ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. Given the importance of teams and team-work, the book provides research-based guidance for the effective design, delivery, transfer, and maintenance of team training. In general, team training is provided to instill knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) that will improve job performance, team performance, and organizational effectiveness. In the modern working world, teams have become a mainstay of organizational life. The book illustrates that the distinction between task work and teamwork is important, because teams that are equipped with appropriate taskwork skills may not be similarly equipped with the accompanying teamwork skills essential for effective team performance. The effectiveness of team training should be systematically considered and assessed before, during, and after team training using robust evaluation metrics that have been developed prior to team training implementation.
