We find, notably in the writings of Tammy Erickson, the idea that roles and responsibilities must be clear for people to demonstrate their strengths. This will allow you to recruit the right people and generally improve team efficiency – since each person will know exactly what is expected of them. Incidentally, this will reduce the risk of misunderstandings and conflicts, particularly with authority figures. If you add legible processes to these ingredients, you have a recipe for maximizing collective performance.

• Clearly identify the roles you need. To paraphrase Albert Einstein, they should be as simple as possible, but no simpler. Therefore, limit their number as much as possible. Remember that small teams are often more effective than large ones.
• Ask new teams to invest time in determining who will do what. Each person's assignments must have been clarified and well understood before taking action.
• Clearly define roles and responsibilities. Ask teams to list key procedures and tasks, specifying who is responsible for doing the work and who will ultimately bear the responsibility. For this, you can use a RASCI responsibility assignment matrix (for Responsible, Accountable, Supporting, Consulted, and Informed).
• Create a chart to visualize the interactions between your team and the rest of the organization. This is a useful tool for analyzing links and interdependencies within a group. Track gaps, identify other useful roles and skills. What are you missing and in which departments? Gradually add positions whose importance you realize and cross out those that have become obsolete.
• Encourage your team to create organizational charts for critical operational processes. Then, apply ad hoc methods to eliminate bottlenecks, aiming for efficiency and team consolidation. Choose the operational excellence tools best suited to your situation, whether Six Sigma, Lean, Kaizen, Hoshin, etc.

• Let your political agenda dictate the team's composition. The latter would be overwhelmed with roles and functions, and you would be forced to recruit unsuitable people. In any case, your team would lose efficiency.
• Being too vague about expectations and responsibilities. Individual roles only make sense if they are integrated into a RACI matrix that specifies their influence on task completion and deliverables. For an organization to function effectively, it is highly recommended to use such a matrix in anticipation of each project or cross-functional process.
• Using the wrong decision-making methods. In principle, wisdom dictates employing a participatory approach involving a consultation procedure and a vote. However, when the goal is to improve processes, or the activities themselves, decisions must be based on facts, and not on general opinion. Therefore, start by isolating the relevant criteria to weigh the pros and cons. If several options prove viable, base your decision on factual data.
• Not dedicating enough time to reflection and process improvement. An overwhelming majority of management teams aspire to a culture of continuous progress. But how many invest to achieve it? Often, they value retreats and group workshops less than production time. However, let's remember, a successful project is 80% due to preparation work and only 20% due to its execution.
• Neglecting the anticipation and structuring of transfers. Internal changes are part of the life of any organization. Don't «botch» them. Inappropriate or problematic transfers often result in friction, leading to a considerable loss of efficiency.