear Roles: Successful teams must have clearly defined roles indicating the specific sub-roles for each member. Additionally, they also have clearly designated roles that define each member’s distinct responsibilities ranging from task roles to maintenance roles.
Step 3: Create open and clear communication channels: Successful teams have a clear and effective communication plan that ensures unhindered information flow between team members. This is key in maintaining team focus and subsequently attainment of the vision and goals.
Step 4: Have Effective Decision Making: Successful teams have effective decision-making mechanisms and structures since decision-making efficiency is critical toward optimal functioning of teams.
Step 5: Promote/Encourage balanced participation: Have structures that necessitate balanced participation where each member’s contribution is not only sought but also valued. They also have a participatory environment where each member is free to speak without fear (Zhou, Zhang &Shen, 2017).
Step 6: Entrench Valued Diversity: Members feel highly valued for their distinct and unique contribution to the team.
Step 7: Create conflict management structures: Since conflicts are inevitable, successful teams must have predefined mechanisms for dealing with and resolving conflict.
Step 8: Create a positive Atmosphere: This is essential for increased participation since members contribute more when their divergent views are valued and welcomed.
Step 9: Create cooperative relationships: Successful teams’ value and nurture collaborative relationships and has structures for constructive criticism and feedback where individual performance evaluation is valued and individual success celebrated Wickramasinghe & Nandula (2015).
Step 10: Participative leadership: Successful teams should encourage shared leadership at different times.
Structures of successful teams
Successful teams have distinct and solid structures that make them effective. One such structure is a clearly defined vision, which guides team decisions, focuses individual performance and eliminates time wastage (Haas &Nüesch, 2012). The second structure is effective culture. An effective team must have core values and precepts that all team members should ascribe to, and which determines individual behaviors. On the other hand, reward and motivational structures are critical in ensuring autonomy and individual responsibility while clear team roles eliminate unnecessary conflicts and possible decision-making stalemate (Vasileiadou, 2012). Besides, successful teams also have an appropriate membership structure which ensures that the team is diverse and has the right mix of people, with diverse skills that are necessary for the attainment of team goals. Finally yet importantly, successful teams have structured rules and regulations that guide acceptable behavior and discipline of members.
How independent teams are vital to organizational success
Independent teams have distinct goals and purpose, and the right mix of skills that enables them to be effective and successful. Moreover, they perform distinct and highly specialized roles that cannot be undertaken by dependent teams (Zhou, Zhang &Shen, 2017). One of the important factors to consider when leading teams within various organizational levels is the purpose and vision of the team while other factors includes the size of the team, qualification of team members, individual skill level, operating environment, team motivation , team working experie...