Ten characteristics of a successful team

Ever wondered if your team is susccessful or not?There exists a big difference between "groups" and "teams" with respect to the workplace environment.

I pointed out that the internal dynamics of a group are different from those under which a team operates.

Managers and supervisors must therefore understand these differences if they hope to oversee effective and productive teams where tasks and roles are completed with expected results.

Since that article, I have received several calls from people who identified themselves as young and ambitious managers, all of whom wanted to know whether they were supervising effective teams or groups.

So, what constitutes an effective team? How can a supervisor or manager determine the effectiveness of the team?

There are over 10 characteristics that describe an effective team. And a successful team must have more than five of them to qualify as effective.

Clear purpose

First and foremost, the team must have a clear purpose. This means the vision; mission, goals and objectives are clearly defined and shared by all members of the team. These outline the purpose of the team, which is translated into a plan of action to guide the team.

Once the plan of action is in place, each member must understand their role and work assignments. In all effective teams, roles and tasks are fairly distributed among members and clear expectations spelt out. Remember, it is these individual tasks that eventually define the work of the team.

Successful teams do not concentrate power and authority in the hands of one individual. The team might have a mutually accepted mentor, but effective teams have fluid leadership, where functions shift depending on circumstances, such as changing needs of the team and different skills of the members.

Decisions in all successful teams are reached through consensus and compromise. The best and most acceptable decisions are taken by considering all the viewpoints of the team members.

Listening to each other is, therefore, a critical characteristic of a successful team. Besides considering all the viewpoints and issues raised by the team members, all questions and doubts are also addressed and steps of actions mutually agreed.

Effective teams operate openly, with no hidden agenda. Members are encouraged to express their feelings over their roles and tasks, in addition to the challenges they face carrying out their duties. Members also express their frustrations without fear of being victimised.

Members’ success

Successful teams also show commitment and place great value on each member. The team takes pride in the success of its members, as well as the accomplishments of the grouping.

Effective teams also have an internal mechanism to rationally and proactively handle conflict. They don’t avoid or suppress it. Disagreements and positive dissent are tolerated and addressed to the satisfaction of the members.

The bottom line among successful teams is to cultivate trust among the members..

Dealing with love in the Work place

Published on 13/02/2010

By John Kariuki

When Cupid struck in the workplace a century ago, many bosses would bungle the fun. Often, the woman was forced to quit or take a transfer.

But as we celebrate this year’s Valentine’s Day, it is noteworthy that the rules of the game have changed.. Dealing with love in the workpace



There are more women now in the upper management ranks, and corporate romance is booming between them and men in positions of authority.

But the modern workplace, like the killing fields of the last century, is still largely unprepared or unwilling to establish love and romance guidelines.

So what do you do when love blossoms in the workplace? The following are some tips on coping with such an eventuality:

Take control

Decide whether or not you will have a romantic relationship in the office when the early signals start coming. If you wait until you are involved, it will be too difficult to extricate yourself without drawing attention to you. And while we are at it, never have a relationship with a person to whom you report to directly. It always ends in disaster for both of you. If you really must have an office fling, move elsewhere.

Shun office romances

If you decide that you will not get involved in an office romance, make it clear to the other party. One way of warding off unwarranted attention is by getting more serious as they get more flirtatious. And if the situation starts getting out of hand, dismiss him or her dramatically, in front of the boss. To discourage a romantic relationship developing, start talking about a current boyfriend or girlfriend, a spouse or an ex — even if they are all imaginary.

Outsource lovers

HR experts suggest that if you must have a relationship with someone in your company, then he or she should in a different unit or department, lest he or she influences your output and overall perception of the job. Do not have an affair with a married colleague.

Keep it quiet

Your supervisor or boss may not like the relationship, and may begin finding fault with your work. Chances are that he or she might feel that the affair is taking the place of work, and they are trying to put this across to you. When in love, people feel great. Unfortunately, your colleagues will not be blind to this fact, and may find your happiness offensive. Consider keeping your relationship secret until you see how serious it is going to be.

minimise disruption

Even if you have an office romance, make sure that the corporation sees you putting in quality time in your work. Don’t leave a trail of your love antics everywhere. Resist all temptations of wandering the workplace just to get a glimpse of your lover.

Finally both men and women should understand that there are two elements to career success. One is your actual performance and the other is how you are perceived. A flirtatious person who is not having an affair may incur harsher judgment than a discreet operator who is quietly dating nearly every warm blooded person in sight. Be totally professional at all times. .