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The Difference Between Groups and Teams
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The question is often asked whether a group and a team is the same thing. In both teams and groups, there are major differences as well as similarities. But there are some unique qualities which can be seen in teams:
- A team is more than just a group with a common aim.
- In a team, all members are seen as complementary.
- There is strong collaboration and togetherness.
- There is a strong commitment from its members and genuine support for each other.
- The speciality is an ability to work as a team even if the individual members are apart (operating from different places).
The differences between a group and a team can be summarized as follow:
|
Group |
Team |
|
Individual “I” focus |
Collective “We” focus |
|
Individual purpose |
Common goal |
|
Operates by external rules of order |
Operates by own set of team norms |
|
Operates alone |
Has linked roles and responsibilities |
|
Individuals have positions of authority |
Seeks and gains empowerment |
|
Meets irregularly |
Meets regularly |
|
Focuses on information sharing and coordinating |
Focuses on problem-solving and process improvement |
|
Has a fixed chairperson |
Shares leadership role |
|
Fights to be right |
Debates to make sound decisions |
|
Is closed |
Open and trusting |
|
May like each other |
Shares a strong bond |
It is much easier to form a group than a team. If you had a room filled with professional accountants, for example, they could be grouped according to gender, experience, fields of expertise, age, or other common factors. Forming a group based on a certain commonality is not particularly difficult, although the effectiveness of the groups may be variable. A group's interpersonal dynamics can range from complete compatibility to complete intolerance, which could make consensus building very difficult for a leader.
A team, on the other hand, can be much more difficult to form. Members of a team may be selected for their complementary skills, not a single commonality. A business team may for example consist of an accountant, a salesman, a company executive and a secretary. Each member of the team has a purpose and a function within that team, so the overall success depends on a functional interpersonal dynamic.
Click here to view a video that explains the difference between a group and a team in practical terms.