Organizations have important goals and objectives that they should achieve within a stipulated period. These aspects can be either short-or long-term, depending on the expected time for their achievement. Many businesses have the ultimate goal of increasing revenue and profitability at a low production cost. For the goals to be achieved, the executives should design and implement proper structures and have adequate resources. Human capital is critical in the process. The most crucial step for the leaders is to ensure that they have functional teams, which work towards the goals and objectives. Although individual employees are important for organizational success, leaders with the ability to use effective teams realize their goals faster and successfully.
The Characteristics and Structure of Successful Teams
Teams are critical in the achievement of organizational goals and objectives. However, not all groups are effective, explaining the need to understand the characteristics of successful teams. Teams should have an ideal size and membership depending on the goals. They should also have the right mix of talents and skills. They should demonstrate a clear purpose where each member understands the goals and roles (Katzenbach & Smith, 2015). Open communication and respect for diversity should be evident. Teams should be accountable and fair in decision-making. Members should be involved in decision-making while being accountable to each other, such as to complete tasks on time. Creativity and innovation also define effective teams.
The Importance of Independent Teams
Companies are using independent teams to pursue their objectives through group interactions. Autonomous groups work separately but contributing to the overall goals of an organization. Through independent teams, the management can divide tasks to capitalize on resources, including finances, people, and time. Such units also develop interpersonal and working relationships that lead to cohesiveness while pursuing team goals (Katzenbach & Smith, 2015). Leaders also minimize conflict and create positive working relationships.
Factors to Consider when Leading Teams within Various Levels of Organization
A leader should consider critical factors when leading teams at various organizational levels. One of the factors is the purpose of each group concerning the overall organizational goals. The objectives of each team should align with those of the company. Strong leadership is another critical factor because it determines the success of each team and the contribution to the overall goal (Katzenbach & Smith, 2015). Diversity is also a major aspect when leading different teams. The leader should understand the nature of diversity and the role it plays in the success of each team and the organization.
Factors that should be Considered when Leading Teams at the Executive Level
Research reveals some factors that should be in place for successful teams. The first aspect is the need to satisfy all internal and external clients (Rupert, Blomme, Dragt, & Jehn, 2016). The second feature is the need to identify with the group and be satisfied to be a part of it. The third factor is developing a team culture that will enhance the performance of members. The five conditions that must be met for effective teams are having a “real” team; having a structure for success; and having spelled goals and aspirations. Teams should have a clear vision and goals, as well as the roadmap towards their realization.
Essential Aspects in Identifying Appropriate Members for Teams
Leaders should understand the essential factors in identifying the right members of a team. One of the aspects is the purpose of a team to ensure that the right members are selected in terms of talents, skills, and qualifications. Choosing a suitable team is also essential and depends on the value of diversity and inclusiveness (O’Sullivan, Moneypenny, & McKimm, 2015). Another critical aspect is communicating the goals, vision, and purpose of the team. Communication and agreement from the beginning determine the potential for the successful launch of the team.
Factors for Ongoing Team Dynamics
Various factors determine the success of team dynamics as members proceed towards meeting their goals and objectives. They may include open communication; clear purpose, roles, and responsibilities; effective leadership; goal clarity, team empowerment; and reward and accountability system (Katzenbach & Smith, 2015). The leaders should recognize and celebrate little successes moving forward to a major achievement. They should communicate the evaluation process and ensure that all members understand the procedure. Members should appreciate the nature of the information collected for the evaluation process. Appraisal of performance and productivity reveals the progress towards achieving objectives.
Compassion in Leadership
Compassion is vital for leaders to empower their subordinates to honor diversity and support equality. Since members of the team will be working together, they should respect each other’s differences and work towards a shared vision and goal. Leaders should have an exceptional desire to serve others. They ought to have the empathy to inspire knowledge and understanding between members to ensure that they respect each other as they work together (Katzenbach & Smith, 2015). Compassion can create organizational ownership among members of the team.
Conclusion
Leading the teams in an organization is important because of their role in working towards common goals and objectives. Therefore, leaders should create and maintain effective teams to work together. They should understand the factors that create and sustain functional teams to achieve positive results.