Long Live the Team! Factors in the Longevity and Success of a Semi-Autonomous Work Team

Shreeves, Sarah L.; Hartman, Stephanie; Piontek-Ma, Elke

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/50023 Copy

Description

Title

Long Live the Team! Factors in the Longevity and Success of a Semi-Autonomous Work Team

Author(s)

• Shreeves, Sarah L.
• Hartman, Stephanie
• Piontek-Ma, Elke

Issue Date

2006

Keyword(s)

• Library technical services
• Semi-autonomous work teams
• Library organization

Abstract

The long term success of a work team hinges on many factors including training, communication, assessment, and organizational support. Perhaps the most crucial factor is commitment to the team by team members themselves. Team activities such as assessment of the efficacy of team activities and attendance to working styles of team members are key to sustaining a high level of commitment from its members. Presented within the context of research on longevity of work teams, this chapter will examine the ten year history of a semi-autonomous work team within the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries to identify the key factors in its continuing success and how these have affected its longevity. In particular, the chapter will describe team members’ efforts to build continuity and a stable team structure, and it will outline the results and benefits of these efforts. This kind of active participation in the team’s performance and growth is an organizational approach that has enabled high productivity for the team as well as individual contributions to system wide initiatives.

Publisher

Scarecrow Press

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/50023

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