Reflections from a team builder

Abstract

Argues that most so‐called teams only need meet for genuinely corporate purposes such as forming a strategic picture or providing one another with support in times of major uncertainty or crisis. The rest of the time they should be getting on with it. Notes the increasing emergence of temporary teams and growing need for facilitator skills. Argues that traditional team meetings are often boring, frustrating and dysfunctional. Adversarial behavior, lack of respect for difference or willingness to face conflict, lack of rigor and discipline and lack of attention to process, obstruct creative strategy formation, problem solving, and personal and organization learning and may ultimately threaten the organization′s survival. Puts forward alternative ways for teams to function and practical suggestions which are more in tune with our time.