For a team to succeed, members need to play the appropriate role at the appropriate time. Most problems that develop in a team occur because team roles are not clearly defined. Supervisors and team leaders are not the only ones with special roles and responsibilities. Employees also must know what is expected of them and what they will be accountable for in their new environment. Understanding their role will enable them to take part actively in meetings, contribute ideas, provide suggestions, and get involved in the work.
However, within every team there will always be disruptions that that might derail the team from achieving its objectives. Understanding these potential disruptors can help the team manage these disruptions more effectively, but also use these disruptions in a positive way to potentially contribute to innovative thinking, or breaking the ice in difficult or stressful times. Understanding the team’s disruptors is as important as understanding everyone’s contributing role within a team.
