Teams are synonymous with organisational life. Love them or hate them, wherever the collective effort of people is valued there exist teams, groups, boards and networks. Their

effectiveness matters, yet many of us are unaware of what an effective team is or what it can achieve. Yet teams are the key to improvement in all kinds of organisations.

However, before any move to team

investment it is crucial to ask if you indeed really need a team approach. An early risk is to seek team development when it is not a team that is required for the context. The amount of wasted energy and resource put into developing a team, when in actuality it is a group or network is enormous and can be avoided with a few good questions at an early stage of formulating a response to a perceived need.

Team development is an increasingly critical issue in organisational development, not least because of the increasing complexity of organisational life and the need for more creative and innovative solutions that go beyond the imagination of any one individual. Oasis understands that effective team working is more than knowing about the stages of team development, and that success depends upon the capacity of those involved to engage with each other at a level that reflects shared commitment, common purpose, agreed working conditions and a willingness to be individually and mutually accountable for the results and consequences, both intended and unintended.

Team development is more than a blend of ubiquitous team building exercises; it is entering into a process where contracting and challenge go hand in hand with clarity of direction, ambiguity of response and an embracing of the diversity inherent in a great team. It is a process that focuses not just on shaping collaborative leadership within the team, but also highlighting the situational attributes that are required, calling for each individual to have awareness of their own strengths and those of their colleagues, which together make a sustainable whole. This is not an easy path and relies on feedback skills, trust, delivery capability and an ability to bring together task focus, learning and relationship in the combination called for by the team's contribution to the wider organisation.

Many organisations recognise the role of teams in heightening esteem, performance and commitment. However, if the process is ineffectively managed, their development can be hampered, creating even greater problems for the organisation than before their creation. Without a clear understanding of team dynamics, human relations, the impact of context and the importance of team purpose an organisation might create a situation wherein a team might be dysfunctional through lack of awareness of the questions associated with its growth and development and current stage of operation.

An organisation needs to recognise the phases of development of a team, both those developed out of consciousness and those that can only be achieved through conscious decision. In addition, it is important to consider the factors which facilitate their launch into the 'maturing' phase, taking note of the affective elements associated with the 'getting real' phase and the assistance that can be made to address them in such a way that individual members' future contribution in the team is developed.

The Oasis School provides both direct facilitation to develop team working and a pre-designed course (The Developing Team) for current and future team leaders, as well as programmes of learning that incorporate team understanding such as Leadership, Life and Learning. Our approach is to both develop the team and the individuals within it, at the personal, systemic and practice levels.