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Team Dynamics

Team Dynamics and Conflict Resolution
in Work Teams

Teams are groups of people who work together to achieve a common goal (Learning Team Handbook, p 310). Workplace teams are increasing as businesses find the yield of team productivity and creativity exceeds individual productivity/creativity. To promulgate productive teams, businesses have had to identify common threads for successful teams. Businesses have identified the dynamics and needs of successful teams.

Seven tasks must be included in consideration of team dynamics and structure. The first of which is defining the goal, mission or function of a specific team. The team must know what it is being asked to accomplish. The second area of consideration is assessing what skills, abilities, knowledge or potential to acquire such would be needed amongst selected team members. Identification of potential team members should include an assessment of the skills, knowledge and abilities or the potential to acquire such so that ultimately the team has the building blocks with which to succeed in its mission, goal or function. This assessment must include an understanding of realistic potential contributions by potential team members with the included assessment of whether or not the acquisition of skills and knowledge can be made available through research and analysis.

Upon completion of these assessments, the work place team is then formed, acquiring team members based upon the needs of the project, mission or goal of the team. The team then proceeds to learn about each other. In learning about one another, individual learning styles must be identified to gain an understanding of how to maximize team performance by capitalizing on team members' strengths via learning styles. Assessment of learning styles will also identify potential downfalls within the team environment and can therefore, be addressed in the early stages of team activity.

In addition to learning styles, diversity amongst team members...