Characteristics of a Successful Team

Solution Preview

Please see response attached.

1. Some groups meet their goals, while others fall short of achieving what they set out to accomplish. What are the characteristics of a successful team, i.e., why do some teams succeed while others do not?
Heartfield (n.d.) argue that executives, managers and organization staff members universally explore ways to improve business results and profitability. Many view team-based, horizontal, organization structures as the best design for involving all employees in creating business success. She reports that no matter what you call your team-based improvement effort: continuous improvement, total quality, lean manufacturing or self-directed work teams, you are striving to improve results for customers. Few organizations, however, are totally pleased with the results their team improvement efforts produce. If your team improvement efforts are not living up to your expectations, this self-diagnosing checklist may tell you why. Successful team building, that creates effective, focused work teams, requires attention to each of the following. http://humanresources.about.com/od/involvementteams/a/twelve_tip_team.htm
According to Heartfield (n.d.), successful teams have the following characteristics, which she refers to as 'Twelve Cs for Team Building':
• Clear Expectations: Has executive leadership clearly communicated its expectations for the team's performance and expected outcomes? Do team members understand why the team was created? Is the organization demonstrating constancy of purpose in supporting the team with resources of people, time and money? Does the work of the team receive sufficient emphasis as a priority in terms of the time, discussion, attention and interest directed its way by executive leaders?
• Context: Do team members understand why they are participating on the team? Do they understand how the strategy of using teams will help the organization attain its communicated business goals? Can team members define their team's importance to the accomplishment of corporate goals? Does the team understand where its work fits in the total context of the organization's goals, principles, vision and values?
• Commitment: Do team members want to participate on the team? Do team members feel ...