Worksheet for Deciding Whether to Create a Team

INSTRUCTIONS

Use this worksheet to decide whether the conditions you face indicate that you need to create a team. For
each statement below, place a check mark in either the “Not at all,” “Somewhat,” or “To a great extent” box.

Rating: NA = “Not at all”; S = “Somewhat”; GE = “Great Extent”

NA S GE

Part I. Assess the work’s complexity

The work will require processing large volumes of information.

There is high uncertainty associated with the work.

The work involves numerous subtasks, each of which requires specialized skills or knowledge.

There are no standardized procedures for completing the work.

Part II. Assess the work’s interdependence

The work can be completed only if multiple individuals collaborate.

Each team member must bring different specialized skills or knowledge to the effort.

Part III. Assess the work’s uniqueness

The work is non-routine and represents a unique challenge.

The work has a limited duration (suggesting a project team).

The work will present a recurring challenge (suggesting a self-directed work team).

Part IV. Review your responses

Look over your responses in Parts I-III.

• If you answered “Not at all” for many of the statements, you may not need a team to handle this
particular job.
• If you answered “Somewhat” for many of the statements, you might consider creating a team.
• If you answered “To a great extent” for many of the statements, you can feel confident that
creating a team is the right thing to do.

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