Unit IV

Groups and Teams

 Group
A group can be defined as two or more interacting and
interdependent individuals who come together to achieve
particular objectives.
Groups are an integral part of organization. They are present
everywhereA group behavior can be stated as a course of action a
group takes as a family.
For example: Project,Strike.
 Features of a Group
• One or more individuals come together and influence each other.
• There are social interactions and relationships amongst the individual
members of a group.
• There exists some common motives, drives, interests, emotions etc.
amongst group members
• There is communication among group members, both verbal and or non-
verbal.
• The group members have some common object of attention and group
members stimulate each other.
• They have common loyalty and participate in similar
activities.
• There exits feeling of unity in the group. Group members
treat each other with respect and regard
• The action of the members is controlled by the group.
• There are some customs, norms and procedures which
are acceptable to everyone
 Types of Groups
There are two types of groups an individual forms.\
1. Formal Groups

2. Informal Groups
 Formal Groups
These are the type of work groups created by the organization and
have designated work assignments and rooted tasks. The behavior
of such groups is directed toward achieving organizational goals.
Formal Groups Types
– Command Group:It is a group consisting of individuals who
report directly to the manager.
– Task Group:Those working together to finish a job or task is
known as task group.
 Informal Groups

These groups are formed with friendships and common interests.

Informal Groups Types
– Interest Groups:It is a group formed by individuals working
together to achieve a specific objective. Example : members
of a club.
– Friendship Groups:Those brought together because of their
shared interests or common characteristics is known as
friendship group.
 Why People Join Groups

– Security
– Status
– Self-esteem
– Affiliation
– Power
– Goal Achievement
Group Development Stages
• Forming stage - the first stage of group development in
which people join the group and then define the group’s
purpose, structure, and leadership.Forming is a stage
which is characterised by some confusion and
uncertainty.
• Forming is actually an orientation period when members
get to know one another and share expectations about
the group. This is the initial stage when the group comes
together and members begin to develop their relationship
with one another and learn what is expected of them
• Storming stage - the second stage of group development,
characterized by intragroup conflict.
• Storming is the stage where one can see the highest level
of disagreement and conflict. Members mainly voice their
concern, and criticism occurs at this stage. Actually in this
stage interpersonal conflicts arise and differences of
opinion about the group goals also emerge. It is important
to work through the conflicts at this time and to establish
clear goals
• Norming stage - the third stage of group development,
characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness.
• Norming is characterised by the recognition of individual
differences and shared expectations. Responsibilities are
divided among members and the group decides how it will
evaluate the progress. If the group resolves its conflicts, it
can establish patterns of how to get its work done.
Expectations of one another are clearly articulated and
accepted by members of the group
• Performing stage - the fourth stage of group development
when the group is fully functional and works on group task
• Performing occurs when the group has matured and
attains a feeling of cohesiveness. In this stage, members
of the group make decision through a rational process
that is focused on relevant goals rather than emotional
issues. Issues related to roles, expectations and norms
are no longer of major importance. The group is focused
on its tasks, working effectively to accomplishits goals.
• Adjourning - the final stage of group development for
temporary groups during which group members are
concerned with wrapping up activities rather than task
performance.
• Adjourning indicates that members of the group often
experience feelings of closure and sadness as they
prepare to leave. It is the final stage when the group, after
achieving the objectives for which it was created, starts to
gradually dissolve itself
 Team
• By definition, a team is a group of individuals who collaborate
on related tasks to achieve a common goal. Whether it’s
reaching a sales target, reducing safety incidences or reaching a
team goal, collaboration and teamwork are essential. Teams
generally have a list of set activities to take part in that can
define their team in relation to the organisation – think ‘design
team’, ‘sales team’ and ‘operations team’.
 Types of Teams
1: Functional Teams
Functional teams are permanent and
include members of the same department
with different responsibilities. A manager
is responsible for everything and
everyone reports to them. This is the
typical top-down management approach
that you’ll see in most organisations.
 2: Cross-Functional Teams
Cross-functional teams are made up of
individuals from various departments.
These teams tackle specific tasks that
require different inputs and expertise.
This can happen when various teams
need to work on a project together to get
the best outcome
 3: Self-Managed Teams
Generally, individuals in self-managed teams are
employees of the same organisation who work
together. Even though they may have a wide array
of objectives, their aim is to reach a common goal.
They operate without managers and are relatively
autonomous, sharing responsibility and leadership.
High-performing teams can often fall into this
category. People working in startups or small
businesses may also find themselves in this type of
team dynamic
 4: Virtual Teams
• Virtual teams are made up of
individuals who work in different
physical locations and who use
technology and collaboration tools to
achieve a common goal.
Key Differences Between Group and Team
• There is only one head in a group. A team can have more than one head.
• The group members do not share responsibility, but team members share the
responsibility.
• The group focuses on achieving the individual goals. Conversely, the team members
focus on achieving the team goals.
• The group produces individual work products. As opposed to, the team who produces
collective work products.
• The process of a group is to discuss the problem, then decide and finally delegate the
tasks to individual members. On the other hand, a team discusses the problem, then
decide the way of solving it and finally do it collectively.
• The group members are independent. Unlike a group, the team members are
interdependent.