2005 May | The World According to Me

College coaches must deal with constant turnover among their players, and that’s true for most leaders as well. An organization is not one team but many. Within every successful enterprise, teams are constantly forming, performing, and disbanding as the needs and objectives of the group change. To be successful, you must learn to identify the various teams that are needed within your organization and form them effectively. Here are seven types of teams you will need at various points in your leadership.

1. Problem Solving Team.

A problem solving team is designed to complete a particular task or solve a problem, then disband. Committees naturally become stagnant when they don’t have a clear objective. This team must always be focused on a particular goal and maintains a sense of urgency about reaching the objective. A problem solving team can respond faster than a standing committee, and its members can be selected based on the demands of the task.

2. Specialty Team.

Some assignments require the expertise of people who are competent in a certain field. A specialized team typically goes beyond the work of the problem solving team, assembling experts to deal with challenges at a higher level. Specialized teams may deal with issues that take a year or longer to resolve. These teams usually demand a higher level of commitment from members.

3. Leadership Team.

The senior leaders and governing board of an organization comprise its leadership team. (If you don’t have a leader, you don’t have a team) A leadership team needs someone at the helm. This team functions as the nerve center of the organization, issuing assignments and gathering feedback from others. All organizations have a leadership team because all organizations have leaders. However, not all leadership teams function as a team. When there is conflict in an organization, it can often be traced to the leadership team. Getting the leaders of any group to work together is a primary responsibility of the leader.

4. Mentoring Team.

The title sounds formal, but the team assignment is not. Often, mentoring teams meet informally to discuss one facet of the group’s work. For example, workers in parallel positions may meet once a week for coffee and to discuss common issues, problems, and ideas. While there is no formal agenda, the group functions as a learning lab for the members. Good leaders encourage and sometimes initiate, mentoring teams.

5. Ad Hoc Team.

Ad hoc teams are similar to problem solving teams, but they usually have less authority. Their purpose is to investigate, gather information, and present options to a decision making body. An ad hoc team might be assembled to review the pay patterns for the company. The team would include representatives from all levels of the organization and would present recommendations for action to the organization’s leaders.
6. High-Performance Teams.

High-performance teams are specialized and spontaneous. These teams usually have an ongoing responsibility that calls for creativity and the application of skill. A church in Washington has a high-performance worship team. It meets informally to design upcoming worship services.
Members have a high level of skill and commitment to the task.
High-performance teams are often self-managed.

7. Cross-Training Teams.

Cross-training teams cover address areas where weaknesses have been discovered. These teams are empowered to make decisions on the fly where a delay in the process would prevent reaching important goals.
Cross-training teams are usually interdisciplinary and include decision makers from each area represented.

Getting players to work together is much easier if each one knows his or her role and responsibility. If you carefully define the nature and mission of a team, it will function more effectively. Master the art of team creation, and you will master the art of teamwork.

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