team types and their characteristics

1. Types of Teams

2. Cross Functional Teams
What is a Cross-Functional Team?
A cross-functional team is a group of individuals from different functional areas within an
organization who collaborate to work on a specific project or initiative. For instance, a
firefighting crew comprises members from administration, hazardous materials response,
patrol and rescue, fire suppression, and investigation. These responders work as a
coordinated unit to accomplish the shared goal of protecting the community from danger.
Why Are Cross-Functional Teams Important?
Cross-functional teams are crucial for organizations handling a wide variety of tasks.
The team's overall function may include multiple roles, tasks, and responsibilities, yet each
member has a defined job responsibility.
They break down the silos of a traditional organizational structure, enabling the team to see the
big picture.
Overlapping skills contribute to more efficient problem-solving. In smaller organizations or
non-governmental agencies without a large support system, these teams provide essential
work for mission success

3. 1. City planning team
A city planning team may work together to determine zoning laws or citywide safety regulations. Each member has a specific
set of skills that contributes to the larger goal of creating better codes and regulations for the city. The team can include
architects, engineers, policymakers, and community members who each contribute specialized knowledge and ideas.
2. Marketing team
Marketing teams may come together during the planning phase of marketing campaigns. Each member has unique skills that
may help clients develop effective strategies to reach new markets or expand existing markets by launching new products,
for example. The team can include a variety of roles, such as researchers, public relations experts, production specialists,
and account executives. Using an entire-team approach that takes into account different perspectives and skillsets helps to
solve complex problems more effectively.
3. Internal audit team
Executives who review the financial health of their organization may use internal audit teams to help with the process. Each
member may have skills that contribute to various elements of the audit process. The team may include accounting
analysts, financial auditors, management accountants, and internal auditors themselves.
4. Data science team
Data science combines multiple analytical disciplines to help companies design effective strategies and improve internal
operations. A data science team may have members with different levels of expertise, such as collecting data, building
predictive models, interpreting results, and overseeing the entire process. The team often includes engineers,
mathematicians, computer scientists, and statisticians.5. Investigative team

4. Virtual Team?
• A virtual team, also known as a geographically dispersed team or a
remote team, is a group of people who interact through electronic
communications. Members of a virtual team are usually located in
different geographical regions. Since communication is not in-person,
trust and good communication are crucial to the success of a virtual
team.

5. The Different Types of Virtual Teams
• There are several types of virtual teams depending on the lifespan, objective, goals, and roles of members.
• 1. Networked Teams
• Networked teams are composed of cross-functional members brought together to share their expertise and
knowledge on a specific issue. Membership is fluid in that new members are added whenever necessary
while existing members are removed when their role is complete.
• 2. Parallel Teams
• Parallel teams are generally formed by members of the same organization to develop recommendations in a
process or system. Parallel teams are usually formed for a short period of time, and membership is constant
in that members of a parallel team remain intact until the goal is realized.
• 3. Product Development Teams
• Product development teams are composed of experts from different parts of the world to perform a
specifically outlined task, such as the development of a new product, information system, or organizational
process. For example, bringing in a team of experts from the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong for a
period of one year to develop a new engine

6. What are Project Management Teams?
• A team is defined as ‘any group of people organized to work together
interdependently and cooperatively to accomplish a purpose or a
goal.’ Shared responsibility for common project goals and objectives
defines successful teams.

7. Types of project management teams
• Self-Managed Teams
• Growing in popularity, self-managing teams have no manager or hierarchal structure. Instead,
the team creates their own norms and decides how to achieve agreed goals together.
• Whilst some research shows that self-managing teams experience higher levels of
engagement and job satisfaction, there is no evidence that they are more productive or
effective.
• Leadership Teams
• Consisting of managers from differing departments, leadership teams play a key role in
guiding strategic business decisions.
• Informal Teams
• These teams are formed by employees with common interests, such as implementing energy-
saving initiatives.

