What are team norms primarily concerned with?

Team norms are primarily concerned with the shared behaviors and expectations among team members. Norms represent the unwritten rules and guidelines that dictate how members interact with one another, handle conflict, communicate, and collaborate within the group. These shared understandings help to create a cohesive team environment, as they establish a sense of belonging and mutual accountability among team members.

When team norms are well-defined, they facilitate smoother interactions, reduce misunderstandings, and enhance overall team dynamics. Members are more likely to feel comfortable expressing their ideas and concerns, leading to better collaboration and a stronger commitment to team objectives. Norms also guide behavior in various situations, promoting a culture that aligns with the team's values and goals, which is crucial for achieving success.

While the other options touch on important aspects of team dynamics, they do not encompass the essence of team norms as directly as the correct choice does. External regulations and assessments focus more on rules imposed from outside the team, leadership hierarchy deals with power structures and decision-making roles, and task assignments and productivity refer to the distribution of work and efficiency rather than the interpersonal behaviors and expectations that norms specifically govern.