The document defines a team as a small group of people with complementary skills committed to a common purpose, goals, and approach for which they are mutually accountable. It discusses how effective teams can lead to higher quality work, increased productivity, and happier employees. Key aspects of successful teams include having a common vision and goals that members understand and are empowered by. Teams also need leadership that establishes trust, open communication, and empowers members. Understanding different personalities on the team and maintaining team dynamics over time are also important for success.

1. Lisa MacLeod
Transformational Synergies
International FZ-LLC

2.  Definition:
 "A team is a small number of people with
complementary skills who are committed
to a common purpose, performance
goals, and approach for which they are
mutually accountable." (Katzenbach and
Smith, 1993)

3.  Higher Quality
 Increased Productivity
 Happier more motivated workers
 Greater ability to recall, comprehend, and
master subject material
 Cohesion from a “We are all in this together”
mentality
(Johnson & Johnson, 1989)
(Magney, 1996)

4.  Common vision
 Members must understand how they are
involved
 Appropriate vision for all members
 Common Goals
 Manageable number
 Clearly defined
 Empowerment of members
 Open feedback; questioning and challenging
each other spurs higher quality
(Sevier, 2006)

5.  Be trustworthy
 Established clear, important, consistent goals
 Openness, fair, willing to listen
 Be decisive
 Respect for others opinions
 Empowerment of team members
(Sevier, 2006)

6.  Recognization of Unique Personalities
 Indentification of new team members
 Maintaining the team as an ongoing effort
 Degree of individual social skills contributes
to overall success of teams
 Team dynamics
 Cooperative learning abilities
(Greco, 1988)

7.  Increase team spirit/motivation
 Tacklers – controlling; move ahead
 Enhancers – seek acceptance; optimistic
 Allies – accommodating; non-confrontational
 Monitors – high personal standards; need full
information before starting
(Greco, 1988)

8. Creates clarity around direction and
priorities
Aligns the team around common
objectives
Develops an ability to learn from mistakes
Moves forward without hesitation
Changes direction without hesitation or
guilt
(Lencioni, 2002. p. 209)

9.  Retains achievement-oriented employees
 Minimizes individualistic behavior
 Enjoys success and suffers failure acutely
 Benefits from individuals who subjugate
their own goals/interests for the good of
the team
 Avoid distractions
(Lencioni, 2002, p. 218)

10. Brown, M. (2001, July). Don't worry, be happy. Black Enterprise, 31(12), 113.
Greco, G. (1988, April). Teams score victories at work. Nation’s Business 176 (4), 38.
Retrieved February 17, 2006, from ProQuest database.
Johnson, W. (2000). Animated pedagogical agents & face to face interaction in
interactive environments. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education.
11, 47-78.
Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunctions of a team. New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.
Magney, J. (1996). Teamwork and the need for cooperative learning. Retrieved February
17, 2006, from EBSCOhost database.
Sevier, R. (2006). Anatomy of a successful team. Retrieved February 14, 2006, from
EBSCOhost database.