Are self-directed work teams successful and effective tools for today's organization

摘要

The purpose of this research is to (1) show the effectiveness and success of self-directed work teams within the organization, (2) emphasize the importance of team building in the success of the team, and (3) assist organizations in building self-directed work teams. The researcher used a direct survey and studied the following team building techniques: (1) Is the team's mission clearly defined to each team member. (2) Are the goals clearly defined and achievable by all team members. (3) Will empowerment (decision-making power) be given equally to all team members. (4) Will open and honest communication be allowed among team members. (5) Will each team member be respected and valued for his/her position on the team. (6) Are self-directed work teams effectively rewarded for accomplishments. (7) Have team members received adequate training to effectively complete their job tasks. Upon completion of the literature review and statistical data, and after analyzing the seven areas of team building techniques, it was determined three of the four teams were successful and effective. The only area of concern to the organization is that the participants felt they did not have true ownership of their teams; that is, team members were not given full empowerment. According to this study and the review of literature, full empowerment must be given to achieve successful and effective teams. If true empowerment is not given, the team will suffer in other areas of team building, and the organization will lose a valuable tool.