Roles & Responsibilities of Effective Teamwork (2024)

By Dr. Kelly S. Meier Updated October 05, 2020

Teamwork is central to high-performing organizations. While the functions of teamwork vary, the essential responsibilities of team members include collaboration, cooperation and high-quality results. Some teams may have formalized roles for members, but in other cases, participants assume natural roles. In addition to a team leader, there are five roles on a team that form the backbone of exemplary teamwork.

Team Leadership Is Critical

Teams need a leader to provide direction and move the assigned project forward. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology outlines these factors as being central to highly functioning teams:

The team leader is responsible for ensuring that these functions of teamwork are met. Providing a charge for the team is the first step to ensuring that everyone understands the purpose and intended outcomes. Each team member has an individual responsibility in teamwork tasks. A team leader is responsible for providing direction and resources that are required for team members to be successful. The ultimate outcome is that the team functions like a well-oiled machine.

Team Energy Provides a Spark

One of the five roles on a team is the team energizer. This role is responsible for injecting some humor into the team environment and inciting a fun-loving team culture. People who enjoy working together are more likely to work harder and achieve superior results. A team energizer often sweeps in at the right moment with a funny quip or a stress-relieving activity that brings energy and excitement to what may seem like a daunting task.

Team Support Is Harmonizing

The team supporter brings harmony to the group and takes the edge off of a challenging conversation. An article published by Virginia Tech describes a team supporter as a relationship-building role. This team member reinforces positive ideas and offers assistance to other members that are overwhelmed with tasks to complete. During team conversations, the team supporter acts as a cheerleader and encourager. Other team members may turn to the team supporter as a confidant and personal supporter.

Team Agitation Can Be Challenging

You may consider a team agitator to be a negative role, but it’s easy for teams to be lulled into "group think." A responsibility in teamwork is to give sincere consideration to diverse perspectives and ideas. A team agitator isn’t afraid to challenge the group to think differently or explore a new direction.

Team Analysis Provides Perspective

A team analyzer is process-minded and often provides a deep perspective about possible outcomes. Just when the team seems to be onto a solution, a team analyzer sweeps in with a list of variables to consider. It may seem frustrating at first, but a team analyzer may save the day with a detailed scan that reveals potential pitfalls of the work.

Team Enforcement Ensures Productivity

In addition to collaborating and connecting, accomplishing the task at hand is one of the main responsibilities of teamwork. It’s easy to get off-track when a group of people is charged with the assignment of working together. A team enforcer provides informal oversight on task completion and timeline planning.

Be Aware of Team Blockers

Inevitably, a team will have a member that may impede group cooperation and may not be committed to the importance of teamwork. Here are a few behaviors that you may see from a blocker:

If you have a team member that is blocking the progress of the group, it’s important to talk to them about their behavior. Focus on what you can do to bring them along, rather than push them out of the group.