Teamwork Myths

Here are some more teamwork myths to get stuck in to, this time from Jeff Palfini. Do they reflect your team or the complete opposite?

Teams are always good - Managers confronted with a new task should always consider whether pulling together a team will be the most efficient way to complete the task. Sometimes it's faster and less complicated to parcel it out or delegate to one or two people, especially if the task is fairly routine.

Teams should come to a consensus - Time spent trying to reach a consensus on decisions could be better spent acting on the decisions as Jon Katzenbach discusses in his book 'Teams at the Top'. More often than not, the team members who possess the knowledge to make an informed decision should do so individually.

There's no 'I' in team - This old chestnut gets trotted out anytime a manager doesn't want to consider the needs of individuals within a team. But keeping the individual members of the team happy, invested in the task, and excited about their job is the only way a team can be effective. They need to know you have their long-term development in mind too, not just the goals of the team.

You must get along with your teammates - Rodney King's famous rhetorical question (Why can't we all just get along?) was just that. Sometimes your team members' personalities just don't mesh, and this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Conflict actually helps a team stay innovative. Your team members need to respect each other and their respective roles, and follow the team's general code of behaviour; they don't have to go out for pints or stand as godparent for each other's kids.

The more the merrier - Though it seems like adding another pair of eyes, ears, and typing hands to a project is always a positive, teams lose some of their effectiveness when they expand past 12 to 15 members. The larger a team gets, the harder it is to keep members invested, informed, on task and on the same page.

Has Jeff shown you the error of your ways? Or helped you to realise you're a super-duper team? Take a look at our team building ideas and activities to keep on top.