Final answer:
High-performing teams are influenced by the optimal team size that avoids social loafing, strong cohesiveness that promotes collaboration, clearly defined roles for efficiency, and established norms that guide behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
Factors Influencing High Performing Teams
Understanding why some teams perform well while others do not can be attributed to numerous factors. Let's outline the effects of team size, cohesiveness, roles, and norms in building a high-performing team.
Team Size
Team size can significantly impact group dynamics and efficiency. Large teams may lead to social loafing, where members may contribute less, expecting others to pick up the slack. Smaller teams tend to have greater accountability, but if too small, they may not have enough diversity in skills and perspectives. Finding the optimal team size is crucial for balanced participation and effective collaboration.
Cohesiveness
Team cohesiveness is vital for high performance. A cohesive team works well together, often showing higher levels of participation and collaboration, leading to more effective problem-solving and innovation.
Roles
Clearly defined roles help in streamlining tasks and reducing overlap, making a team more efficient. Each member's understanding of their responsibilities within a team ensures that all necessary roles are covered and contributes to the team's overall success.
Norms
Establishing strong team norms can facilitate a culture of high performance. Norms set expectations for behavior, leading to self-regulation among members and helping the team stay focused on collective goals.
Interestingly, the likelihood of social loafing decreases with complex and difficult tasks, as members are motivated by the challenge and understand their contributions are crucial for success.