...Groups and Teams Before taking this course the student always thought groups and teams were the same, but she has realized even though, these two terms do have some similarities they also have some differences. In this paper the student will explain the differences between groups and teams, examine the importance of workplace diversity in an organization, and how it relates to team dynamics in the workplace. A work group is a collection of people working in similar areas and placed together to complete a task. Groups performance is the outcome of people coming together to share information views and insights. Members of groups have a mutual purpose. As members gather together, each brings a different personal perspective and style to the table. As the members share information, they begin the decision-making processes that help each member perform his or her particular responsibility. The two main types of groups are formal groups and informal groups. A formal group is designed around an organizations formal structure. An informal group is not structured and is normally formed out of a social need (Schermerhorn Jr, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008). (Good ) Teams are groups, but teams are a distinct separation of groups. A team is a reduced number of people with corresponding skills and committed to a common purpose, a set of performance goals and an approach for which they hold themselves accountable. (Good) Teams start out as groups; (Always???) they share some of the same beginning...
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...Groups and Teams Kit Sumpter MGT/307 May 2, 2011 Randall Voss Groups and Teams Each and every individual is important to their company and every company delegates different individuals to different tasks, groups, or teams. Many people do not emphasize the difference between a group and a team; in fact they often do not think about it or even realize that there is one but in business there is a great difference. The following pages will go into more detail to explain the differences and their importance and how workplace diversity plays a key role in teamwork within the workplace. There is no doubt that more often than not, an objective is more easily reached if there is more than one individual is working towards it. According to Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn ( 2008), “A group is a collection og two or more people who work with one another regularly to achieve common goals.” In essence you could say that the entire company is a group. They don’t necessarily all work on the project of the company itself (for example the janitor), but they all work within the group to ensure the process runs as smooth as possible and each member is important to the whole. A group does not always pertain to a company though; it can be reading groups or even a non-profit organization such as those for the disabled. The latter is considered a formal group (Schermerhorn et al., 2008). “A team is a small group of people with complementary skills who work actively together...
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...Groups and Teams Paper The future world of management is relying on Groups and Teams, who can function in a business setting for productive success. However, if using the managing skills correctly Teams and Groups may evolve into an effective high performing organization. The effort of writing this paper is to enlighten readers on the difference between Groups and Teams dynamical functioning. Nevertheless, with the provision of exclusive examination this paper will further bring out the importance of workplace diversity in an organizational environment; and team dynamics in the workplace. The most effective way to help readers understand the difference between Groups and Teams begins with defining the two organizations for clarity. The definition of a” Group is a small group of people with complementary skills in which a leader’s goal and approach; and are willing to be held accountable by the leader” (Mackin, 2007). Groups attainments are approached by the leader’s goals for dominate support. The accountability of a group is thrives on individual accountability. However, the viewpoints of leaders are for the production of its organization the supervisor has input. Subsequently group decisions are made by voting rather than members acquiring any input. However, “a team is a small group of people with complementary skills and abilities with common goals and approaches for which they hold each other accountable” (Mackin, 2007). Teams require structure and support, aside from...
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...Groups and Teams Teams and Groups This paper will explain the differences between a group and a team as well as the importance of workplace diversity in an organization and how it relates to team dynamics in the workplace. The importance of groups and teams within the workplace is essential to understand the meaning of both terms. Groups Groups is a collection of individuals who have regular contact and frequent interaction, mutual influence, common feelings of camaraderie, and who work together to achieve a common set of goals (Business Dictionary.com, 2010). Forming a group based on surrounding personalities and behavior is not difficult, although the effectiveness of groups may vary. A group's interpersonal dynamics can range from compatibility to intolerance, which could make consensus building difficult for leadership. In-group there is separate characteristics of every individual working with the group. This means every individual has his or her own job to perform. Teams Teams are a group of people with a full set of complementary skills required to complete a task, job, or project (Business Dictionary.com, 2010). Team members operate with a high degree of interdependence, share authority and responsibility for self-management, are accountable for collective performance, and work toward a common goal and shared reward (Business Dictionary.com, 2010). A team offers skills that are advantages...
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...Groups and Teams Brittany Butler MGT/307 June 20, 2011 John Anderson Groups and teams are made up of individuals who come together for a specific objective or interest. They can do a variety of things including meeting for coffee, making products, listening to music, provide services, make choices, negotiate deals, or coordinate projects to reach a common goal or task. Some of the reasons for the joining of groups and teams are related to responsibility within an organization, and some are related only to personal interest. The makings of a group or team can be diverse, which may lead to conflict or creativity depending on the collaboration. Groups A group consists of two or more individuals who come together to work on a common goal. The different kinds of groups include informal groups, formal groups, command groups, task groups, interest groups, and friendship groups. Groups are either formal or informal and from there can be classified further into the other types. Formal groups are “defined by the organization’s structure, with designated work assignments establishing tasks” (Robbins & Judge, 2009, p. 284). In this type of group the actions of the individuals are directed toward achieving the goals of the organization. Informal groups “on the other hand” are not established or structured around an organization. These groups are naturally forming groups that form from individuals who meet socially in the work environment. It is said that members of...
