Need to Know! Characteristics of Successful Teams

Characteristics of successful teams

Regardless of whether we’re talking about the Indianapolis Colts or the editorial department of the Indianapolis Star, there are a number of characteristics common to successful teams:

• Clear goals

• Clear roles

• Clear communication

• Beneficial team behaviors

• Well-defined decision procedures

• A plan for improvement

• Balanced participation

• Established norms and ground rules

• Awareness of the team process

• Scientific approaches

There are a number of types of teams, and they are generally distinguished by three key points: their purpose; their duration (permanent or ad hoc); and their membership (functional or cross-functional). Five types of teams generally seen in the business sector are:

1. Natural work groups: groups composed of people who work together every day

2. Business teams: groups of people who come together for a specific task.

3. Management teams: groups of people, usually peer managers, who come together to coordinate actions of the entire organization.

4. Problem-solving teams: groups of people who come together for a specific period to analyze a situation and suggest working alternatives.

5. New product/service teams: groups of people who come together to design or redesign a product or service.

To be effective, teams have a number of needs that must be met, including:

• Clearly defined purposes and goals that serve the organization

• Clearly defined parameters

• Ability to communicate within the organization

• People with the necessary knowledge and skills to accomplish their tasks.

• Knowledge of how they are going to accomplish their tasks.

How teams operate

To accomplish their purpose and mission, teams must collaborate effectively. Teams that follow a proven process often achieve their goals. An effective process includes:

• Identify the clear purpose, problem, or issue the team will address

• Determine a problem-solving process

• Hold effective meetings (e.g. agendas, ground rules, and established roles)

• Conclude collaborations (e.g. summarize decisions, review action items, and evaluate meetings)

• Follow up (e.g. distribute notes and complete assignments)

In summary, businesses often say they have “great teamwork” but the proof is in the process and the results.

Note: We have adapted portions of this post from P. Scholtes, B. Joiner, and B. Streibel, 2003, The Team Handbook, Oriel, Madison, WI.