There are quite a few methods currently in use to get teams to work better. All the way from outdoor experiences like ropes courses and climbing mountains to the classroom and on the job experiences. Some, obviously, work better than others for your situation.

While many of these methods are enjoyable, they may not lead to better team performance over time. How many of you have gone out into the wild to “team” only to come back to the office and still not trust each other or have fuzzy goals or run across unexpected political barriers. Refer to mission directed work teams for more information.

No matter what the method, you will have difficulty achieving successful team outcomes unless you turn on the eight engines of effective teamwork. Over the past 26 years of practice and research, the following eight engines have surfaced as consistently powering effective team performance: