Team Members’ Roles
Webster’s Dictionary defines a team as “a number of persons associated together in work or activity” (Merriam-Webster). At one point or another, most of us have either volunteered or have been selected to participate on a team. Business teams are selected in order to accomplish a specific goal or mission. A team needs to be comprised of members who possess assorted skills and experiences. Based on these skills and experiences, these members will be selected to carry out certain roles in order for the group to progress successfully through the four stages of teams: forming, storming, norming, and performing (De Janasz, p. 315). After the team forms, the members will naturally start to develop into individual roles. As team members gradually become more comfortable with the role they are playing, they will begin to realize the importance of how each action influences and moves the entire team towards success.
Follow the leader was a game most of us played in our childhood. How interesting that the games played in our childhood continue later on in life. “…Teams work only when the basic social skills taught in kindergarten are put into practice. The problem is that many of us all too often need to relearn these basic manners.” (Scott, p. 80). Every child wants to be the line leader and every team needs a leader and those that fulfill the role of followers. Although other critical positions within the team such as the recorder or secretary, subject matter experts, or logistics, are necessary roles, the leader is the most important person on the team. An effective leader with the insight required to hand pick the best and most effective individuals to work on the team will often lead to a smooth running team. Once a leader and supporting roles are identified within the team structure, the next course of action is to develop a team charter.
Team charters are critical documents which lay out the roles and responsibilities of each member of the...