Teamwork

Teamwork is the collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in an effective and efficient way.

[3][1] The four[clarification needed] key characteristics of a team include a shared goal, interdependence, boundedness, stability, the ability to manage their own work and internal process, and operate in a bigger social system.

[4] Teams need to be able to leverage resources to be productive (i.e. playing fields or meeting spaces, scheduled times for planning, guidance from coaches or supervisors, support from the organization, etc.

In each of these settings, the level of teamwork and interdependence can vary from low (e.g. golf, track and field), to intermediate (e.g. baseball, football), to high (e.g. basketball, soccer), depending on the amount of communication, interaction, and collaboration present between team members.

The Oxford English Dictionary records the use of "team-work" in the context of a team of draught animals as early as 1800.

[6] Even though collaborative work among groups of individuals is very prominent today, that was not the case over half a century ago.[timeframe?]

After organizations recognized the value of teamwork and the positive effects it had on companies, entire fields of work shifted from the typical assembly line to the contemporary High Performance Organizational Model.

Members must be able to effectively communicate with each other to overcome obstacles, resolve conflict, and avoid confusion.

To measure if the teamwork was effective, the organization must examine the quality of the output, the process, and the members' experience.

[19] Promoting a sense of community among the team members through efforts such as group events also contributes to the enhancement of teamwork.

Leaders are responsible for inspiring and motivating teams to facilitate the alignment of their objectives with those of the organization.