What is a team? A team is a group of individuals who have a task to complete that can only be accomplished together as a team. This team should have boundaries so that membership is solid, not changing, and easy to tell who is a part of the team. So, now that we have defined what a team is, what makes a team effective? There are five things that make a team effective, they are, clarity of direction, appropriate structure and rules of working, the right mix of individuals, support from company leaders, and individuals and team development.

Team building starts and ends with the company leaders, especially the CEO. The CEO should play an active roll in developing and building strong teams across the organization. There are a few things that he or she can do to help this process.

1. Leaders who strive to build effective teams within their organization need to communicate a vision to the team, rather than assume that the team already shares the correct vision.

2. A good team size is about 6 to 8 individuals and no more. Each team member should know and understand what the team rules are and the CEO should enforce these rules and procedures at all times. Leaders should not play politics within a group or team setting. Instead, they should be focusing on whom and what will deliver the end goal.

3. Any good leader should know that building a strong team means getting the right mix of people working together on a particular project. Good leaders know that the best teams are built with individuals who have the ability to work together toward the end goal. Good candidates of team projects have empathy and integrity.

4. Strong teams are teams that have leadership support and constant help from the CEO and other key leaders.

5. Another great way to build effective teams is to constantly review performance on and individual and team basis. They also provide coaching on an individual and team basis to help the team and company grow and get better.

Top teams within an organization are not an accident. They are developed and built by company leaders who recognize their value. Top teams help deliver read benefits to an organization. Because each team member understands their role and buy into the same vision, they are able to deliver results when they are needed most.