Is Your Group a Team?

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.