ABSTRACT
The rationale for teams has been different for different types of organization at different times. The consequence of teams having increased responsibility and authority, and a wider range of tasks, is that they take on a number of tasks over and above those which would be allocated to individual workers in more traditional work systems. Researchers at the Tavistock Institute developed a theory of socio-technical systems (STS) and then consequent principles for group work design. STS redesign should also enable a high quality of work life for employees and team members as well as providing for the successful performance of the organization. A leader is one who, out of madness or goodness, volunteers to take upon himself the woe of a people. Another outcome of all the work on co-located teams over the years, which is of value to understanding virtual teams, is to do with leadership and leaders.
