Many of the theories about communicating effectively in corporate structures as well as the accompanying pedagogy do not pertain to changes in corporate structure and communication brought about by Total Quality Management (TQM). TQM creates a work environment in which employees need problem-solving skills and interpersonal skills that allow them to work well as part of a team. Team building enables employees to communicate, and "cross training" is a means of educating employees to provide varying levels of flexibility in the work environment. One way for students to understand teams is to consider the team processes of team charter, team functions, and team improvement. Students working together on classroom projects should use a charter to express in writing their core purpose and secondary purposes. Students need to discuss behavior standards that facilitate effective team functioning. Team improvement is a result of training, education, and development. Including "individual development plans" (a set of goals derived from job task requirements) as part of collaborative projects is a way to make sure that students participate in cross training and thus improve themselves and the functioning of the team. Learning about team building and cross training prepares students for the corporate environments they will encounter upon graduation. (Fifteen references, a list of the criteria for the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality award, a team master profile spider diagram, and a figure illustrating team processes are attached. (Contains 15 references.) (RS)