The Knights of the Round Table, an order dedicated to ensuring the peace of King Arthur's kingdom, first appeared in British literature in the mid-12th century. Their Round Table was a symbol of the equality of members who ranged from sovereign royals to minor nobles. Thus, the concept of a group of diverse individuals with different skills, talents and status levels working together as a team toward productive ends is hundreds of years old - and so are the interpersonal and organizational communication issues!

Research suggests that when team members are having interpersonal problems, the fault is in the structure of the team. Thus, contemporary team building must begin with identifying a common mission or purpose. Once the purpose is defined, goals, roles and a common work process must be established. With project teams, a clear charter document must be created which specifies key working agreements for the team in the larger organizational context.

Andrew Black, PhD, has an extensive background in working with teams (functional and project teams) and leading the members through a facilitated process to clearly define and communicate the team “charter”.

While the task of the team may not be “world peace,” many of the same elements that allowed Arthur and his knights to keep the peace can set your team up for success and lay the foundation for effective teamwork. Let me show you how!