Which of the following typically describes poorly functioning teams?

Which of the following typically describes poorly functioning teams?

• A. Members act independently without inter-dependency.
• B. They work in a highly collaborative environment.
• C. They rely on standard operating procedures.
• D. They have clearly defined roles and responsibilities.

Answer: (A)

Teams that don’t function well tend to show little interdependency among members; people work in silos and rely on their own efforts rather than collaborating with others. When teammates don’t depend on one another, information flow stalls, opportunities to catch mistakes are missed, and duplication of effort increases, all of which slow down problem solving and degrade performance. In a well-functioning setting, collaboration is common, with members supporting each other to achieve shared goals. Clear procedures help ensure consistency, and defined roles and responsibilities help people coordinate without stepping on each other’s toes. So, the scenario described—people working independently without interdependency—best captures a characteristic of poorly functioning teams.

Teams that don’t function well tend to show little interdependency among members; people work in silos and rely on their own efforts rather than collaborating with others. When teammates don’t depend on one another, information flow stalls, opportunities to catch mistakes are missed, and duplication of effort increases, all of which slow down problem solving and degrade performance.

In a well-functioning setting, collaboration is common, with members supporting each other to achieve shared goals. Clear procedures help ensure consistency, and defined roles and responsibilities help people coordinate without stepping on each other’s toes. So, the scenario described—people working independently without interdependency—best captures a characteristic of poorly functioning teams.