Corporations hold fast to the promise and premise of teamwork. Whether yours is a small business or a global enterprise, teamwork is supposedly essential. But is it really?
The dynamics of a group are very different from those of a team—and might even be preferable depending on your organizational goals. Basically, your business can benefit from groups and teams in different ways. Consider these differences:
Characteristics of a high-functioning group:
- Composed of talented, knowledgeable members
- Individual pursuit of the goals of a position and an organization
- Strives for multi-stream innovation
- Unique and individual mentoring by group leader
Features of a cohesive team:
- Composed of talented, knowledgeable members working toward a defined, unified goal
- Dynamic merging of individual members into a functioning unit
- Members are stakeholders
- Team leader may take supporting role as maturation of team allows for self-direction
In an earlier post, we discussed the leadership styles of group and team leaders. Before deciding on leadership, determine which format suits your immediate and long-term needs—and the personalities and talents within your enterprise. Allow the form of your work groups—or teams—to develop from the long-term goals of your company.
The goals of an established business vary greatly from a start-up, yet success for both may depend on innovation. A group may be a better incubator of ideas, while a team may work better for bringing those ideas to fruition.
In a future post, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of Disruptors in a corporate landscape.