The Role of a Steering Committee

    After the decision to establish teams is reaffirmed, it is time to consider the makeup and responsibilities of the steering committee, which will oversee the design effort. There are a few natural candidates for this committee:  the senior manager of the unit where teams will be located; local/national union leaders; functional managers; and in many cases, first-line leaders and line associates who might be affected by the change.  Given group dynamics, eight to twelve members is reasonable (Making Teams Work, 1993).  In preparation for team implementation, it is often desirable for steering committee members to visit other organizations that are using teams, to read articles about teams, and, in various other ways, to gain insight into the team concept (Welling et al. 1991).  

    The Steering committee is the initial planning group and serves as an umbrella for the entire team design process.  This committee which typically meets weekly or every two week initially, then monthly there after, determines the who, what, where, and how of implementation (Making Teams Work, 1993). The role of the this committee, according to Welling et al. (1991), is to champion the team design process in visible ways, including:

• Clarifying and communicating the organization’s vision and values.

• Developing a charter that spells out the purpose and importance of teams.

• Providing a link to the larger organization’s needs and policies.

• Protecting the design process from any dysfunctional influences.

• Providing general support for implementation.

Resources: Envision Worksheet

                    A Guide to Writing your Team's Charter