GROUPS AND TEAMS

By Dushyant Kevin

 Group - two or more

individuals, interacting and interdependent, who all have come together for particular objectives
Team - A group of people

having complementary skills, working together, for achieving a common goal so that the result in performance is greater than the sum of the individual inputs

Which is an effective group?

Informal atmosphere Good listening skills of members as well as participation Well Understanding of task

Members give ideas and suggestions

Group aware about its operations and functioning Consensus in decision making Clear assignments are made and accepted

Stages of Group Development

Forming Storming Norming Performing

Forming
Teams are generally new and learning how to work together Uncertainty regarding the purpose, structure and leadership of the group Stage ends when members start feeling as part of the group Need of a strong leader which will help through the forming activities

Storming
Conflicts and disagreements among the members .
Conflicts are need to be sought

before moving to next stage. leadership

At the end of the stage clear hierarchy of Team needs a leader and members who are willing to identify issues and resolve them

Norming
Stage in which close relationships develop

and the group demonstrates cohesiveness.

Members need to learn problem solving and

decision making.
At the end, leader becomes less directive and

multiple leaders emerges as the members feel empowered

Performing
The groups are fully functional and accepted. Flexible approach towards roles and structures depending upon the task at hand.
Difficult to identify a leader in this stage, as

everyone sharing the leadership.

Adjourning
For temporary structures.
After the completion of task, group prepares

for its disbandment.

High task performance is no longer groups

top priority, instead wrapping up is.

Types of Groups
Formal

Command Group Task Group

Informal

Friendship group Interest group Reference group

Command Group

Formed by Subordinates reporting directly to a particular manager Determined by Organization chart

Task Group

Compose of people who work together to

perform a task
Cross- command relationship

Friendship Groups

Formed by people having one or more

common features

Interest groups

People who may or

may not be in command or task group may affiliate to attain a common objective with which they are concerned

Reference Group

Based on Interest and friendship Have in common race, gender, social class,

profession

Difference between group and team

Basis Accountability Synergy Skills individual
Neutral (at times negative)

Group

Team Individual and mutual Positive Complementary

Achieved due to collective efforts of all individuals

Random and varied

Achieved due to individuals in a group

Goal

Effectiveness

Depends on influence of Depends on the individual on one another collective output

 Context
I.

Components of Effective team

Adequate resources II. Leadership and structures III. Climate of trust IV. Performance evaluation and reward systems

Composition
I. II. III.

IV.
V. VI.

VII.

Abilities of members Personality Allocating roles Diversity Size of teams Member flexibility Member preferences

Components of Effective team(cont.)

Work design

Autonomy II. Skill variety III. Task identity IV. Task significance
I.

Process
I. II. III. IV. V.

Common purpose Specific goals Team efficacy Conflict levels Social loafing

Types of Teams
Problem-Solving Self- Managed work Cross Functional

Virtual

Problem-Solving teams

Members share ideas or offer suggestions on

how work processes and methods can be improved

Members cannot implement unilaterally any

of their suggested actions

Self-Managed Work Teams

Members who perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of their former supervisors
Involved in planning, scheduling work ,

assigning work to members ,taking action on problems etc.

Cross Functional Teams

Employees from same

hierarchy level, but different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task
Allows people from diverse areas within an organization to share information , develop new idea and solve problems and coordinate

complex projects

Virtual Teams

Computer technology is used to bring together physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common objective

THANK YOU