Groups and Teams

 Groups Defined:

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A group is formed when two or more people get together and interact with one another out of choice or necessity. These people accept certain rules or norms, rights and duties and give their consent to share responsibility in performing certain tasks or in assuming a common social identity.

Informal groups serve the purpose of satisfying emotional, social or psychological needs of their individual members. They give their members a sense of belonging, an identity, a shared self esteem, validation. The more a group satisfies its members’ needs, the more individual members are likely to let their behavior be controlled by the group.

Task oriented groups reduce stress because members can share a common fate in reaching a common goal. By self defining themselves as a group, members can get recognition by others. The group identity gives them the opportunity to become inter-dependent and join forces in decision-making.

Groups are dynamic. Their roles keep changing from situation to situation just like personalities
Depending on the task or topic, a natural leader may become a facilitator or a disinterested party

Teams: 

I reiterate the old acronym T.E.A.M = Together Each Achieves More

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A group can become an effective team when it has been given a raison d’être or a reason for being from a larger system.

This larger system must also direct the group to a defined path. Also, in order to become a team, a group’s members must have complementary skills and expertise. They must need each other to complete the goal that they have to achieve. Above this, if the group is to become a team, it’s members must actually believe that working together, they would reach the desired goal faster, more efficiently and effectively than they would if they were to work alone. Finally, in order to become a team, a group must have clear and measurable authority and accountability.

A team, then, is a small number of people with complementary skills, committed to a common purpose, a set of performance goals. It has a well-defined path to its desired goals and its members hold themselves jointly, individually and mutually responsible for reaching those goals.

A Group becomes a Team when...

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• Every sub-task is clearly assigned
• Final accountability is joint
• Team member viewpoints are respected and considered
• Regular meetings are held between team members and progress is monitored
• All relevant information is passed around
• A sense of ownership is inculcated in all members