Team

A team is a group of individuals who work together to achieve shared objectives. Teams differ from informal groups in that their members’ tasks are interdependent and they share responsibility for a joint outcome.

Teams vary in size and composition. Common types include cross-functional teams, which bring together diverse skills; project teams formed for a specific goal; self-managed teams that operate without direct supervision; and virtual teams that collaborate remotely. Roles within teams may include a leader or facilitator, subject-matter experts, coordinators, and evaluators, with responsibilities and authority distributed to support performance.

Effective teams establish clear goals, norms, and decision-making processes. They rely on regular communication, psychological safety, trust, and mutual accountability. Conflict is expected but managed constructively. Team performance benefits from diverse skills, well-defined workflows, and shared mental models that align efforts and reduce redundancy. The stages of development—forming, storming, norming, and performing—describe typical transitions as members learn to collaborate.

Performance is evaluated by outcomes and health indicators, including quality and timeliness of results, stakeholder satisfaction, and team morale and retention. Leaders and organizations support teams by providing resources, removing obstacles, coaching, and aligning incentives with collective goals. In practice, team effectiveness depends on leadership approach, communication practices, and a culture that values collaboration.