In business today, the term "team" is often used loosely to describe any collection of people within an organization. However, genuine teams are rarer than you might think. True teams consist of members with shared goals, interdependent work, and collective success or failure. A hockey team exemplifies this; each player's actions directly affect the team's performance, and they share the same outcome.
In contrast, groups are collections of individuals with personal goals who work independently and are rewarded based on their individual achievements. Golfers illustrate this well; while they may play together, each golfer's performance is independent of the others, and rewards are based on individual performance.
Most organizational "teams" fall somewhere between these two ends of the continuum, displaying characteristics of both groups and teams. For such hybrids, the critical question is when to function as a group and when to operate as a team.
This distinction is crucial for several reasons. Groups and teams differ in decision-making processes, communication needs, collaboration demands, and goals. As a result, leading a group versus a team requires a different approach. Leaders must consider how frequently team members should meet, the topics of discussion, who should be involved, communication methods, and how performance should be reviewed and rewarded.
For hybrid teams, the collective time should be spent addressing team issues and shared goals. Leaders should then use one-on-one time to help members achieve individual goals. This approach is especially important when leaders notice low engagement in meetings. Often, only part of the group is impacted by the discussions and decisions, leaving the rest uninterested and uninvolved.
Leaders who recognize these differences can make more efficient and effective decisions by understanding who needs to be involved in which discussions. This distinction helps utilize people’s time and contributions more effectively and enhances overall productivity.
If you’re a leader and curious about where your team falls on the group vs. team continuum, we can help. Register for our FREE High-Performing Teams Leadership Challenge at: https://www.ormondassociates.com/registration. Leaders will receive 4 hours of 1:1 coaching on high-performing teams over four days in June — a $2000 value, absolutely FREE. Availability is limited, so register today to learn how to elevate your team’s performance quickly and effectively. Leaders will learn:
- The 8 key elements of a high-performing team.
- How their team measures up against these elements.
- Concrete actions to significantly improve team performance and results.
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