Leadership can best be defined as a collective effort. It is not a one-man show. Leaders are not called to go out solo. For leaders to see good results it is all about teamwork over committees.
What exactly is a team? In one of Webster’s earlier dictionaries, team was defined as “Two or more horses harnessed to the same plow.” A team is a group of people working cooperatively to accomplish a common mission or goal through the exercise of their gifts and calling in the context of mutual accountability.
A group of willing team members are:
- United around a clear and challenging common goal.
- Structured to work together.
- Sharing responsibility for their task.
- Depending upon each other.
- Building relationships with each other.
- Empowered to implement consensus decisions.
The difference of a team from a committee can be understood when committees are also defined. Committees are:
- Usually administrative in nature.
- Hands-on organizationally.
- Often spend considerable time deciding if something “needs to be done.”
- Heavy involvement in decision-making.
- Normally oversee and carry out programs..
Committees provide a service, but one needs to recognize that a more effective approach could be taken in situations in which a team strategy is applied. Here is the difference between committees and and teams.
Differences Teams Between Committees
|
COMMITTEES |
TEAMS |
|
Strong leader |
Shared leadership |
|
Individual accountability |
Mutual accountability |
|
Committees purposes same as the broader organizations |
Specific team purpose that the team itself delivers |
| Efficient meetings |
Encourage open-ended discussion and active problem-solving meetings |
|
Measure effectiveness indirectly by its influence on others |
Measure performance directly by assessing collective work products |
| Discuss, decide, and delegate |
Discuss, decide, and do real work together |
What does your organization look like? Is it a committee or a team? Do you think it would be better for your organization to function as a team or a committee?
Dale Roach
