Team Leadership

Effective team leadership enables members of a team to perform collectively to achieve objectives. A team usually has a designated leader, who can be a member of the team or a manager from outside the team. Within a team, the leadership role can be rotated—filled by different members at different times. The leadership role can also be shared by several members of a team simultaneously without the designation of a formal leader role; shared leadership is more common in teams than in less-interdependent work groups. Team leadership can even change from being the responsibility of a formal leader to being the shared responsibility of several team members as the team gains experience.

Clearly the sources of leadership can vary from team to team, and within a team the sources of leadership can vary over time. Some scholars, including Stewart and Manz (1997) and Zaccaro, Rittman, and Marks (2001), have conceptualized team leadership primarily as a designated role. Other scholars, such as Hackman (2002) and Yukl (2002), have suggested that it is more useful to think about team leadership in terms of a process that facilitates team performance.

However, regardless of whether team leadership is described as a role or process, there appears to be consensus that leadership is necessary for effective team performance. Further, most scholars would probably agree with the premise that leaders can facilitate team effectiveness by ensuring (1) efficient, goal-directed effort; (2) adequate resources; (3) a productive, supportive climate; (4) competent, motivated member performance; and (5) commitment to the team's continuous improvement and adaptation.