What must teams agree on to be effective?

For a team to be effective, it is essential that members agree on clear objectives. Having well-defined goals guides the team's efforts and ensures that everyone is working towards a common purpose. It aligns the members’ contributions and fosters accountability, as each individual understands what the team is striving to achieve together. Clear objectives help prioritize tasks, facilitate communication, and enable members to evaluate progress collectively. This agreement on shared goals is foundational to team cohesion and performance, driving motivation and collaboration.

While other factors like shared leadership practices, division of roles, and group dynamics can also contribute to a team's effectiveness, they do not take precedence over the need for clear objectives. Without a mutual understanding of the goals, the influence of these other elements diminishes, as team members may have different interpretations of their roles and responsibilities.