Facilitating Dysfunctional Teams	How might an instructor reduce the likelihood of dysfunctional teams?	How might team members reduce the likelihood of dysfunctional teams?	What is a dysfunctional team?
	How might an instructor recognize a dysfunctional team?	What examples of dysfunctional behavior can lead to the destruction of a team?	How might an instructor facilitate a dysfunctional team?

How can a teacher or facilitator reduce the likelihood of dysfunctional teams?
Investing time in helping teams get off to a good start can reduce the likelihood of dysfunctional teams, reduce the severity of dysfunction, and provide the foundation for facilitating dysfunctional teams. Here are some concrete suggestions.

• Provide training to the students about how to work in teams (confronting unrealistic expectations, diversity training, and a system for managing conflict). See other documents in the series on team training.
• Plan the team assignments
• Assign the teams in a fair and careful manner
• Help team members develop a code of cooperation and a system for managing conflict
• Help team members anticipate possible dysfunctional behaviors and brainstorm about what to do if these should occur
• Help team members accept responsibility for successful development of the team
• Periodically monitor progress and effectiveness before problems escalate
• Provide assessments of teams and team members with feedback
• Build both individual and collaborative responsibility (accountability) into the grading process