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How teams work
How teams work

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1.3.1 Leading a self-managed team

The leadership role in a self-managed team is very different from that of a team leader in a traditional hierarchical team such as a functional team. In a hierarchical team the team leader allocates work. In contrast, in a self-managed team, the leadership role involves taking on more of a supporting role, which includes identifying the long-term career and personal development needs of the team within the context of the overall organisation. Table 2 compares the roles of a team leader in these two types of team.

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Table 2 description

The table has two columns. The first column has a heading of ‘The team leadership roles in a hierarchical team and the second column, a heading of ‘The team leadership role in a self-managed team.

Under these headings there are six rows.

The first row states that the team leadership role is vested in one individual in a hierarchical team and the role may be shared in a self-managed team.

The second row states that the team leader’s role is to manage the team in a hierarchical team, whereas it is to support the team by providing (or arranging others to provide) coaching and advice in a self-managed team.

The third row states that the team leader’s role in a hierarchical team is to plan and allocate the work done by the team and in a self-managed team, it is to agree, in discussion with the team, the standard of work and the aims, objectives and targets of the team.

The fourth row states that in a hierarchical team the team leaders should monitor and appraise the performance of team members in carrying out the tasks allocated to them. In contrast, in a self-managed team the team leader’s role is to monitor the achievement of the team as a unit and to appraise individual performance.

The fifth row states that the team leader’s role in a hierarchical team is to motivate the team members, whereas in a self-managed team it is to provide the conditions for high motivation.

Finally, the sixth row states that the role of a team leader in a hierarchical team is to act as the main contact point for communication between the team and the rest of the organisation and in a self-directed team it is to facilitate the creation of channels of communication with the rest of the organisation.

Table 2 The roles of a team leader in a hierarchical team and a self-managed team
The team leadership role in a:
Hierarchical teamSelf-managed team
The role is vested in one individual.The role may be shared.
To manage the team.To support the team by providing (or arranging others to provide) coaching and advice.
To plan and allocate the work done by the team.To agree, in discussion with the team, the standard of work and the aims, objectives and targets of the team.
To monitor and appraise the performance of team members in carrying out the tasks allocated to them.To monitor the achievement of the team as a unit. To appraise individual performance.
To motivate the team members.To provide the conditions for high motivation.
To act as the main contact point for communication between the team and the rest of the organisation.To facilitate the creation of channels of communication with the rest of the organisation.
(Based on the Self-directed Teams topic, Good Practice Ltd.)