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| Volume 2 Issue 5 |
July 2008 |
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Welcome to Journey!
This month we look at the difference between teams and groups in the article "When is a Group Just a Group?" Creating and leading a team is a different process than doing the same with a group. And, wow is it exciting!
You'll also learn about our next coaching event - participants will learn how to coach a team. We'd love to have you join us.
Have a great July!
Delane Chappell, Editor |
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WHEN IS A GROUP JUST A GROUP? |
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Ever feel like rolling your eyes when your supervisor talks about the "team" and "teamwork?" We've probably all been in a group that was a "team" in name only. That usually happens when organizations pick up the jargon without also embracing the accompanying principles.
So, how do you tell the difference between a "team" and a "group" of people working together?
A group is just a group when:
The members don't share a vision. Imagine a group of people trying to put together a puzzle when none of them have seen the picture on the cover of the box. Now, imagine that one person has seen the box lid and describes it to the others, or better yet, shows the box lid to them. Just sharing the vision makes the work more focused, effective and pleasant.
A group is just a group when:
The "silo" effect is in effect. There is a term used in business called the "silo effect" which refers to a lack of communication or coordination between business units. Instead of working together, each group focuses solely on their own goals with little or no regard to everyone else's efforts. In fact, the silo effect can generate some pretty stiff competition. In a workshop on teamwork, participants were divided into work groups and told several times that the objective of the activities was "for all teams to be successful." The directive seemed to make no difference. Competition won out over collaboration and cooperation. No team helped another team.
A group is just a group when:
"I" wins over "We" as people pursue their personal agendas. As the saying goes "There is no I in WE." When self interest trumps concern for the whole, it destroys any chance of teamwork.
A group is just a group when:
Responsibility for results isn't shared among members. Without shared responsibility and shared rewards there is not "buy in" from others in the group. When people know they are accountable they commit and work harder. And for shared responsibility they expect shared rewards if successful. For example, imagine how you would feel if your group won an award for your work and the team leader didn't tell any of you that you'd won and went to the awards ceremony without you. It happens.
A group is just a group when:
Only the fittest survive. Our society promotes fierce competition; hence, the "dog eat dog" quotation. Most of us have a "if you win/I lose" mentality, so we do everything in our power to win.
A group is just a group when:
Fear and distrust rule. The following was posted on a blog called "Fear at Work" on the website www.manager-tools.com. "I fear. I fear going to work in the mornings. I fear going to sleep because it makes tomorrow that much closer. I fear the random pain my co-worker will hurl upon me for no apparent reason. I fear the non-random pain she will put upon me for anything I do right, anything I do wrong, and anything I do mediocre."
Every day in workplaces, there are employees who live in fear - fear of losing their jobs, fear of being judged and criticized, fear of being disliked, fear of being embarrassed, fear of being ostracized or fear of facing uncomfortable challenges or problems. Teamwork cannot exist in this atmosphere.
A group is just a group when:
Members are afraid to take risks. Most great things are accomplished because someone dares, someone takes a risk. People don't take risks if they are afraid of getting blamed, if they face retribution for climbing out of the box. "I did not fail," Thomas Edison said. "I just found 10,000 ways that didn't work." In today's world, many organizations would say he had 10,000 failures.
A group is just a group when:
Members revert to what worked before. It's a whole lot easier to do things the way they've always been done. You don't have to think. You don't have to risk. But you also don't have the excitement of exploration and the thrill of success.
A group is just a group when:
Members say "tell me what to do." Employees say this when they haven't bought in or when they haven't been allowed to buy in. It's a typical remark from a disengaged employee who just comes to work to pick up the paycheck.
Are groups bad? Absolutely not. There are times when a group works very well.
A group may be defined as a small number of people with complementary skills and abilities who are committed to a leader's goal and approach and are willing to be held accountable by the leader. A group supports the leader's goals. In a group, individual accountability exists rather than shared accountability. Leadership is held by one person rather than the shared, fluid leadership on a team. In a group, the dominant viewpoint comes from one person while in a team, multiple diverse viewpoints are present. Decisions in a group are made by voting or implied agreement while team decisions are made by consensus.
Groups are much easier to create than teams, so it makes sense to be a group when the decisions and process are already determined, buy-in is not necessary, time is a critical factor and there is minimal management support for creating teams. This approach would be practical for short-term projects with outcomes already defined.
A team, on the other hand, should be used when broad buy-in is needed for the best results, when no one person has all the answers and when shared responsibility is important to the people involved and to the success of the goal. Achieving a real team is difficult and time-consuming. No magic bullet exists that will transform a group into a team overnight. It takes time to develop the skills to work well together and understand how to solve problems and make decisions effectively.
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| LEADERSHIP COACHING: COACHING TEAMS |
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August 21-22, 2008
8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Pastoral Institute Community Room
2022 Fifteenth Avenue
Columbus, Georgia
Join us in this highly interactive two-day workshop where participants will explore the topic of coaching teams. At the conclusion, participants will be able to:
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Define and distinguish the difference between a group and a team.
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Explain the five dysfunctions of a team.
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Review some assessments used with teams.
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Set up and conduct a team coaching engagement.
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Register Online!
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| Journey is a monthly
publication of the Business Resource Center of the Pastoral Institute.
It is our hope that you will find something in its pages that will help
you on your life's journey. The Employee Assistance Program provided by
your business or organization makes counseling services available for
you and your family. To make an appointment in Columbus, call
706-649-6500; in Lanett, AL call 334-644-1172; other locations, call
800-649-6446 for a referral in your area. Counseling is confidential. |
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a division of the Pastoral Institute
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