The document defines a team as a group of people working together toward a common goal with shared accountability. Effective teams are characterized by commitment, participation, trust, decision by consensus, flexibility, encouragement, and personal growth. Teams provide advantages to organizations such as opportunities for members to learn from each other, increased communication and flexibility, and greater acceptance of team decisions. However, teams also have disadvantages like some individuals not being suited for teamwork, potential conflicts between members, and decreased individual motivation and flexibility.

1. TEAMS

2. DEFINITION
 TEAM-
A group of persons working together with
mutual accountability toward a single goal

3. CHARACTERISICS OF EFFECTIVE GROUPS
 Commitment
 Participation
 Trust
 Decision by consensus
 Flexibility
 Encouragement
 Support and growth

4. ADVANTAGES OF TEAMS TO THE ORGANIZATION
 TEAM ADVANTAGES
 Team members have the opportunity to learn
from each other.
 Potential exists for greater work force flexibility
with cross-training.
 New approaches to tasks may be discovered.
 Teams membership can provide social
facilitation and support for difficult tasks and
situations.
 Communication and information exchange may
be facilitated and increased.

5. ADVANTAGES CNT’D
 Teams can foster greater cooperation among
team members.
 Potential exists for greater acceptance and
understanding of team-made decisions.
 Team commitment may stimulate
performance and attendance.

6. DISADVANTAGES
 Some individuals are not compatible with
team work.
 Workers must be selected to fit the team as
well as requisite job skills.
 Some members may experience less
motivating jobs as part of a team.
 Conflict may develop between team
members or other teams.

7. DISADVANTAGES
 Teams may be time-consuming due to need
for coordination and consensus.
 Teams can stymie creativity and inhibit good
decision-making if "group think" becomes
prevalent. Evaluation and rewards may be
perceived as less powerful;
 "Free-riding" within the team may occur.
 Less flexibility may be experienced in
personnel replacement or transfer.

8.  Your turn answer to Questions