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Enhancing the Effectiveness of Work Groups and Teams
Steve W J Kozlowski1, Daniel R Ilgen2
1Michigan State University stevekoz@msu.edu.
Summary
The science of team effectiveness, built on 50 years of research, offers practical strategies to improve how groups work together. Understanding team processes and applying targeted interventions can enhance collective performance and well-being.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Management Science
Background:
- Human history is characterized by collective action, yet modern organizations often emphasize individual jobs.
- Global changes necessitate adaptive, flexible work structures, making team effectiveness a critical organizational concern.
- Over 50 years of psychological research has explored the processes underlying team effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize the extensive literature on team effectiveness.
- To identify established knowledge, areas of uncertainty, and future research needs.
- To provide evidence-based recommendations for improving work group and team effectiveness.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive review of psychological research on team effectiveness.
- Focus on topics with strong theoretical and empirical foundations.
- Analysis of cognitive, motivational/affective, and behavioral team processes.
Main Results:
- Identified key team processes that enable members to combine resources for task accomplishment.
- Highlighted interventions ('levers') that can shape team processes to enhance effectiveness.
- Established a foundation for an emerging science of team effectiveness.
Conclusions:
- There is a growing scientific understanding of team effectiveness.
- Research findings provide actionable strategies for improving team performance.
- Specific recommendations for research, application, and policy are provided to enhance work groups and teams.
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