Making the Team: A Guide for Managers

Team Boundaries

In the minds of the team members and the organization, an identifiable boundary exists between the team and the other parts of the organization. This, in fact, was one of the key defining characteristics of a team, as indicated in chapter 1. In this chapter, we examine the in- and outflow of information, resources, and people across this border.

Team boundaries differentiate one work group from another and affect knowledge transfer and distribution of resources. In some cases, boundaries are well defined, but in other cases, boundaries are more ambiguous. If the boundary becomes too open or indistinct, the team risks becoming overwhelmed and losing its identity. If its boundary is too exclusive, the team might become isolated ...