Creating the conditions for team success is so critical that team
structure and design alone accounts for 60 per cent of team effectiveness
(Hackman, 2011). Front-end loading matters, so take the time to set things
up well. No matter how great a house looks on the outside, any reputable
contractor knows that what really counts is the structure—the quality
of both the foundation and the materials. It is the same with a team.
Design the foundational structures well and put the right materials,
or people in this case, in place first. Wageman et al. (2008) found
that in the highest performing leadership teams there were six conditions
for team effectiveness: three essential and three enabling conditions.

Success in business, as well as in life, is directly dependent
on the quality of the people you surround yourself with.
– Phil Hickey, CEO

 

ACTIONS

Make sure your team addresses the three essential conditions:

• You have a real team with clear membership and boundaries.
• There is a compelling purpose to guide the team’s work.
• Your team has the right people with the knowledge, skills, and
• experience to perform the requisite work.

Remember these three important enabling conditions as well:

• A solid team structure of less than 10 members who have a clear set
• of norms / agreements to guide how you can work together.
• A supportive organizational context that provides the information,
• time, and resources to be able to do your work.
• Competent team coaching from an internal or external coach, aimed
• at helping you and your team members grow individually and as a
• team.