Characteristics of an Effective Team

There are eight following characteristics of effective teams:

1. The team must have Clear Goals: Avoid fuzzy, motherhood statements. Team goals should call for a specific performance objective, expressed so concisely that everyone knows when the objective has been met.

2. A team must have a results-driven structure: The team should be allowed to operate in a manner that produces results. It is often best to allow the team to develop the structure.

3. A team must have competent team members: In the education setting this can be taken to mean that the problem given to the team should be one that the members can tackle given their level of knowledge.

4. The team must have a unified commitment: It doesn’t mean that the team members must agree on everything. It means that all individuals must be directing their efforts towards the goal. If an individual’s efforts are going purely towards personal goals, then the team will confront this and resolve the problem.

5. The team must have a collaborative climate: It is a climate of trust produced by honest, open, consistent and respectful behaviour. With this climate teams perform well…without it, they fail.

6. The team must have High Standards that are understood by all: Team members must know what is expected of them individually and collectively. Vague statements such as – “positive attitude” and “demonstrated effort” are not good enough.

7. A team must receive external support and encouragement: Encouragement and praise work just as well in motivating teams as it does with individuals.
8. A team must have principled leadership: Teams usually need someone to lead the effort. Teams members must know that the team leader has the position because they have good leadership skills and they’re working for the good of the team.