In the last post we saw the importance of working as a TEAM. Let us dwell further on the concept of a TEAM & try to find the reasons behind dramatic successes of those
working in teams as against those who don’t.
Is it just a coincidence that T.E.A.M. spells as Together Everyone Achieves More? It may very well be, but that doesn’t underscore the fact that not only the abbreviation, but most facets of the word ‘team’ spell success. However even this strong reputation is not able to lead all teams to success. If ‘teams’ are supposed to be the great answer to collective well being, it is a real surprise to see them fail. Let us examine the reasons:
The word team has many definitions. Without getting into the details most of the definitions can be divided into two broad lines of thinking:
1. A team is a group of people with a common goal
2. A team is a group of people working together
It is observed that the group leader normally adheres to the first definition, while the
individuals in the group subscribe to the second definition. Herein lies the catch!
When a group of people have a ‘common goal’, they will work towards achieving the goal. In contrast if a group of people ‘work together’ but do not have a ‘common goal’, they work for the achievement of their own goals, often in conflict with the intended goals of the group.
In hindsight it is only too easy to realise that teams that succeed are made of groups of people who work with a ‘common goal’ as against the teams that fail, which are essentially built of people merely ‘working together’.
This small disconnect between the understanding of the team leader & the perception of his team members about something as simple as the meaning of a word is big enough to cause disaster. More on this later.
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