How can you define a 'team'? At the surface, it may simply refer to a group of people working together to achieve a common goal, too complex for an individual to attain on his own. But is this all there is to it? Moreover, every team is not the same in efficiency or effectiveness... So, what are the secrets to the dynamics of a successful team?
The above figure gives us a basic idea of the functioning of an efficacious team. In this schematic illustration, the various sub-groups with their leaders are connected by a communicative interface overseen by an overall team director, represented in red. So, the parameters affecting the performance of a team can be summed up and expressed as a combination of three factors, viz. the importance of the individual, communication and leadership.
Firstly, the success of a team is literally the aggregate of the success of the individuals constituting the team; its flair is a sum-total of the pooled-in talents of its members. So, if you needed to build a team, how would you make the right pick? An age-old quotation states that the majority of the people in this world are reasonable, who try to adapt themselves to this world, while a minor fraction is unreasonable, and who try to adapt the world to themselves. But guess what? All the progress that has ever occurred has been brought about by the latter! Therein lays the significance of the individual, who ought to have an independent and powerful voice, which must not be drowned out in the shadow of others' opinions, in order to make a measurable contribution to the collective effort of the team.
The second aspect of team-performance is communication, which refers to the exchange of vital information in a concise and informative manner. Just as a word of caution, this term should not be confused with conversation which, as opposed to communication, refers to idle chatter with no sizable output. Communication helps everyone to keep the bigger picture in mind, by facilitating the visualization of how the achievement of individual targets comes together to achieve the final goal. Decisions and modifications to the original plan can be made accordingly, other than maintaining a healthy and motivated work environment.
The last but perhaps the most important aspect of the dynamics of a team, is the role of its leader, who must be sufficiently autarchic, wieldy and influential in his own right to become a person to reckon with. He must take on responsibility and forge a bond of friendship and professionalism between all the team members to transform the fine threads connecting them into a mighty fabric. He must act as a guide when necessary and must not have a bulldozing attitude towards his team. He must have the vision to open the doors to infinite possibilities, thereby keeping his team encouraged at all times.
Ending this article with a personal take on this issue, I've always believed that a team should only be formed when the task at hand is too massive for the individual to comprehend or undertake as otherwise too many cooks may spoil the broth. But when a team does get formed, one should always try to be at its helm, by inculcating the qualities discussed above, and dictating the concerning terms and conditions, hence not surrendering his fate to others, and getting the most out of the impending challenge, thereby paving the way to personal satisfaction and happiness!