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...Groups and Teams MGT 307 October 3, 2011 Groups and Teams Many may think of groups and teams to be one in the same when in fact they are virtual opposites. They each hold a function different from the other and are affected by different factors. The effect of workplace diversity is among one of the biggest differences in performance as discussed below. Groups Groups are defined as “two or more individuals interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives” (Robbins & Judge, 2990 p 323). A group’s purpose in the work setting is to share information and make decisions to aid in the success of their co-workers. Groups do not do collaborative work; their performance is the summation of each individual’s personal contribution. For example, in an organization that operates several programs operating under one larger program there may be several people in the building who come together in a group to make decisions but none of them collaborate because they all work on different programs. Therefore, the successes of the organization for any given month will be a summation of individual successes (Robbins & Judge, 2009) There are several different classifications of groups: Formal groups, informal groups, command groups, task groups, interest groups, and friendship groups. Formal groups are defined organizational structure and defined work assignments. Informal groups are referred to as alliances that are not formally structured...
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...When defining diversity, one must acknowledge the differences between groups on human beings. These differences may include attributes such as ethnicity and race, religious and spiritual beliefs, educational and economic backgrounds, physical abilities and disabilities, age, gender, marital status and occupational status (McRae, 2012). By having all this diversity, individuals can have positive and negative impacts on the workplace. Diversity in the workplace can be perceived as a function of forced societal tolerances (McRae, 2012). No one employer has the right to turn down an applicant based on race, age or gender, it is a law. The workplace should have a diverse group of people. Diversity in a working environment could be seen as evidence of fair hiring practice within an organization (McRae, 2012). The most important impact of diversity in the workplace is perspective. By having different groups of people in the workplace there are different viewpoints to discussions and more than one resolution of issues. By having all these attitudes and ideas, the groups can provide valuable input to brainstorming sessions and issues demanding creative solutions. Businesses should strive for diverse groups and teams. When individuals are able to work with others whom are different from each other it challenges people’s preconceived notions about how the world works and it forces people to step outside their comfort zones and consider new thought processes. By opening people up to new...
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...Group and Teams Paper By: Evelyn Burns 11/8/2010 Introduction Many people often use the words group and team in the same way, but there are differences when it comes to the real world corporate functions. Everyone has heard many leadership courses often speaking on the importance of the team building events and not the group building events. The word team has many definitions. In a work environment the term team is a number of persons associated in some joint action. A team has one primary goal and will work together to achieve it. The word group is defined as a number of persons or things ranged or considered together as being related in some way. People may being in a group but it doesn’t mean that they will or want to work together on a goal. Some of the differences which can be enumerated between the terms team and group are as follows: The strength of the team relies on the fact that the members of a team have similarities in the purpse and there is interconnectively between the individuals members and on the other hand the group is larger in number. The group’s strength could be assessed from the fact that they need to be willing to execute the commands of a leader. Workplace diversity refers to the mixture of differences between people within an organization. This may sound simple but diversity includes race, gender, ethinic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, education and background are naming a few. Diversity...
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...Groups and Team Andrea Branch MGT/307 October 20, 2011 University of Phoenix Groups and Team “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” Vince Lonbardi. When I was in high school activities my coach or mentor would always say this before we would get started. It holds some truth, for us as a society to survive then the individuals who commit to a group effort is the one’s leading the way. The objective is to discuss one situation where I was part of a group and one situation where I was a team member. What to expect? Well, throughout this discussion the purpose of forming the group and or team will be exposed. What type of group or team was formed will also be included. The chosen leadership and how it came about, the expertise / interest that brought every individual together to form the said group or team. The challenges with diversity will also be discussed and the progress through the stages of the stages group development. And finally the goal and outcome achieved in this form of working together. So, without any further delay here we go! To start off I will be discussing the situation where I am part of a group. A little back ground on the organization I am involved in. It’s called Youth Ministries Choir. Now the purpose of this group is to get teens and preteens involved in singing within the church. There are currently twelve youths and two adults working towards this goal...
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...We've probably had a lot of experience working in group class project team. May be an athletic team, a fundraising committee, or even a ales team work. Work teams are one of the realities and challenges of managing in today’s dynamic global environment. Many organizations have made the move to restructure work around teams rather than individuals. A group is defined as two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to achieve specific goals. Formal groups are work group that are defined by the organization’s structure and have designated work assignments and specific tasks directed at accomplishing organizational goals, informal group are social group. These groups occur naturally in the workplace and tend to form around friendship and common interest. For example, five employees from different department who regularly eat lunch together are an informal group. When some company introduced teams into their production processes, it made news because no one else doing it. Today, it’s just the opposite. The organization that doesn't use teams would be newsworthy. Some of the companies have at least half of their employees of teams. And some of respondents in a center for creative leadership study said that teams are a key ingredient to organizational success. Without a doubt, team based work is a core feature of today organizational. Research suggest that teams typically outperform individuals when the task being done require multiple skills, judgment...
