Team Alchemy – the Chemistry of Successful Teams

Our fast paced, ever changing global community provides opportunities and challenges that are so numerous, widespread and complex that they cannot be met by any single person, discipline or grouping of people. The enhanced capabilities that come from harnessing the power of the collective mind provides the rationale and attraction of teamwork and collaboration as an approach to achieving successful performance in the global community. To turn this potential into reality, our 21st century organisations, communities and societies need people who have the ability to contribute effectively not only as individuals, but also as members of teams, groups and networks of teams. Teamwork and Collaboration – Red Flags In the organisational context, we know that grouping people together in a reporting structure, allocating resources to a project or encouraging people to form a network doesn’t make a team, produce team behaviour or guarantee successful collaborative outcomes. “Some teams work hard, have fun and get the job done. Other teams are miserable and ineffective, despite the fact that all the team members are working twice as hard as normal. Why is this?”1 Research by Beyerlein suggests that failure rates for teams and team implementations can be as high as 90%. Key causes of team failures in organisations are: 1. “Team implementation is imported from elsewhere and not adapted and tailored to the specific needs of the new site. 2. Teams introduced more as a fad rather than as a serious means for improved performance. 3. Teams are adrift as isolated islands of structural change, not linked with other teams and appropriate resources and support. Some teams work hard, have fun and get the job done. Other teams are miserable and ineffective, despite the fact that all the team members are working twice as hard as normal. Why is this