Five Basic Elements of Effective Teams

Effective teams share five key characteristics:

Positive Interdependence	Members believe they are linked together; they cannot succeed unless the other members of the group succeed (and vice versa).They sink or swim together.
Individual Accountability	The performance of each individual member is assessed and the results given back to the group and the individual
Group Processing	At the end of its working period, the group processes its functioning by answering two questions:What did each member do that was helpful for the group?What can each member do to make the group work better?
Skills in Communication	Necessary for effective group functioning.Members must have – and use – the needed leadership, decision-making, trust-building, communication, and conflict-management skills.
Promotive Interaction	Members help, assist, encourage, and support each other’s efforts to learn.

Reference: Johnson, D., T. Johnson, R., & Smith, K. (1998). Active Learning: Cooperation in the College Classroom (Vol. 47). https://doi.org/10.5926/arepj1962.47.0_29

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