Organizational Change at the Team Level: The Dynamics Of High Performing Self-directed Work Teams From A Learning Organizational Perspective

This paper describes a model that explains the changes workers go through in formation and evolution of self-directed work teams (SDWT) over a six year period. The formation phase is characterized by major increases in worker commitment to the team concept. Upper management has to convince workers that the company will give them the freedom and resources to function as a SDWT. Once the team comes into existence, another set of processes dominate. The model describes the tradeoff between being empowered to set work intensity and worker accountability. High performing teams may seek external resources to raise the performance bar, through internal pressure to excel. Raising the bar generates burnout as an unintended consequence. However, high performing teams can be relatively immune to burnout. The model hypothesizes that loop processes, associated with team spirit and zeal for the job, appear late in the game to ameliorate the effects of burnout.