The Business Book

70

None of us

is as smart

as all of us.

NONE OF US

IS AS SMART

A S A L L O F U S

THE VALUE OF TEAMS

W

e might complain about

routine and familiarity,

but research shows

that human beings have an innate

need for some degree of stability.

Without rules, norms, values, and

expectations, people begin to feel

anxious, rootless, and confused.

This is termed “anomie,” and it is

the reason that humans often self-

organize into groups. The routine

and familiarity of belonging to a

group helps people to avoid anomie,

and find security and purpose.

The existence of groups serves

two purposes. Organizations, and

the groups within them, can be

seen as an expression of the human

desire to belong. As psychologist

Abraham Maslow identified in his

1943 paper “A Theory of Human

Motivation”, groups give us a sense

Human beings

like to belong.

Organizations

can be thought of

as a collection

of teams.

Teams help to

generate a sense

of place and

counter anomie.

Successful teams

provide an

environment

for new ideas.

IN CONTEXT

FOCUS

Teamwork

KEY DATES

1924–1932 The Hawthorne

Studies, conducted by

Elton Mayo, highlight the

importance of groups in

affecting the behavior

of individuals at work.

1930s The Human Relations

Movement is sparked by Mayo’s

work. It proposes that worker

satisfaction and productivity

depend on careful management

and consideration of groups.

1940s As a result of Abraham

Maslow’s findings, and

the earlier work of Mayo,

businesses begin to recognize

the value of teamwork.

21st century Workplace

design moves from the solo

workspaces and closed offices

of the 20th century to open

layouts that encourage

collaborative working.