(2 days)

Because an increasing percentage of organizational activities require a diverse knowledge base that is seldom found in a single individual, it is often assumed that “teaming” should replace tasking to individuals across the board. Research, however, supports the conclusion that teams are far from being a panacea. Many tasks are still best left to individuals, and merely assembling a group with a given mandate does not make that group a team.

Achieving effective teamwork starts with the recognition that teams are made up of motivated individuals. If anything, creating the right balance of solidarity and tolerance of dissent in a team requires a better understanding of individual psychology than does the improvement of individual performance. Achieving this balance requires an understanding of the psychology of individual performers and the social psychology of teamwork.

This program examines: 1) the contexts in which individuals are better than teams and vice versa; 2) winning versus losing strategies for promoting teamwork; 3) the roles for cross-functional and interdisciplinary teams; 4) how teamwork impacts various leadership and organizational processes, including decision-making, persuasion campaigns, negotiations, improving core business operations, innovation, governance and organizational strategy.