Team effectiveness: what is it?

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Team effectiveness refers to the system that enables people in a company or institution to work together effectively. The idea behind it is that a group of people working together can achieve much more than if the individuals in the team worked alone. A team’s effectiveness is determined by a number of factors.

A team’s effectiveness depends in part on bringing together people with different skillsets who complement each other in some way. This may include different technical skills or communication skills. Indeed, the collaboration of people who share the exact same characteristics is often a recipe for disaster. Team effectiveness depends on people taking on different roles in a group setting. If there is no agreement on who does what in the group, the team is unlikely to thrive.

The interest that the group has in the project also strongly influences its effectiveness. If the work is too easy or too difficult, or if the rewards for achieving the end result don’t seem worth it, the team may end up half working. The activity should also have a clear result. Working towards a specific goal significantly improves a team’s effectiveness.

The ability to resolve conflicts without compromising project quality is also important. Teamwork has one major downfall: Sometimes teams end up making decisions they know aren’t in the best interests of the project, just so they can keep the process moving. Conflict is innate to any team work and should be taken as part of the challenge rather than something to be avoided by compromising.

One way to improve team effectiveness is to agree on a code of conduct upfront. When conflicts arise, it’s important to know how to deal with them. Teams should decide what is and isn’t allowed, how the team will deal with disagreements, and whether open discussion will be fostered or whether the group will vote on major decisions. Knowing what to expect and having the plan will make the teamwork process much easier.

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