Design Principles Four principles of team design provide structural integrity with the values of self-direction and empowerment. Members of self-directing teams are interdependent to produce a common outcome. What distinguishes team sports from individual sports is the interdependence among team members. It's the same for work teams. Interdependence is reinforced when each team member makes some unique contribution.
Physical proximity is also important.
Individuals who work successfully alone or isolated, without any interaction with colleagues, will find the call for teamwork to be disruptive and frivolous. But teamwork is natural when real interdependence exists. Self-directing teams have a whole task to do. In forming basketball teams, we wouldn't think of putting forwards on one team, centers on another, and guards on yet another. And yet many work teams are expected to do only part of a whole job.