To understand what teamwork means, consider your favorite rock band, which consists of individuals with a variety of skills and experiences that complement one another and function cohesively toward a shared goal of delivering great music. Contrast, for example, a band with enduring popularity such as U2 to any number of ‘supergroups’–instances where already famous musicians form a band–which have imploded under their own weight.
Whether it’s a rock band or a software design team, in nearly all instances the most successful teams comprise members that:
- Possess an unwavering focus on a common goal
- Talk openly with each other and regularly assess and enhance plans of how they work together
- Share responsibility for responding to current and new challenges and opportunities
- Embrace holding each other accountable for agreed actions and outcomes
- Make time to evaluate the combined outcomes and impact of their efforts
In some workplaces, there can often be a lack of clarity or agreement between people as to whether they are part of a team or a workgroup. While teams and workgroups admittedly have some things in common, there are also notable distinctions.
Workgroups, in contrast to teams, emphasize individual products and outcomes versus collective efforts.
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