Doug's answer: Managers in 'the know' have long recognised that real teams form an important function in what happens in the workplace. 'Real teams' are groups of people who have real skills, experiences and judgements which all determine performance. They will always out perform the same set of individuals operating in a non-team manner.

Question: What can a team achieve differently?

Doug's answer: A team is more committed to achieving results, and can leverage their combined skills to succeed in ways that are beyond groups that don't work together as teams. It is the idea that the team holds itself mutually accountable which is the significant step forwards. It is a demanding test.

Question: What is the "team test"?

Doug's Answer: Do you, in your work environment, say "The boss holds me accountable" or do you say "We hold ourselves accountable." Unless you have the latter, then you do not have a team.

It is also the fact that, as a team, they have created a clear commitment to a common purpose and performance goals.

Question: How do you build a team?

Doug's Answer: Through working away from the office, in a real, challenging, environment these teams can demonstrate the effectiveness, and the quality, with which they work. Even better, if someone attempts to do something, which does not have the outcome that was expected, nothing grinds to a halt in the office or on the shop floor. No production lines stop running, no one attends a meeting to call a strike, no person is in danger of loosing their job. As a team they are able to sit down after the task and discuss why the outcome came about and they can also begin to explore what they could have done differently and more effectively.

When a small group of people challenge themselves to find a person missing on a hillside, or to ascend a 4m high wall or, in the workplace, to reduce the cycle time by 50%, their respective job titles, perks and other 'badges' fade into the background. What is important is that the team evaluates how and what each individual in the team can best contribute to the general goal. Even more importantly, they do so in terms of understanding the performance objective, rather than any one individual's status or personality. It is in exactly this manner that teamwork development programmes, with specific objectives, have a great leveling effect that is conductive to effective team behaviour.

Question: What would be your top 5 tips for effective teamwork - both in and out of the office?

Doug's answer:

1. Encourage Open Communications.

2. Develop a Trusting environment.

3. Get a set of Clear Goals.

4. Review the Progress you are making.

5. Encourage Cooperation, and do not Compete.

If you can get these 5 things right - you can truly build a great team, and could easily do my job!