Successful organisational teams: Theory and practice from an adult communication management perspective

In the past few years, many Australian organisations have either undergone or been planning a change from a hierarchical bureaucratic culture to a team‐based one. Much faith in the potential success of this kind of change appears to have been based on stories of transformations which worked well in overseas organisations, notably Japanese and American companies. One important issue for Australian organisational leaders was to come to terms with how the cultures of local and overseas companies were similar to or different from each other. For example, if the value systems of both local and overseas organisations tended to converge rather than diverge, the probability of developing a team‐based culture in Australian companies was relatively high. This paper critically examines stories of Australian organisations which are moving to a team‐based culture, from an adult communication management perspective. In particular, the paper aims to identify communication management variables which contribute to the successful implementation of teams in those organisations. Finally, conclusions and implications are drawn for maintaining high performance in team‐based organisations through effective communication management practices. ‘The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order’ — Alfred North Whitehead.