Team
A group with complementary skills working interdependently toward a shared goal.
A team is any collection of individuals—whether human or animal—that collaborates to reach a shared objective. Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management describes a team as a group whose members rely on one another for information, resources, knowledge, and skills, and who join forces to pursue a common aim. A mere group does not automatically qualify as a team. Teams typically consist of members with complementary abilities, and they create synergy through coordinated action, enabling each person to play to their strengths while compensating for weaknesses.
Naresh Jain (2009) noted that team members must learn to support each other, help others realize their potential, and foster an environment where everyone can surpass their limits. Although academic research on teams and teamwork has steadily expanded—with a notable surge over the last forty years—the broader adoption of teams in society followed an uneven pattern during the twentieth century. The concept entered business settings in the late 1900s, sparking a wave of enthusiasm for building teams. Opinions on this management trend vary widely. Some view "team" as a four-letter word: overused and not especially useful. Others see it as a cure-all, fulfilling the Human Relations Movement’s goal of aligning what is best for workers with what is best for managers. Many believe teams are effective but also consider them risky, as their success can depend on peer pressure and surveillance, potentially exploiting workers. Hackman, however, argues that true team effectiveness goes beyond performance: a genuinely effective team also promotes the personal well-being and adaptive growth of its members.
In modern English, the word "team" is commonly applied to many types of groups. Peter Guy Northouse’s book *Leadership: Theory and Practice* examines teams from a leadership angle. According to this team approach, a team is an organizational group whose members depend on each other, work toward shared achievements, and pursue common goals. A team functions as a whole to accomplish specific tasks. It is usually situated within a particular organization, company, or community. Teams can meet in person or virtually to carry out their activities and duties. Communication is vital to their relationships, so it is frequent and ongoing, as are their meetings. The definition of a team as an organizational group is not fixed, because organizations have encountered many new forms of collaboration. Teams often have strong, structured platforms and can respond quickly and effectively to challenges, given their skills and capabilities. An effective organizational team leads to greater productivity, better use of resources, improved decision-making and problem-solving, higher-quality products or services, and increased innovation and originality.
Alongside the concept of a team, one can compare the more structured and skilled notion of a crew, the benefits of formal and informal partnerships, or the clearly defined but time-limited existence of task forces. A team becomes more than just a collection of people when a strong sense of mutual commitment creates synergy, yielding performance greater than the sum of individual efforts. Thus, game players can form and re-form teams to practice their sport. Transport logistics executives can select teams of horses, dogs, or oxen to carry passengers or goods.
### Types
A key idea is that there are different kinds of teams.
#### Categories by Subject
Though the concept of a team is straightforward, social scientists have identified many distinct types. In general, teams either act as information processors or take a more active role by performing tasks. Common categories and subtypes include:
**Action teams** An action team consists of people with leadership skills. It devises strategies, analyzes situations, and executes necessary actions.
**Advisory teams** Advisory teams offer suggestions about a final product. For example, a quality-control group on an assembly line is an advisory team: it examines products and recommends how to improve quality. A product reaches the final stage and is approved for sale only after the advisory team’s input. Such teams are made up of experts with specialized skills.
**Command teams** The goal of a command team is to combine instructions and coordinate action among management. In other words, command teams serve as a "middle man" in tasks. For instance, messengers on a construction site who convey instructions from the executive team to the builders are an example of a command team.
**Executive teams** An executive team is a management group that draws up plans for activities and then directs those activities. An example would be a construction team that designs blueprints for a new building and then guides the construction using those blueprints.
**Project teams** A team used only for a defined period and for a specific, concrete purpose is often called a project team. This category includes negotiation, commission, and design teams. Generally, these teams are multi-talented, composed of individuals with expertise in many areas. Members may belong to different groups but come together for the project’s duration.
- definition
- A group of interdependent individuals working toward a common goal
- key_proponent
- Professor Leigh Thompson (Kellogg School of Management)
- key_contributor
- Naresh Jain (2009)
- related_concepts
- Crew, task force, partnership
- common_types
- Action, advisory, command, executive, project, sports, virtual, work teams
- communication_style
- Frequent and persistent meetings, in-person or virtual
Lore & Background
The concept of teams was introduced into business in the late 20th century, followed by a popularization of constructing teams. Academic research on teams and teamwork has grown consistently with a sharp increase over the past 40 years, though societal diffusion followed a volatile trend in the 20th century. Differing opinions exist on the efficacy of this management fad: some see 'team' as a four-letter word, overused and under-useful, while others view it as a panacea integrating worker and manager interests. Many believe in team effectiveness but also see danger in potential worker exploitation through peer pressure and surveillance. Hackman notes that a truly effective team contributes to personal well-being and adaptive growth of its members, not just performance.
