RESEARCH FOCUS -
BUILDING VIRTUAL TEAMS
Team Attributes
A good team can be very beneficial to the success of
the organisation. It will initiate, contribute support and complete vital
tasks. In order to work effectively, teams need to be developed in ways
which the team members can work together efficiently. To achieve this,
teams must possess a number of attributes in their working approaches,
such as those shown in the Figure below.
Sample Significant Attributes of
Project Teams
Attributes
|
Defined
|
Examples
|
|
Organisation
|
|
|
|
Authority
|
The
amount of autonomy and responsibility provided to leaders
|
Empowerment
Discussions
|
|
Management
Style
|
The
general approach used to supervise teams
|
Close/Remote,
Traditional/Fads
|
|
Standards
|
Formal
processes which are required to be used under given circumstances
|
Professional,
Organisation
|
|
Structure
|
The
way a project is grouped into teams, roles and leaders
|
IT,
HR, Reporting, Financial, Project
|
|
Leadership
|
|
|
|
Decision
Making
|
The
approach used to make difficult, or complex decisions
|
Discussions,
Advice, Delegation, Timing
|
|
Delegation
|
The
amount of initiative allowed to teams and the way in which it is
provided
|
Control,
Tolerance, Empowerment
|
|
Expectations
Management |
Providing
a clear indication of what is required and its outcomes
|
Providing
clear goals, Discussing concerns
|
|
Motivation
|
Techniques
used to ensure teams work together effectively
|
Discussions,
Praise, Reasoning, Blame
|
|
Reliability
|
Providing
consistent management, when needed
|
Consistent
decisions, Availability
|
|
Vision
|
Providing
a clear view of the project, its future and outcomes
|
Expression,
knowledge of scope
|
|
Team
Spirit
|
|
|
|
Folk
Lore
|
Commonly
accepted tales of good, and bad, relating to known individuals and
groups
|
Meeting
deadlines, Persuading others
|
|
Rewards
|
Formal
acknowledgement and celebrations for knowledge and achievements
|
Achieving
targets, Payments
|
|
Rituals
|
Common
methods and events, regularly used
|
Reports,
Systems
|
|
Symbols
|
Common
objects and statements which all team members can relate to
|
Mission
Statements, Logos, Gifts
|
|
Education
|
|
|
|
Experience
|
Knowledge
and awareness gained at work
|
Time
served
|
|
Knowledge
improvement
|
Systematic
improvement to understanding of work and related areas
|
Training,
coaching, mentoring, briefing
|
|
Qualifications
|
Officially
recognised levels of skill, and knowledge
|
Academic,
Professional
|
There is a need to develop effective project teams,
with appropriate characteristics, which can efficiently undertake all of
the tasks required of them. The processes of establishing and operating
projects, including the building and development of various types of
traditional, co-located, project teams and their problems have been
extensively covered in other articles on the subject |
