BASIS FOR

GROUP TEAM
COMPARISON

MEANING A collection of individuals A group of persons having

who work together in collective identity joined
completing a task. together, to accomplish a goal.

LEADERSHIP Only one leader More than one

MEMBERS Independent Interdependent

PROCESS Discuss, Decide and Discuss, Decide and Do.

Delegate.

WORK PRODUCTS Individual Collective

FOCUS ON Accomplishing individual Accomplishing team goals.

goals.

ACCOUNTABILITY Individually Either individually or mutually

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The term group has a broad meaning. It refers to a number of people who are connected by some
shared activity, interest, or quality. Group can also refer to a number of people or things that are
together or in the same place. Groups may be brought together for a particular purpose, or they
may be informal such as a group of friends, neighbors, colleagues, etc.

Although individuals in a group have common characteristics, they may not have a common goal
or task. For example, a group of students in a class has a common feature – they all have come to
learn, but these students are not necessarily working towards a common goal. Similarly, the term
group is also used to refer to the people who belong to an ethnicity, or religion. Although the
people in these groups share common characteristics, there is no shared cause or goal. The
absence of a specific, shared goal or purpose is a main factor that differentiates a group.
Moreover, the members of a group are independent; they do not rely on each other since roles
and responsibilities are not assigned to each member.

There are two kinds of groups:

Formal Group: These groups are created by the management of the organization for performing
a specific task.

Informal Group: The formation of these groups is done naturally in an organization, to satisfy
the social or psychological human needs.

For example: Ethnic groups, trade unions, friendship circles, airline flight crew, etc.

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Team refers to a number of persons associated together in work or activity. Members of a team
work together towards a common goal. They have to coordinate the tasks and activities to
achieve this shared goal. The roles and duties are defined and specified in a team, i.e., each
member is assigned a specific task. Members of a team are interdependent since each member is
responsible for a certain task. If one task or duty is not done properly, it may affect the whole
activity or task.

In addition, members of the team usually have a good awareness of each other’s characteristics.
In other words, there is mutual understanding between team members. This attribute helps to
maximize the strengths and minimize weaknesses in the team. Some examples of teams include
research and development teams, fast food restaurant crew, product development team, soccer
team, etc.

A team can be categorized as a group, but not every group is a team.

The three key features of team functioning are:

 Cohesion
 Confrontation
 Collaboration

For example: Cricket team, team for accomplishing a project, team of doctors, management
team etc.

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MAIN DIFFERENCE – GROUP VS. TEAM
We all belong to groups or teams; being in a group is part of everyday life. Although the two
terms group and team both refer to a number of people who share a common characteristic, there
is a slight difference between group and team, especially in a management and business context.
The main difference between group and team is that the members of a group share common
characteristics whereas members of a team share a common goal or purpose. A team is a group,
but not every group is a team.

1. A leader dominates and controls a work group, while in a team, the leader is a
facilitator.

In a work group, a leader usually dictates how the work group should run and function. All direct
reports will look to the leader for direction and decisions.

In a team however, a leader facilitates the discussions with the team members. Each member’s
input is taken into consideration and made part of the final decision.

2. The goals of a work group is often set by the leader or the head of the organization,
while in a team, the members usually set the goals.

An organization often has pre-determined goals that the work group adopts as a part of their
plan, but a team comes together to decide on their shared goals and objectives.

3. In a work group, the leader is obvious and he conducts the meeting; while in a team,
the members are often actively participating in the discussions.

In a work group, members often just give ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers to the leader in the meeting or at
most some minor suggestions because the meetings are usually a relay of information.

In a team, members are often actively participating and discussing about the issues at hand,
offering their input spontaneously. This often creates a synergistic solution to many problems as
the issue is seen from different perspectives.

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 4. In a work group, the leader assigns work to the members, while in a team, everyone
decides together on the work assignments.

Work is usually decided from the top-down in a work group; roles and responsibilities are clearly
defined and each individual knows what their function is.

In a team, the work is usually decided collectively, and then the work is distributed accordingly
to each individual’s strengths, abilities and competence areas.

Reading this may give you the idea that working groups are not good and teams are the way to
go. That’s not entirely true. Working groups are important in organizations as well and they
should continue to exist in organizations to work, function and operate efficiently as a well-oiled
machine.

SIMILARITIES
 Two or more than two persons
 Interaction of members
 Face to face relationship
 Focus on the achievement of an objective
 Leader
 Sharing of information and resources

CONCLUSION
A team is qualitatively different from a group. A team plays a very vital role in the life of the
members. The team members as it motivate the members for working creatively and actively
participating in the team tasks. Moreover, a team stimulates the members to work for/with one
another in an achieving an objective.

The Group is also not less. The group also helps the members in developing a sense of
conformity between the members and respect the group values. It increases their resistance to
change. Above all, the power of a group is always more than an individual.