Reader's Guide
The team concept matters because it reshaped how work is organized across industries. Teams generate performance greater than the sum of individual members when mutual commitment creates synergy. Various types serve different functions: action teams devise strategies and execute actions; advisory teams make suggestions about final products; command teams coordinate instructions between management levels; executive teams draw up and direct plans; project teams exist for defined periods with concrete purposes; sports teams include players and support members; virtual teams work across space, time, and organizational boundaries using technology; work teams create tangible products and services. The definition of team as an organizational group is not completely set in stone, as organizations confront new forms of contemporary collaboration. Effective organizational teams lead to greater productivity, better resource implementation, improved decisions and problem-solving, better-quality products and services, and greater innovation. Teams usually have strong structured platforms and respond quickly to challenges. Communication is significantly important to team relationships, being frequent and persistent.
Did You Know?
- A team can include non-human members, such as horses, dogs, or oxen selected by transport logistics executives.
- The societal diffusion of teams and teamwork followed a volatile trend in the 20th century, while academic research showed a sharp increase over the past 40 years.
- Some view 'team' as a four-letter word: overused and under-useful.
- Virtual team members can be located across a country or the world, rarely meet face-to-face, and include members from different cultures.
Legal Practice and Florida Civic Engagement (2008–2017)
Keith Sonderling began his legal career in November 2008 as an associate at Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart in West Palm Beach, specializing in employment and business litigation. His early docket included representing Palm Beach's pops orchestra and conductor Bob Lappin in a federal lawsuit alleging sexual impropriety, defending Florida Atlantic University in a suit filed by scholar James Tracy after Tracy was fired for claiming the Sandy Hook shooting was a hoax, and representing plaintiffs who alleged the Palm House condominium-hotel operators conspired to defraud investors. Beyond private practice, Sonderling became deeply involved in Florida's civic institutions. He also served on the boards of Morse Life Health System, the Jewish Community Relations Council in Palm Beach, the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, and Leadership Florida, demonstrating a sustained commitment to community governance that ran parallel to his legal work.
Federal Labor Policy and the EEOC (2017–2024)
Sonderling entered federal service in September 2017 as a senior policy advisor at the Wage and Hour Division, serving as its first political appointee. During that tenure, the division determined that gig workers qualified as independent contractors rather than employees, and Sonderling helped develop the Payroll Audit Independent Determination program, which relaxed litigation and penalty exposure for employers who self-reported violations. He also coordinated the division's resource deployment to Guam following Typhoon Wutip.
Deputy Secretary and Acting Secretary of Labor (2025–2026)
After his EEOC term, Sonderling led Trump's second presidential transition for the EEOC alongside Janet Dhillon and headed the landing team at the Department of Labor. His Senate confirmation hearing on February 27 was overshadowed by the Department of Government Efficiency's mass-firing initiative; Democrats pressed him on personnel actions, and he stated he did not know how many workers had been terminated. The committee confirmed him on March 6, and the full Senate followed. During his tenure, Sonderling managed much of the department's day-to-day operations, particularly while Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer was frequently absent.
Roots, Heritage, and the Path to Public Service
Keith E. He is Jewish, and his grandparents survived the Holocaust, a family history that likely informed his sense of civic duty. The family eventually settled in the Boca Raton, Florida area, where he attended Spanish River Community High School. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctor from Nova Southeastern University's Shepard Broad College of Law, completing his degree in 2008. His professional path moved from private litigation in the Palm Beach area to federal labor policy, reflecting a steady shift from representing individual clients to shaping regulatory frameworks. His community involvement—serving on boards for a regional health system, a Jewish community relations organization, a local chamber of commerce, and a statewide leadership group—demonstrated a consistent pattern of public service that preceded and complemented his federal career. This blend of legal expertise, community engagement, and policy work positioned him for high-level government roles spanning labor, commerce, and ethics oversight.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Team" mean in the L&E 1-24 canon?
It refers to a set of interdependent individuals who deliberately merge their distinct knowledge, skills, and resources to hit a shared objective. Professor Leigh Thompson at Kellogg is the canon's go-to authority for pinning down this definition.
What makes a Team different from a regular group?
The key distinction is interdependence plus synergy: members rely on one another's complementary abilities and coordinate so tightly that the whole outperforms the sum of its parts. A crew or task force may share a task, but only a true Team locks members into mutual reliance.
Who are the main "characters" behind the Team concept?
Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management serves as the primary proponent, while Naresh Jain's 2009 work is credited as a significant contributor to the canon. Together they anchor the theoretical framework fans reference.
How does the Team "operate" day to day?
The canon emphasizes a rhythm of frequent, sustained meetings conducted either face-to-face or virtually. This constant communication loop is what keeps complementary skills synchronized and the shared goal on track.
What sub-types or "spin-offs" of the Team exist in the canon?
The encyclopedia lists action, advisory, command, executive, project, sports, virtual, and work teams as recognized variants. Each applies the same interdependence-and-synergy core within a different organizational or industry setting.
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