Group work and teamwork have become essential in organizations which these days are getting ever more complex due to the continuous technological, economical and social changes occurring in their external environment. As the complexity increases, more people become involved in the decision-making processes as teams try to resolve problems that emerge within the organization. Such teams are effectively “collective organs” and constitute part of the collective management system. Collective organs, used in every type of formal organization (both public and private), embody a modern managerial approach and are a key characteristic of a democratic society. Indeed, today, you will rarely find a school unit that does not use collective organs in its decision-making process. This chapter:
Examines the general function of collective management in the context of a school and and analyses the determinants for the effective functioning of its collective organs
Uses an illustrative example to provide useful information on how the members of a collective organ (team members) can make rational decisions
Examines the role of informal teams and presents techniques with which the school head can confront any difficulties that arise among members of a collective organ
Presents ways in which the school head can create a mature and effective team
Finally presents case studies based on real school situations