TEAMS:

“There is no “I” in TEAM, but if you look carefully there is a “ME”…”

Types of teams:

Many different types of teams exist in organizations today. Some evolved naturally in
organizations that permit various types of participative and empowering management programs.
Others have been formally created at the suggestion of enlightened management.

Autonomous teams:

Individuals from different functional areas are formally assigned to (and often located with) the
project team. The project leader is an influential member in the organization, and has complete
control over the responsibilities of team members. The team that is most likely to produce a
genuine innovation like the personal computer 15 years ago is probably an autonomous team.

The major benefit of this structure is its focus on results. The team is dedicated to making the
project successful, so it will likely develop products or processes quickly and efficiently. The
disadvantage is that the team can be isolated from the traditional organization, so its solutions
can be difficult to sell to the rest of the organization.
Global team:

Virtual ->functional->problem solving->cross functional->self managed-> Virtual

# Virtual Teams

Teams that use computer technology to tie together physically dispersed members in order to
achieve a common goal.

# Functional teams

Members work within in their principal function or discipline. Primary responsibility for the
project passes is the manager of the functional team whose team members report to the manager.
The strengths of this structure are that people work in their area of specialization, facilitating
technical excellence, and that the manager is more aware of the project tasks. The weakness is
that the specialists often lack breadth and use the same "best" solution over and over. 
# Problem-Solving Teams

Groups of 5 to 12 employees from the same department who meet for a few hours each week to
discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment.

# Cross-Functional Teams

Employees from about the same hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come
together to accomplish a task.

A project manager works with a liaison from each function (e.g., engineering, marketing, etc.) to
determine member responsibilities and coordinate team activities. An example is a team
organized to review a company's web design, with members from each department told they are
responsible for representing department interests and that they must attend team meetings.

The strength of this structure is that there is an overseeing manager to ensure that tasks are
completed, so there is better communication and coordination than with a functional team. The
weakness is that members are still under the control of their own rather than the project manager,
so they are probably not as focused as they should be on the team goals.

• Task forces

• Committees

# Self-Managed Work Teams

Groups of 10 to 15 people who take on the responsibilities of their former supervisors.