Teamwork: What does it mean for managers?

The picture of the modern office is becoming one composed of teams. It seems that the ladder system of individuals reporting to the next higher authority is going the way of the flip phone. Replacing it are semi-independent teams that interact with one another, only occasionally reporting to management at key milestones. In that scenario, what becomes of the manager? What is his or her role in promoting teamwork and running the business?

From a day-to-day perspective, the manager gets CC’d on all the important emails – but he or she rarely finds an opportunity to chime in. The teams, having taken on a life of their own, can handle almost everything, from inter-team collaboration and product development to the foundational activity of goal setting. Does this environment spell the end of the manager? Are team-based enterprises the future of business?

The problem with teams
The ability to work in a team is a much sought-after quality in employees. Anyone who has played a team sport has had it drilled into his head over and over again that people can accomplish more when they work together. Millennials especially understand the importance of this quality, since they were educated in a system that constantly lauded the benefits of the team effort. “There is no ‘I’ in ‘team’,” goes the cliche. But what exactly makes the team so special – and is it always the best fit for a business environment?

The Economist reported that teams as a concept have some inherent problems. For example, the members of team, though treated with equal regard, may not actually all be of the same caliber. In fact, it’s statistically unlikely that every team member has the same level of output, enthusiasm and skill. As such, the overachievers may get dragged down by the group and the underachievers elevated. The Economist also suggested that good teamwork can only come with time – and if a company uses independent contractors, the team won’t have time to incubate its own culture. The result? A team that can’t possibly function at the best of its ability.

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