The Importance of Team Development
As organizations become flatter and more dispersed, the ability to work effectively in teams is more critical than ever. Employees now collaborate across diverse backgrounds, experience levels, and functions—often in both temporary and permanent teams. Despite this, teamwork is rarely emphasized as a core competency in job descriptions. It’s often listed as a secondary requirement, if at all. Yet, non-technical skills like teamwork, a positive attitude, continuous learning, and innovation are increasingly essential. Among these, teamwork stands out as a lasting and indispensable skill in today’s dynamic workplace.
Why Team Development Matters
Working in teams doesn’t always come naturally. Most job descriptions focus on individual tasks and KPIs, conditioning employees to work independently rather than collaboratively. As a result, we cannot assume that people will naturally function well in teams.
This is why team development is not just important—it’s a smart investment. It builds the skills and mindset required to shift from individual contribution to collective performance.
The Two Dimensions of Teamwork
Effective teamwork has two dimensions:
- Task Function: The work the team must complete—such as delivering services or producing goods.
- Maintenance Function: Often overlooked, this refers to team relationships, conflict resolution, communication, and cohesion.
Even teams filled with technically skilled individuals can break down if the maintenance function is ignored. Unfortunately, it is typically addressed only after a crisis—often when it’s too late.
Understanding Team Roles
Team members naturally adopt different roles—consciously or unconsciously. A useful analogy: imagine sitting around a campfire after being shipwrecked. One person might suggest scouting the island, another might start a debate on priorities like survival or rescue.
These are team roles. Each person tends to contribute in a preferred way. Understanding these preferences leads to more effective teamwork and sustainable behavior.
Our Team Management Program
At WINNERS-at-WORK, our Team Management Program focuses on strengthening the maintenance side of teamwork.
We use a 60-item profile questionnaire to assess each person’s work preferences. Participants receive a personalized report outlining their primary and two related team roles. Reports can be delivered as a printed, professionally bound version or instantly via our e-Profile system.
This individual data then informs a team profile, offering insight into how the group can work better together.
Team Development in Action
We bring your team together and use the profiles to achieve three core objectives:
- Help individuals understand how they prefer to contribute in a team.
- Foster appreciation for the diverse strengths within the group.
- Establish a shared process for achieving team tasks and goals.
Our Team Development Program can typically be delivered in one day. What sets us apart is our facilitative approach—we guide teams to identify their strengths, uncover blind spots, and take ownership of their development journey.