Characteristics of an Effective Team
1. Clear Purpose
The vision, mission, goal or task of the team has been defined and is now accepted by everyone. There is an action plan.
2. Informality
The climate tends to be informal, comfortable and relaxed. There are no obvious tensions or signs of boredom.
3. Participation
There is much discussion and everyone is encouraged to participate.
4. Listening
The members use effective listening techniques such as questioning, paraphrasing, and summarizing to get out ideas.
5. Civilized Disagreement
There is a disagreement, but the team is comfortable with this and shows no signs of avoiding, smoothing over or suppressing conflict.
6. Consensus Decisions
For important decisions the goal is substantial, but not necessarily unanimous agreement through open discussion of everyone’s ideas, avoidance of formal voting, or easy compromises.
7. Open Communication
Team members feel free to express their feelings on the tasks as well as on the group’s operation. There are few hidden agendas. Communication takes place outside of meetings.
8. Clear Roles and Work Assignments
There are clear expectations about the roles played by each team member. When action is taken, clear assignments are made, accepted, and carried out. Work is fairly distributed among team members.
9. Shared leadership
While the team has a formal leader, leadership functions shift from time to time depending upon the circumstances, the needs of the group, and the skills of the members. The formal leader models the appropriate behavior and helps establish positive norms.
10. External Relations
The team spends time developing key outside relationships, mobilizing resources and building credibility with important players in other parts of the organization.
11. Style Diversity
The team has a broad spectrum of team-player types including members who emphasize attention to task, goal setting, focus on process and questions about how the team is functioning.
12. Self-Assessment
Periodically the team stops to examine how well it is functioning and what may be interfering with its effectiveness.
TAKEN FROM: Parker, Glenn. Team Players and Teamwork: The New Competitive Business Strategy ; San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers, 1990, pp. 33, 61-87.
Let’s talk about four types of team players:
1 Collaborator: Focused on the goal
2 Contributor: Focused on the task
3 Communicator: Focused on the process
4 Challenger: Focused on the question
Collaborator: A Checklist of Behaviors
1. Helps the team establish long-term goals and clarify its current objective.
2. Helps the team see how its work fits into the total organization.
3. Regularly reminds the team of the need to revisit their goals and action plans.
4. Encourages the team to establish plans with milestones and assignments.
5. Pitches in to help out other team members who need assistance.
6. Works hard to achieve team goals and to complete the tasks even if they don’t agree.
7. Does not gossip about other team members.
8. Often works outside his/her defined role to help the team achieve its goals.
9. Is flexible and open to new ideas or data that may alter team goals.
10 Is willing to share the limelight with other team members
Contributor: A Checklist of Behaviors
1. Freely shares all relevant information and opinions with other team members
2. Helps the team use its time and resources
3. Pushes the team to set high standards and to achieve top-level results.
4. Completes all team assignments necessary for completion of team tasks.
5. Accepts responsibility for all actions as a team member.
6. Completes all work in his/her job and all other tasks not related to the team.
7. Provides the team with clear and useful presentations at team meetings.
8. Provides training for other team members and serves as mentor for new members.
9. Has a clear set of priorities.
Communicator: A Checklist of Behaviors
1. Steps in to resolve process problems such as conflict or lack of involvement.
2. Listens attentively, while withholding judgment, to all viewpoints.
3. Helps the team relax and have fun by joking, laughing and discussing personal interests.
4. Recognizes and praises other team members for their efforts.
5. Communicates enthusiasm and sense of urgency about the team’s work.
6. Periodically summarizes the status of a discussion or proposes a possible consensus.
7. Encourages other team members to participate in the discussions and decisions.
8. Helps the people on the team get to know each other and to know what they can do.
9. Gives feedback to other team members that is descriptive, specific and helpful.
10. Receives feedback from other team members without becoming defensive.
Challenger: A Checklist of Behaviors
1. Candidly shares views about the work of the team.
2. Is willing to disagree openly with the leadership of the team.
3. Often raises questions about the team’s goals.
4. Pushes the team to set high ethical standards for work.
5. Speaks out even when views are contrary to the majority.
6. Asks “why?” and “how?” and other relevant questions at team meetings.
7. Sometimes is accused of not being a team player because he/she has different opinion.
8. Challenges the team to take well-conceived risks.
9. Is honest in reporting team progress and stating problems facing the
team.
10. Will back off when views are not accepted and will support a legitimate team consensus.
1 Collaborator: Focused on the goal
2 Contributor: Focused on the task
3 Communicator: Focused on the process
4 Challenger: Focused on the question
Questions:
1. As you read about each of the four types of Team players, list which one(s) you quickly identify with. Why are these behaviors important to you?
Is there one of the four types that you feel is “opposite” to your personality?
2. Which other team player characteristics listed do you see that you do not possess and would like to begin develop in yourself? Why? How would this benefit you?