suggested positive aspects of teamwork in an organizational setting. After organizations recognized the value of teamwork and the positive effects it had on companies, entire fields of work shifted from the typical assembly line to the contemporary High Performance Organizational Model. Effective teamwork characteristics There are certain characteristics that a team must have to work effectively. These characteristics are interrelated. It is imperative that group cohesion is strong within the team. There is a positive relationship between group cohesion and performance. Communication is another vital characteristic for effective teamwork. Members must be able to effectively communicate with each other to overcome obstacles, resolve conflict, and avoid confusion. Communication increases cohesion. Communication is important within teams to clearly define the team's purpose so that there is a common goal. Having a common goal will increase cohesion because all members are striving for the same objective and will help each other achieve their goals. Commitment is another important characteristic for teams. It occurs when members are focused on achieving the team's common goal. Accountability is necessary to ensure milestones are reached and that all members are participating. Holding members accountable increases commitment within team relations. Basic team dynamics Basic team dynamics include: Open communication to avoid conflicts. Effective coordination to avoid confusion and the overstepping of boundaries. Efficient cooperation to perform the tasks in a timely manner and produce the required results, especially in the form of workload sharing. High levels of interdependence to maintain high levels of trust, risk-taking, and performance. All these teamwork conditions lead to the team turning in a finished product. A way to measure if the teamwork was effective, the organization must examine the quality of the output, the process, and the members' experience. Specifically, the teamwork can be deemed efficient if: the output met or exceeded the organization's standard; if the process the team chose to take helped them reach their goals; and if the members are reporting high levels of satisfaction with the team members as well as the processes which the team followed. Processes Specific teamwork processes have been identified fall into three categories: Transition processes These processes occur between periods of action. In this period, the team members can evaluate their overall performance as a team as well as on an individual level, give feedback to each other, make clarifications about the upcoming tasks, and make any changes that would improve the process