Matching Team To Task

Matching Team To Task. 

There are numerous types of team, formal and informal, each suited to fulfilling particular tasks. Team leaders need to understand the objectives and goals of their team clearly in order to match tasks to the most appropriate style of team.
  

There are 6 tips matching team to task :

1. Decide early on what style of team is appropriate for your objectives. 
2. Try to form strong bonds with other team members of formal or informal teams.
3. Find a sponsor — a senior individual who can promote the team’s work. 
4. Remind members that they are all team participants.
5. Fix goals that are measurable to keep your team focused.
6. Make use of the great power of friendship to strengthen a team. 

FORMAL TEAMS

Formal teams are fundamental to an organization — whether internal audit units or supermarket counter staff. They are often permanent, carry out repetitive work, and have a defined mandate:

• Cross-functional executive teams exist at director level to pool high levels of expertise;

• Cross-functional teams at all levels pool their knowledge to solve problems and run projects;

• Business teams at all levels of an organization place people with similar expertise in long-term teams to oversee specific projects;

• Formal support teams provide internal expert administrative backup in their own fields.

INFORMAL TEAMS

Casual groupings of people come together to work on an informal basis throughout all organizations. Informal teams can be formed on an ad hoc basis to deal with many needs:

• Temporary project teams stay together for the duration of a specific task;

• Change teams discuss strategy or troubleshoot when a particular, one-time problem occurs;

• “Hot groups” brainstorm creative projects while retaining autonomy and spontaneity;

• Temporary task forces deal informally with specific short-term tasks and issues.

TEAM FUNCTIONS: This diagram shows how teams can function at all levels within an organization The colors represent the various departments, which have traditionally worked separately form each other. Many organizations now ‘tic rage depart meats at all levels to work closely together to pool their expertise. Cross-functional executive team heads organization; Business teams utilize expertise in particular fields; Cross-functional teams can exist at any level in a company, forming a permanent part of its structure; “Hot groups” come together temporarily to tackle creative tasks; Formal support teams provide backup services; Change teams discuss strategy off site; Project team deals with specific issues; Finance team forms temporary task force.

POINTS TO REMEMBER :

• A team member is still an individual and should always be treated as such.

• Cross-functional teams offer people the chance to learn about the roles and work of others.

• Interdepartmental teams break down costly barriers.

• Formal teams sometimes need informal elements to stimulate and refresh their work.

• Teams cease to be teams if one member becomes dominant.

• All team members should make sure that they are working toward the same goals.

Matching Types of Teams to Certain Tasks

TYPES OF TEAM	TASKS AND CHARACTERISTICS
EXECUTIVE TEAM A cross-functional group headed by chief executive. Members chosen by role; for example, finance director.	• Manages organization or divisional operation on day- to-day basis. Meets regularly, with agenda and minutes. • Depends on information from lower levels. If badly controlled, can be forum for personality battles.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM A multidisciplinary, inter-departmental team, found at any level in an organization.	• Removes obstacles to exchange of ideas in a variety of specific tasks — for example, a new product launch. • Team members bring their different areas of expertise and skill to a problem or task.
BUSINESS TEAM A group of people in charge of the long-term running of a project or unit within their organization.	• Runs a unit and optimizes its results. • Depends on the leader, who may change too often for the group to settle into optimal team-working. Usually subject to fairly close supervision.
FORMAL SUPPORT TEAM A team providing support and services, such as finance, information systems, administration, and staffing.	• Carries heavy load of routine work, such as the postal system, whose efficiency is indispensable for success. • Depends on processes, offering scope for raising productivity by teamwork. Tends to be clannish.
PROJECT TEAM A team selected and kept together for the duration of a project, such as the construction of a new facility.	• Requires a large number of subgroups, subtasks, and detailed planning, plus tight discipline. • Depends on close understanding among members and well-organized work practices.
CHANGE TEAM A group of experts briefed to achieve change. Value depends on collective ability. Sometimes starts off site.	• Influences corporate cultures to achieve radical improvement in results by applying new methods. • Led by believers in change, with a high level of dedication to their organization.
HOT GROUP An autonomous body set apart from the rest of an organization, often in a remote site.	• Concentrates on tasks such as moving into new markets or creating new product programs. • Flexible, independent, and high-achieving groups of people who question assumptions and get fast results.
TEMPORARY TASK FORCE A short-term body set up to study or solve a specific problem or issue and report back to management.	• Establishes new IT systems, removes production bottlenecks, or involves itself in similar tasks, usually working under intense time pressure. • Uses informal processes and generates alternatives.

Thanks for attention.......!!!