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EFFECTIVE TEAM WORK
Effective teamwork is what makes companies and products succeed. Have you ever been a part
of a great team? When an efficient team starts to work, their efforts turn to productive results. In
order to gather a productive team, you need to identify the core characteristics of effective
teamwork. It may sound easy: a team is a group of people who work together to achieve common
goals. However, how to make them successful? What makes one team effective while others
are not is a bit complex. Characteristics of effective teamwork include the ability to set aside
personal prejudices and the willingness to take group responsibilities.An
important leadership competency in small and midsize businesses for any company’s manager is
the ability to create, manage and lead high performing teams.

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 Characteristics of effective teamwork – the STAR team model
The STAR team model suggests that effective teamwork in the workplace happens when four
elements (Strengths, Teamwork, Alignment and Results) are in place:

 Individuals flourish as they use and develop their Strengths

 People come together building relationships that result in effective Teamwork
 The team leader Aligns the team through effective communication of purpose, so that
individual strengths combine with teamwork to deliver the teams results
 Together everyone achieves more as performance flows and Results that are meaningful
and rewarding to the team are achieved

For high performance, all three aspects of the STAR model are equally important, and the team
balances the three areas of results, strengths and teamwork according to the situation. The teams
impact spreads beyond its immediate context to influence other teams and the wider
organization.

 Typically team synergy is demonstrated when:

 The team finds new ways of working
 Team members initiate change
 The team sets fresh challenges
 Team members spreads good practice
 Team members coach and support each other and start to do so with other teams
 Team members take the lead more often in their area of expertise

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Connections are made across team, more widely across the organization and with customers
which bring increasing value to what the team does.

In this phase the team leader should look for synergy by:

 Exploring connections
 Bring things together – ideas, people, skills, other teams – so that they combine in a way
that delivers much more than if they were apart.
 Encouraging the team to take on fresh challenges
 Supporting new skills development
 Renewing strengths
 Encouraging individuals to experience flow ( sense of working at peak performance,
where skills and level of challenge are matched) in what they do
 Promoting innovation
 Being outward looking
 Team leaders should also encourage the team to be outward looking:
 Connecting, encouraging, finding potential
 Releasing team members to lead themselves

At this stage the team increasingly leads and certainly manages itself, as the maturity and
capability of team members is evident. The leader’s role is one of serving the team by helping to
create the conditions for high performance.

Synergy is one of the distinguishing characteristics of effective teamwork, but it is not

always easily found. There does need to be a sense of vigilance and determination to reap
the rewards of a team that is performing for the wider benefit of the organization.

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CHARACTERISTICS
 CLEAR DIRECTION

Yes, it’s about a clear sense of purpose and measurable objectives. This unifies the group and
every team member knows why the group exists. Unfortunately, often companies are in such a
hurry to move on their projects that they pull together groups of people without deciding on the
goals and desired results. A clear goal is a fuel which drives each member’s effort. First, you
need to realize and communicate the team goals and desired outcomes. Use them for clear
direction for the team you select and leave the team flexibility to develop the best way to get
there.

 OPEN DOORS AND CLEAR COMMUNICATION

Communication is crucial for building a sense of camaraderie between team members. Clear and
transparent communication is when the team is able to communicate effectively and there is a
feeling of open communicative relations between all members of the group. All the issues are
handled by face-to-face communication and team members do not talk behind each other’s back.

Keep your door open to let your coworkers be with you. The more freely you talk to your team
members, the more comfortable you are in sharing ideas and insights. This is one of the reasons
why modern businesses emphasize communication and collaboration tools.

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Here, it’s a relevant thing to add a couple of words about listening. It is not just a way to find
things out but also a sign of respect. Listen like you mean it and demonstrate that you’re
listening.

 COLLABORATION SPIRIT

“None of us is as smart as all of us.”

Ken Blanchard

The more you collaborate and communicate, the more you create and the better products you get.
Thorough and close collaboration is a trait shared by every high-performing team. It can be
difficult, especially if some members possess strong personalities. Successful teams tend to have
strong leaders that are able to keep everybody on the same page while keeping the petty
bickering to a minimum.

 PLAYING BY THE RULES

Any team should have a set of rules that determines its operating procedures and acts. This set
helps to keep the team on track and eliminate any ambiguity. It means that everyone has to agree
to the rules beforehand.

 DEFINED ROLES

Skill sets, specific roles, and thinking styles are required for teams. If it’s needed to develop a
new product, the team will need a detail-oriented person who can keep the team on track.

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An explorer is also an important role because he/she can be more of a big-picture thinker who
can help the team see what is possible. There is also a need for a person who will be responsible
for measurement and metrics. Of course, your team may have other roles, but you should have a
good handle on those roles before you begin managing the team.

 ENCOURAGING DIFFERENCES IN OPINIONS

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”

Phil Jackson

Common goals and their agreeing are essential. However, it’s not about suppressing alternative
ideas and opinions. Divergent opinions within a team may enhance team performance.

 MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY

High-performing teams accept responsibility as individuals and as a team. Team members should
not blame one another for mistakes and failures. And no one should spend time in personal
justifications.

Any success should be celebrated together.

