Vem har apan på sin axel? En kvalitativ studie om teamledarskap på ett företag inom fastighetsbranschen

Abstract

Due to the increased need of organizational adaptation and the need to remain competitive, teams have become an important function for building organizations, as the need for different skills, competences and experiences grow increasingly. Many organizations have therefore left hierarchical and vertical structures in favor of team-based structures. Therefore, a new kind of team leadership has arisen, disparate from the traditional leader-centered leadership. The aim of this case study was to investigate how different actors in a team-based organization experience the team leadership in relation to the team's function, phases and efficiency. The study was conducted through a qualitative method where empirical material was obtained with nine semistructured interviews consisting participants of different positions, both internal and external of the teams. The data was analyzed through a functional approach of team leadership and empowerment as a strategy for organizations to promote effective team leadership. According to the functional leadership model, leadership responsibility has been shifted from the formal team leader to a shared leadership among team members. The case study provides an insight into how context and structure can affect the view of team leadership and how formal and informal leadership can arise from different sources. The case study also provides an understanding of the complexity of team leadership to meet the team needs. Our study shows that there are challenges in exercising a formal team leader role when organizations promote freedom with responsibility. Mainly, the lack of clear expectations and boundaries makes it hard to proceed in a formal team leader role. This study shows the need of organizational understanding of new ways of working with the development and enhancement of promoting team effectiveness and effective team leadership. The new kind of team leadership needs not to lay emphasis on the individual team leader, but instead on the development of the whole team as a group, to create effective team leadership and team effectiveness within a team.