Part 1
Team Effectiveness
In this first section of the book, we examine what effective teamwork means. The first chapter looks at what is required for effective teamwork, identifying two themes that run through the book. These are team task functioning and team socio-emotional climate. The chapter explains how effective teams take time to review their performance in these areas and to adapt accordingly. Ensuring the team is functioning well both as a task group and as a social group is vital to ensuring team effectiveness. Reflecting on these areas of teamwork regularly and making changes in objectives, strategies and team processes as necessary are vital for the long-term effectiveness of the team.
The second chapter focuses on the research evidence about whether teams work or not. Are teams effective in getting work done and does teamwork in organizations lead to improved organizational performance? Effectiveness includes the well-being and development of team members as well as the level of innovation in the team. The chapter reviews the research on the problems of team working to show the circumstances in which teams perform badly. However, the chapter also shows that teams outperform the aggregate of individuals working alone and are essential for the performance of many tasks in organizations. The key is knowing how to create the conditions for teams to work effectively – the subject of this book.
