Team vs Group - what's the big deal ?

 Leadership in the 21st Century, Week 11, 6/18/12

What is the difference between a team and a work group ?

A team is a small group of people with complementary skills, committed to a common purpose, and a set of performance goals, to which they hold each other accountable. A good team usually has a purposing activity when they come together to discuss and decide on goals. With a high level of trust and commitment, they engage in creative conflict, commit to the team’s decisions, hold peers accountable and focus on the team’s results. Leadership is shared and accountability is individual as well as mutual. Good teams translate the broader organizational objectives into specific and measurable goals. Team members come together to discuss, decide, problem-solve and do real work together. Open-ended discussions are encouraged. Individual members do not hesitate to take responsibility outside their own. Two or more members work together and create work products. Performance of a team is a function of individual work as well as the collective work products. 

            A group may have a strong leader and a set of individuals. The purpose of the group is the same as that of the broader organization. Members come together to discuss, decide and delegate. Effectiveness is measured indirectly through influence on other teams. Meetings are run efficiently. But because of the focus on individual work and the absence of collective work products, groups are less effective than teams.

How many times do we confuse a group for a team ? Great leaders know the difference.

Dr DP