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Teamwork

 October 5, 2004

"Have you stopped to think, 'why teams in the first place?' Fundamentally, there are three primary reasons why individuals band together.  First, to prove the strength of mutual support.  There is strength in numbers; and, whether it's in platoons, work teams, tribes, neighborhoods, or nations, individuals seem to realize that the odds of survival and success increase when they're part of a group.

In addition to protection, mutual support enables a joint effort that provides the power needed to do work projects that are too large to be done by one person.  Remember how our ancestors teamed up to raise heavy beams and stones to build houses, barns, and bridges.

Also, there is the issue of companionship.  Generally, people want to be part of a community.  We all have some innate needs for friendship and a sense of belonging, so we tend to form associations with others to meet our social needs; and, many of these are met through our relationships at work.

Teams also provide us the opportunity to gain efficiency and effectiveness through a division of labor.  By banding together, a group of individuals can blend an assortment of unique individual talents and skills to achieve what would not be possible working alone (Ellis, 2003, p. 151)."

Reference:  Ellis L. (2003).  Leading talents, leading team: aligning people, passions, and positions for maximum performance.  Chicago: Northfield Publishing.

Are your teams formed for the three primary reasons?

 Leading Talent, Leading Teams is available on loan from the Ohio State University Leadership Center.  A complete listing of all the Leadership Center's resources is available on our website http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu/

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Created: 2008-04-02, Updated: 2009-10-29