Team talk

Michael Winner said that 'team effort is a lot of people doing what I say.'

However, we are all familiar with other mantras like Together Everyone Achieves More and there is no 'I' in 'team' and so on.

So, what is the truth about the effectiveness of the popular idea of team-working?

Is the decision-making of a group better than that of a talented individual?

Are 'two heads are better than one' or do 'too many cooks' lead to conflict and rivalry?

As usual, reality lies somewhere in the middle. Team effectiveness depends on the skills and talents of the contributing individuals, the kind of task being addressed and the level of managerial support and leadership.

Small teams (five to 12 people) are generally more effective than large ones which are more difficult to manage and tend to have more conflicts. A well structured and appropriately managed team can have significant benefits, for the individuals as well as the organisation: