Informality

A team subfactor with high Communication, and low Direction

Relates to teams that are both Communicative and Participatory

In Informality we come to the first Subfactor that relates to high Communication. In fact, as Informality is defined by high Communication and low Direction, it can be viewed the exact opposite of Autocracy. Each of the twelve Subfactors has a corresponding opposite of this kind.

We can expect to see all the sociability and openness that Communication brings with it in an Informal team, but the lack of Direction means that these aspects are often unfocused. Team members tend to pay more attention to developing their working (and social) relationships with one another than on more practical issues.

Informal teams provide relaxed and pleasant working environments (at least to sociable, communicative individuals), and members often have a strong sense of team loyalty. The lack of a clear sense of direction, however, means that such teams often need more guidance than other types to ensure a satisfactory work rate is achieved.