Teams in the Workplace

Teams in the Workplace

Jeff Henderson

GEN 101 - Skills for Lifelong Learning I

Mr. Keys

April 26, 2007

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Teams in the Workplace

Since early times, people have used teams or groups to overcome the weaknesses of individuals. Teamwork involves the collective effort of a group of people who represent diverse backgrounds and experiences. Because of the necessary coordination of learning among team members, teamwork results in organized approaches to the subject at hand. Planning systems enables all team members to contribute to the project as it opens up.

The purpose behind teamwork is to create a product or idea through collective effort that exceeds the quality of any individual effort. A team, often misinterpreted as a group, is composed of three or more individuals who are working together to achieve a common objective. A group becomes a team when members demonstrate a commitment to each other and toward the goal in which they are working.

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English: Team work

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In a team, there is a higher degree of structure and accomplishment than in a group. There are large amounts of evidence that teams can be effective, especially when tasks are difficult and time consuming. It is not always appropriate, however, for work to be done in teams. Many benefits to the organization result when the team is properly employed.

Bringing together a group of individuals who possess a wealth of ideas, perspectives, knowledge, and skills can result in a domino effect through which new ideas can be considered. Working with others allows us to combine our skills and talents with those of others to create new approaches to solving problems. One person who is very creative can lead the process of coming up with ideas; another who is detail-oriented can do the initial...