We are now ready to focus on the functioning of the team itself. The entity of the team is the platform through which original thought can be generated and the process can be likened to a chemical process where different elements are combined to produce an outcome which bears no resemblance to any of the constituent elements.
As in chemistry the size or quantity of the contributing element bears no relationship to the effect that that element can have on the outcome, as in the action of a catalyst, for example. In teamwork many contributions act as an intellectual catalyst to stimulate significant change in the eventual outcome of the deliberation. In this way all contributions must be taken seriously, irrespective of quantity or source.
Continuing the chemical theme it is important that the deliberation process takes place in the right environment and creating the right conditions for effective consultation are as important as creating the right conditions for a desired chemical reaction. Fundamentally, the effectiveness of this intellectual chemistry is dependent upon the purity of the individual contributions in that they are, as far as possible, free from the contamination of spurious motive, attitude, attachments, etc. This aspect of developing good personal attributes is therefore vital to a satisfactory outcome for the team.