 TEAM TRUST

The truth is – team members who cannot trust one other or and do not believe in the defined
team goals seldom get success. Focusing on solving problems is a natural thing for effective
teams. There can be trust between team members only if they can translate their views freely.
That’s why managers and team leaders often undertake team building exercises and problem-
solving activities that put everyone in positions of trust.

 DECISION MAKING

There are a built-in decision-making system and a hierarchy in any effective team. They help
teams to react quickly and effectively to all situations. Each member is respected for the various
areas of expertise, and the leader obtains the members’ opinion to formulate the group’s
response.

 EFFICIENT USE OF IDEAS

Generating ideas is the crucial skill for all teams. Brainstorming is one of the ways to come up
with the solution to a problem. Every team member should be able to propose information and
formulate that information into a response.

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  HAVING FUN

Permanent work can lead to burnout and lack of productivity, so it’s important for any team to
have time for fun and relax. It shouldn’t be just work and no play. Collaborative groups that
work particularly well together should enjoy each other’s company and get together outside of
the office sometimes to socialize and have fun. Creative such positive relationships with
colleagues can make for a much more relaxed environment and reduce conflicts.

CONCLUSION
A powerful team is the foundation of high-performing business and a good team ethic may lead
to the success and smooth running of a company. If employees do not feel each other’s support
and do not work well together, problems, conflicts, and risks can arise. The characteristics
mentioned above are definitely required for the teams’ great performing and the total company’s
success.

FOUR MOST COMMON TYPES OF TEAM

What is 'Teamwork'?
When we talk about Teamwork we generally mean different things. For some a team is a group
of people with a shared purpose. For others a team must also have a deadline. For others a team
must also embody some degree of co-operative working. If we are really serious about
improving teams and teamwork then we need to get more rigourous around what we actually
mean.

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A Biological definition of 'teamwork'
Carl Anderson and Nigel Franks [1] have undertaken unique research into insects, animal,
human and even robot teams. They are interested in the degree to which these different groups
are capable of exhibiting 'teamwork'. To do this they developed a rigourous but practical way to
assess whether particular group activities constitute 'teamwork'.

Teams undertake different kinds of tasks

If instead of focusing on the team members we look instead at the tasks they undertake together
we find four types:

1. Individual Task
2. Group Task
3. Partitioned Task
4. Team Task

Individual Tasks
These can be completed by single individuals without help. I call it 'solo work'. Solo work is an
important aspect of organizational team behavior - sometimes it's the best way to get things
done.

Group Tasks
These tasks require multiple team members to do the same activity concurrently. For example,
ants or soccer supporters conducting ritual symbolic displays in territorial battles with another
groups. There is concurrency but no division of labor where different individuals must do the
same things at the same time. I call this 'Crowd work'. Crowd work has a place in organizational
teams such as team review meetings, brainstorming and team social gatherings. However crowd
work can also be an indication of poor role definition and consequent misuse of resources. For
example a meeting where everyone starts to play the same role at the same time generally does
not produce useful outcomes.

Partitioned Tasks
This is where a task is split into two or more subtasks that can be organized sequentially. For
example for a Bee "Collect and Store Nectar" can be split into Sub-Task 1 "Collect Nectar" and
Sub-Task 2 "Store Nectar". There is division of labor but no concurrency. I call this 'Groupwork'.
Lots of organizational teamwork can be achieved through group work - it lends itself particularly
well to asynchronous communication methods such as email and shared document areas.

Team Tasks
This requires multiple individuals to perform different tasks concurrently. Different individuals
must do different things at the same time. There is both division of labour and concurrency. This
is real 'Teamwork" and requires the most complex co-ordination between team players. In
biological teams "Teamwork" is used extensively for critical activities such as responding to a
threat or exploiting an opportunity.

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What blends of 'teamwork' does your team practice?

You should try to assess the different kinds of teamwork in your teams.

For example, take a look at the way your team does Collaborative Document Development. One
popular approach is that a single author develops the entire document, copies it to the other
members and then decides what to do with all their review comments. This looks mostly like
solo work with a little bit of group work at the end.

Another common approach is to break the document up into multiple independent sections each
with a different author. They are independently reviewed and edited. A single author is appointed
to pull the document together via a management summary and common formatting for the
different sections. This still pure group work but still not Teamwork.

A more Teamwork-oriented approach to this would be to allocate each team member certain
horizontal responsibilities which span document sections (Teamwork) plus some vertical
responsibilities for specific sections of the document (Solo work) plus some group review
responsibilities (Group work)

All forms of teamwork and collaboration are needed in a team:

Each type of teamwork is appropriate for certain tasks - a bio team uses them all and in the
right context:

Solo work is a valid and useful activity in teams - in certain situations it is simply the most
efficient way to get things done

Group work lends itself well to asynchronous communication methods

Crowd work may point to poor team role definition which wastes team member’s time

Teamwork (in the biological sense) seems to be relatively rare in organizational teams. It
requires more co-ordination between team members because different individuals need to do
different things at the same time. In biological teams "Teamwork" is used extensively for critical
activities such as responding to a threat or exploiting an opportunity. We need to be able to use it
effectively in our teams particularly for complex problem solving and situations where real
creativity is required.

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