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...Groups and Teams According to Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn (2008), a group is defined as a collection of people who interact with one another regularly to attain common goals whereas a team is defined as a small group of people with complementary skills who work actively together to achieve a common purpose for which they hold themselves collectively accountable. For this reason a group can only be a team if it meets the definition as mentioned (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008, p. 192). Consequently there are three differences between a group and a team: 1. Complimentary skills 2. Accountability 3. Number of people. In order to create and maintain high-performance teams it is important to understand how workplace diversity in a organization relates to team dynamics in an workplace (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2008). Therefore the following will detail the three differences between a group and team in addition to explaining how workplace diversity in a organization relates to team dynamics in an workplace. Differences between group and team As previously mentioned, there are three key differences between a group and a team. To begin teams have people with complimentary skills whereas this is not a requirement for groups. Secondly people in a team hold themselves collectively accountable whereas this is not a required distinction for a group. Finally teams are classified as a small number of people whereas a group is not specific on the number of individuals (Schermerhorn...
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...Groups and Teams MGT/307 November 28, 2011 Sarah Babu In our old school days we remember the teacher putting us into teams and groups for assignments. Through the years we have developed higher levels of working together to get any job done. School was basic but although the practice began in the elementary days; it is still used in all levels of school all the way to college years. It has been so proficient in accomplishing tasks that are time limited that is has reached to the environment of the business world. Teams and groups are perceived to meaning the same thing but are actually very different from one another. Team is a number of persons forming one of the sides in a game or contest. Usually a team is more commonly known in the sports industries or in typical children and adolescents afterschool sports. A team stands for unity and people coming together to form a stable collaboration of achieving a certain goal and all being united and willing to strive for it. Ideas are equally combined and acknowledged and everyone is treated equally. In the business world it is used more often because the whole business is considered one big team with the same goal of prospering the company and indulge in its growth. Within teams there are certain participation efforts that are taken more seriously; for example, team meetings are made weekly if not daily to keep everyone on the same pace and page. These are the times where the discussions go on of how to accomplish such goals...
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...The Customer Services Team handles all inbound calls for the business (1000+ per day) and operates from 08:00 to 20:00 Monday to Saturday. There are fifteen team members two of which are Team Leaders. The Team is further divided into different sub-groups that deal with different business sectors such as Pharma, Telecommunications, e-commerce. The main focus of the team is dealing with customer queries via inbound calls and managing corporate accounts in terms of providing daily reports and updates. The Team Assessment and the group discussions would seem to indicate that this is a group of individuals that are operating in a very structured environment and while they are referred to as a team they do not actually operate as a team. Each member of the team has specifically assigned tasks which they focus on but these do not combine at a higher level. The team are therefore very task orientated and operate independently of each other. Communication within the team is also a fundamental issue but this may be driven by the task nature of the group which does not require a high level of communication to complete. In assessing the results from the Team Assessment there are a number of areas that are presenting challenges for the team. The results of the assessment indicate that the core challenges for the team centre on interpersonal communication, respect, collaboration and styles. This is not atypical given that call centres can be a loud, fast paced and highly pressurised...
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...Challenges of Groups and Teams Every company begins with the implementation of a well designed idea. Strategic plans, mission statements, and cultures are developed to give the company direction and lead its success. Employees align their thoughts and behaviors to match that of their superiors in an effort to be an integral part of the organization’s accomplishments. Although Enron’s birth was a result of the merger of Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth, the company’s inception, vision, and culture was one of grandiose ideas that were permeated throughout the entire organization. Enron celebrated individualism, handsomely rewarding those with fierce competitiveness; eventually fostering a culture rampant with greed and unethical behavior in pursuit the organization’s strategic goals. Unlike Enron, many companies today have begun to implement groups and teams as a method cohesively to accomplish the company’s mission and goals. However, group and team behavior can yield unpredictable results and therefore the development of an effective training program is essential to their proper function. If a training program is conducted appropriately it will facilitate effective communication, collaboration, and conflict management for the team, benefiting the entire organization. Training plan Because the behavior of teams or groups can be somewhat erratic when first compiled, having a training plan in place will help alleviate some of the problems encountered. As Enron has shown,...
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...Groups and Teams Paper Ask five people on the street what the difference between a group and a team is and there will likely be five different answers, all of which to a degree are correct. Outside of a business setting, people might have difficulty explaining the differences between the two since they are used interchangeably. Groups In the simplest form, a group is two or more individuals that may or may not be located in the same area. A search of the Oxford English Dictionary (2011) defines a group as “a number of persons or things regarded as forming a unity on account of any kind of mutual or common relation, or classed together on account of a certain degree of similarity” and “An assemblage of persons, animals, or material things, standing near together, so as to form a collective unity; a knot (of people), a cluster (of things). In early use the word often conveys a notion of confused aggregation, which in recent use is not implied”. The types of above-mentioned groups tend to not be chosen. For example a group of people watching a baseball game have not chosen the other members of the group they are in, they simply happen to be at the same place doing the same thing. The same can be said for people who are in a research group for a new drug; they are joined by their circumstances and have not chosen the other members of the group. Just as there are many different types of groups that are extremely basic and unrelated to the workplace...
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