Abstract: Self-managing groups can be a great tool for any organization. The creation of a synergetic team that has a clear project goal and the resources needed can help to achieve things that are not possible with a single person. In reaching this goal can be a challenge to create a team that is effective and often times can be complicated. Thus detailed planning, along with having the latitude to work independently from the chain of command can make the results of the project far better than what was perceived at the beginning of the project and usually will come under budget. Also, how these groups are formed, their attributes and leading this type of group is different than the traditional organizational chain and also how the future of the criminal justice system can be affected.

The Start of the Self-Managing Group According to Webster’s Dictionary, the word ‘team’ is described as “a number of persons associated together in work or activity and a group on one side of or performed by a team marked by devotion to teamwork, rather than individual achievement.” (Webster, 2013.)The implication is that common goals and cooperation within the team will ensure the success of the project. As more time passes, the concept of team-work has grown exponentially and has gained importance within major organizations. Ensuring that a team has the tools and resources required and empowered enough to work independently on its own. Thus, it can be said that these teams are best described as a self-managed team Attributes of a Self-Managed Team Looking at a self-managed team, the concept of employee empowerment gives employees the required authority and resources required to carry out their responsibilities. The basic responsibilities of a self-managed team are the overall planning of the project, scheduling of all team personnel, assigning specific responsibilities that should be matched to the talents of the members, ensuring product quality from start to finish, procuring materials, making all decisions and solving problems as they arise. Thus, even a leader of a self-managed team can stand back from the team itself, watching the “activities carried out by the team members that have the required specialist knowledge, the leader carries out a supporting role in the process. The leader can even learn from his/her peers and share in performing activities” (McLagan & Nel,1995). A self-managed team differs greatly from a regular work team or group in one critical way. The processes and the means to be able to achieve the team goals are created and designed by the team itself. Since the main body of the organization does not interfere with this objective, work can be carried out without the usual continuous reporting. As the criminal justice system and companies evolve, all organizations have to focus on developing their most valuable asset, human capital. There are several stages that a self-managing team has to go through before it can start on the process of constructing the specific project, service, or objective that needs to be created. The team is also responsible for dealing with their interpersonal issues within the team structure and work without any direct supervision other than the team leader. Self-managed teams are responsible for an end product or a specific service that meets or exceeds expectations. The talents and knowledge that a self-managing team share and their extensive communication between members is critical to the inner working of any self-managed team along with the multi-skills that is a typical characteristic of a self-managed team. The Stages of the Self-Managing Team In the formation stage of a self-managing team, it starts with a specific number of group