Really interesting article about making a team more productive. I would have totally thought the first assumption would produce a more productive team since each member can work on what they enjoy the most. Turns out I was wrong (which of course is the first time and don’t tell the wife).

But our research has shown that the opposite is true: collaboration improves when the roles of individual team members are clearly defined and well understood — in fact, when individuals feel their role is bounded in ways that allow them to do a significant portion of their work independently. Without such clarity, team members are likely to waste energy negotiating roles or protecting turf, rather than focusing on the task.

Something I must keep in mind as I grow my business to include others.

One response to “Maximize Team Productivity”

  1. James Strocel Avatar

    The whole appeal of team sports runs on clearly defined roles and responsibilities. It’s also important to have shared responsibilities that everyone can take care of. You don’t want anybody to say “not my job”.