Effective Workplace Teams

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EFFECTIVE WORKPLACE TEAMS

A team is a group of people working as an organisation. Teams can be of varying sizes, working independently or inter-linked within other teams.

All work organisations operate more effectively as a team. Each person's role can be treated as individual but ultimately will be more successful when integrated with others. It is imperative that there is good communication between all parties, acceptance of diversity and harmonious unity.

Some key elements that make a good team are:-

Having a clear and shared vision of growth and development

Common goals, strategies and tactics

Effective feedback

Ongoing evaluation

A team is a group of links and within these links there will invariably be a weak link. It is therefore important to pool all your resources into this area in order to make this link stronger. It will ultimately result in the success of the task. This is outlined in both 'Goldratt's Theory of The Critical Chain' and 'Walt Disney's Strategies of Genius'.

Goldratt suggests that a series of processes are necessary for every project. These can be thought of as a 'critical' chain of events that stretch from point A, the start of the process, to point B, the end of the process. Goldratt identifies that the speed or effectiveness of the project will always be dictated by the weakest link (also known as the bottle neck or log jam). Goldratt points out that the mistake many people make is trying to do better what they already do well, when this will in fact have no effect of the speed or effectiveness of the process, which can only operate as fast or effectively as the weakest link.

Class Handout - Goldratt, E, Dr (1997). "The Critical Chain", North River Press

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