8. Self-Managed Teams
A self-managed team (also called a self-directed team or autonomous
team) is a group of employees who work collaboratively to achieve
common goals without direct supervision. These teams are
given authority and responsibility to manage their own tasks, set goals,
allocate work, and often make decisions that would traditionally be
handled by a supervisor.
Key features of self-managed teams:
Autonomy in decision-making
✅ Shared leadership
✅ Collective responsibility for outcomes
✅ Direct communication and collaboration

9. Examples of Self-Managed Teams
1. Software Development (Agile Teams)
Example: A Scrum team in a tech company.
• Developers, testers, and product owners work together to build and iterate on products.
• They decide how to divide tasks, set sprint goals, and conduct reviews without micromanagement.
• The Scrum Master facilitates but does not manage in a top-down way.
2. Manufacturing Teams (Volvo’s Uddevalla Plant)
Example: Volvo’s car assembly plant in Sweden.
• Teams of workers built entire cars, not just specific parts on an assembly line.
• Each team organized its workflow, shared responsibilities, and inspected their work.
• This led to higher quality, job satisfaction, and reduced need for managers.
3. Healthcare Teams (Nursing Units)
Example: Self-managed nursing units in hospitals.
• Nurses work as a team to plan shifts, coordinate patient care, and make decisions about treatment protocols.
• Leadership rotates, and decisions are made collaboratively, reducing bottlenecks.

10. Continuous Improvement Teams
• Continuous Improvement Teams (CITs) are groups of employees who regularly meet
to identify, analyze, and implement improvements in their work processes, products, or
services. These teams are often cross-functional and aim to make incremental, ongoing
improvements rather than big, one-time changes.
• They’re often built on principles like Kaizen (Japanese for "change for better"), Lean, or
Six Sigma.
• 🔑 Key Features of Continuous Improvement Teams
• ✅ Focus on small, incremental changes rather than radical overhauls
✅ Use data-driven analysis to identify problems and measure improvements
✅ Encourage employee participation and ownership of change
✅ Often meet regularly (e.g. weekly or monthly) to discuss ideas and implement
solutions
✅ Sometimes called Quality Circles (especially in manufacturing)

11. Examples of Continuous Improvement Teams
1. Manufacturing: Toyota Production System (Quality Circles)
• Example: Toyota’s Kaizen teams.
• Small groups of frontline workers meet regularly to discuss how to improve processes,
reduce waste, and enhance quality.
• They identify issues (like machine downtime) and develop solutions (e.g. preventive
maintenance).
• 2. Healthcare: Lean Healthcare Teams
• Example: A hospital’s patient flow improvement team.
• Nurses, doctors, and administrative staff form a team to analyze patient discharge delays.
• They map the process, identify bottlenecks, and suggest improvements like better
communication between departments.

12. • 3. IT: DevOps Teams
• Example: A software development team practicing continuous integration.
• Developers, testers, and operations staff regularly review processes (e.g. code deployment) and refine them
for faster, more reliable releases.
• They run retrospectives (Agile) to discuss what went well and what could be improved.
• 4. Retail: Customer Service Improvement Teams
• Example: A call center’s quality improvement team.
• Agents, supervisors, and analysts meet monthly to review call metrics, customer feedback, and process gaps.
• They propose changes (e.g. new scripts, training modules) and monitor results.
• 5. Logistics: Supply Chain Optimization Teams
• Example: A shipping company’s warehouse team.
• Warehouse workers and supervisors form a team to reduce picking errors and delays.
• They analyze data, redesign workflows, and implement barcode scanning.

13. Leadership Team
• A leadership team is a group of senior managers, executives, or leaders
who collectively guide the strategic direction and overall leadership of
an organization or department. Unlike self-managed or continuous
improvement teams, leadership teams typically have formal
authority over key decisions, resources, and strategic initiatives.
• These teams are responsible for:
✅ Setting goals and vision
✅ Allocating resources
✅ Overseeing organizational performance
✅ Managing change and risk
✅ Supporting and developing staff

14. • 1. Corporate Executive Teams
• Example: A company’s C-suite (CEO, CFO, COO, CTO).
• They meet regularly to review financial performance, approve strategic plans, and make decisions about
investments, mergers, or new product launches.
• For example, Apple’s executive team shapes product strategy, financial health, and brand vision.
• 2. University Leadership Teams
• Example: A university’s Academic Leadership Team.
• Composed of the Vice Chancellor, Deans, Registrar, and key department heads.
• They oversee academic standards, research agendas, student success initiatives, and strategic planning.
• 3. Healthcare Leadership Teams
• Example: A hospital’s Senior Management Team.
• Includes the Chief Medical Officer, Chief Nursing Officer, CFO, and department heads.
• They set hospital policies, manage budgets, and lead quality improvement efforts.