What makes a great team?
I have been given the privilege of sponsoring a team responsible for implementing the Libraries' content management system. I spent some time with the team today and started to wonder, "what makes a team a great team?"
Team members on this team come from two different organizations, the Libraries and Digital Library Technologies, a unit within our campus IT organization. Within the Libraries, they come from the IT unit, Cataloging and Metadata Services, Public Services, two of the Campus Libraries, and Library Administration. This is truly a cross functional, cross generational, cross cultural team. However, they have managed to all pull together and do an excellent job of completing the first phase of a very difficult implementation.
Why was this group able to work so well? Several of them had different ideas. "We compromise" said one of the DLT team members. "We work hard and have fun" said one of the folks from the Libraries. "I've been on lots of teams, but this has been my best experience" said yet another. "I can't wait until we move to the basement so I can be next to Janis and Lance" said one of the folks from the Libraries IT unit.
I wish I could replicate this recipe for good teamwork. It seems like they have a few things going for them: 1) an empowering team leader; 2) a common goal and mission (to get this system up and running) and a sense of purpose 3) genuine fondness for one another 4) a variety of necessary skill sets, and finally, administrative and budgetary support.
So, here's hoping that the next phase of implementation goes as well as this phase. Congratulations on a great job.