Teams That Work
Scott Tannenbaum and Eduardo Salas
18 min
7 Key Points
5 RateWhat's inside?
Discover the seven key factors that make a team successful and learn how to implement them in your own team for improved productivity and effectiveness.
You'll learn
1. What makes a team tick?2. Building a dream team - how?3. Talking the talk in a team.4. Squashing team squabbles.5. The boss's role in a winning team.6. Creating a cool team vibe.Key points
01Good teams have certain things in common that make them work well
Let's talk about what makes a team tick. It's not just about having a bunch of people in the same room, doing the same job. Nope, it's way more than that. A real team is like a well-oiled machine, always ready to perform, bounce back from setbacks, and keep the energy high. Think about a football team. The players might change, and not everyone might be equally passionate about winning. But what matters is how they play throughout the season, how they recover from losses, and how they keep their spirits up. So, what makes a team effective? Scott Tannenbaum and Eduardo Salas suggest it boils down to five key things: capability, cooperation, coordination, communication, and coaching. Capability is all about the skills each team member brings to the table. Imagine a surgical team. Everyone, from the surgeon to the nurses, has a unique set of skills that are crucial for a successful surgery. Cooperation is about the mindset. It's about being ready to work together, support each other, and put the team first. In a business, this could mean helping a teammate meet a deadline, even if it means burning the midnight oil. Coordination is how the team works together. It's about the actions that make the team function like a well-oiled machine. Picture a restaurant kitchen. The chefs, sous chefs, and kitchen staff need to coordinate their actions to ensure meals are prepared and served smoothly. Communication is about sharing information within the team and with others. It could be as simple as a project manager updating the team about a change in plans, or as complex as a global company coordinating efforts across different countries and time zones. And last but not least, coaching or leadership. A good leader can steer a team towards success, while poor leadership can be a roadblock. A sports coach, for example, can motivate the players, plan winning strategies, and manage conflicts within the team. So, in a nutshell, an effective team isn't just about having the right people with the right skills. It's about how those people work together, communicate, and are led. These are the common traits of effective teams, according to Tannenbaum and Salas.
02Having talented people in a team is great, but it doesn't mean the team will be successful. However, a team without talent will struggle
Let's talk about talent in a team setting. It's like a two-sided coin. On one side, you've got task-related abilities. These are the specific skills each team member needs to do their job. Think of a football team. The goalkeeper needs to be agile, have good hand-eye coordination, and be able to predict where the ball is going to go. On the flip side, you've got teamwork-related abilities. These are the skills that help a team work together effectively. We're talking about good communication, the ability to collaborate and compromise, and understanding and respecting what each team member brings to the table. But here's the kicker: having a team full of talented individuals doesn't automatically mean you're going to win the game. Why? Because it's not just about the individual skills, but how those skills are used to get the job done. If your team is lacking in the task-related skills, you've got to address that. Maybe you need to bring in new team members, offer more training, or tweak the task to better fit your team's abilities. But don't think that just adding another superstar to the mix is going to solve all your problems. In fact, having too many superstars can actually hurt your team. These folks might be more focused on their own status in the team rather than the team's overall performance. This can lead to arguments, unhealthy competition, and even sabotage. The importance of teamwork-related skills can also depend on what kind of work your team is doing. If your team needs to work closely together, these skills are super important. But if your team members work more independently, these skills might not be as crucial. That being said, even one toxic team member can bring down the whole team's performance. So, what's the bottom line? Talent is important, but it doesn't guarantee success. The secret sauce is finding the right balance of task-related and teamwork-related skills, and managing the dynamics within the team. As research at NASA has shown, teams that value and practice teamwork tend to perform better. So, remember, it's not just about having the best players, it's about how they play together.
Continue reading with LeapAhead app
Full summary is waiting for you in the app
03To work well, a team needs to have certain attitudes and beliefs about working together
04Teams work best when they're well-coordinated
05Teams that share information quickly and accurately tend to work better
06A good leader can bring all the elements of a successful team together
07Conclusion
About Scott Tannenbaum and Eduardo Salas
Scott Tannenbaum and Eduardo Salas are renowned experts in team science. Tannenbaum, President of The Group for Organizational Effectiveness, has consulted for various organizations. Salas, a Professor of Organizational Psychology at Rice University, is recognized for his extensive research on team training and performance.
