Types of teams

The truth is, there are many different types of teams. Some teams are
permanent while others are temporary. Some are part of the corporate
hierarchy while others are adjunct. One thing you can be sure of is,
your career will involve working with teams. Let’s take a look at the
most common types of teams in the workplace.

1. Department teams: Departmental teams have been around for

quite some time. As a department team, individuals relate to specialty
or focus he or she has mastered, with everyone working toward
achieving goals outlined in the company’s mission statement. Some
examples include developer teams at a tech start up or the sales team
at a marketing agency.

Departmental teams are permanent and typically work on ongoing

projects or goals.

2. Problem-solving teams: These types of teams are usually

temporary and focus on solving a specific issue. For example, after
the 2008 financial crisis, several organizational task force teams and
governmental committees were created to come up with solutions to
help the country climb out of a steep recession. Once guidelines were
set in place and plans were formed, the task forces and committees
were disbanded.
3. Virtual teams: A virtual team can be any type of team that
communicates digitally rather than in person. Easier communication
tools allow managers to build teams based on strengths and
weaknesses rather than geography.

It’s important for students to master virtual skills early on in their

academic career, as conference calls and WebEx presentations have
become ubiquitous in the workplace.

4. Cross-functional teams: In most business settings, permanent

team members are going to collaborate with other departments to
tackle certain events for the company – such a new product launch. In
these situations communication between internal departments is
crucial in order to address the project goals.

5. Self-managed teams: These types of teams are the most

empowered, as they have to power to make decisions. Each team
member brings a certain skill set to the table to make informed
decisions, complete assignments or deliver services for customers.
Companies that implement self-managed teams say their employees
tend to feel more ownership of the project.

There are many types of teams that have become commonplace in

companies. It’s crucial for professors to not only help students
understand how business teams operate, but to also give them the tech
tools and data necessary to see how these interactions work in real
time. Building teamwork is key across academia and business, so it is
important to tackle challenges early on that could lead to
dysfunctional teams down the road.

Understanding work teams

definition

A team is a relatively permanent work group whose members must

coordinate their activities to achieve one or more common objectives.
The objectives might include advising others in the organization,
producing goods or services, and carrying out a project. Because
achievement of the team's objectives requires coordination, team
members depend on one another and must interact regularly. A work
team generates positive synergy through coordinated effort. Their
individual efforts result in a level of performance that is greater than
the sum of those individual inputs. Teams have far-reaching impact in
the today's workplace. They have become an essential part of the way
business is being done.

Understanding work teams in Organizational behavior

Work teams imply a high degree of coordination among their

members, along with a shared belief that winning (achieving team
goals) is not only desirable but the very reason for the team's
existence. Any team is therefore a group, but only some groups have
the high degree of interdependence and commitment to success we
associate with a team.
 Although the desire to achieve high levels of commitment and
coordination is common among organizations using teamwork, the
nature of specific teams varies considerably.

Two major dimensions along which teams differ are differentiation of

team roles and integration into the organization.

i. Differentiation: is the extent to which team members are

specialized relative to others in the organization.
ii. Integration: is the degree to which the team must coordinate
with managers, employees, suppliers and customers outside the
team.
Types of Teams
Based on their objectives teams may be classified as problem-solving
teams, self-managed teams and cross-functional teams.

1. Problem-Solving Teams: Problem-solving teams consists of

groups of 5 – 10 employees from the same department who meet
for a few hours each week to discuss ways of improving quality,
efficiency and the work environment. These members share ideas
or offer suggestions on how work processes and methods can be
improved. Problem-solving teams meet regularly to discuss their
quality problems, investigate causes of the problems recommend
solutions and take corrective actions.
2. Self-Managed Work Teams: A self-managed team includes
collective control over the pace of work, determination of work
assignments, organization of breaks, and collective choice of
 inspection procedures. Fully self-managed work teams even
select their own members and have the members evaluate each
others performance. As a result, supervisory positions take on
decreased importance and may even be eliminated. These teams
do their own scheduling, rotate jobs on their own, establish
production targets, set pay scales that are linked to skills, fire
coworkers and do the hiring.
3. Cross-Functional Teams: Cross-functional teams are made up of
employees from about the same hierarchical level, but from
different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task.
Cross-functional teams are an effective way to allow people from
diverse areas within an organization (or even between
organization) to exchange information, develop new ideas and
solve problems and coordinate complex projects. These teams are
not easy to manage. Their early stages of development are often
very time consuming as members learn to work with diversity
and complexity. It takes time to build trust and teamwork,
especially among people from different backgrounds, with
different experiences and perspectives.
There are two types of cross-functional teams. They are: -

Task force: It is nothing other than a temporary cross-functional

team.
Committees: Composed of groups made up of members from across
departmental lines.
Difference Between Group and Team

February 6, 2011 Posted by Clarisse

Group vs Team

Group and Team may seem to sound similar but the term group and
team are very different from each other. Though they may often be used
interchangeably but it is important that we can distinguish one from the
other so as to accurately provide the proper definition.

Group

A group is usually composed of 2-4 members that work

interdependently with each other to a significant degree. They are
committed to work together and willing to be handled by a leader.
Though they are interdependent with each other but still they have
individual responsibility that they have to perform, and that specific
accountability, when done well, can help the group accomplish their
goals.

Team

A team is considered to work interdependently and is committed to

achieve one common goal. They share the responsibilities and deliver
results until they reached the conceived output of their efforts. They are
usually composed of 7-12 members and are helping each other to
develop new skills to which it can help improve their performance.
They don’t usually rely on a leader for supervision.

Difference between Group and Team

So which is better a team or a group? They basically are the same.

Although a group is easier to manage and they are great for short term
output, since they would divide the work amongst their skills, they can
easily get the job done. A team on the other hand works best for long
term projects, since they work together as a whole equally distributing
the tasks at hand regardless if they have the proper skills or not. This
paves the way for the each member of the team to have ample time to
develop abilities that can further enhance their performance as a whole.
Due to the span of time that the members spend with each other, it’s a
good ground as well for camaraderie within the team.

It all boils down to the need for skills and performance. It may also be
dependent on the complexity of a certain project, as to which would be
more appropriate to form to have the end result delivered.

In brief

• A group is usually composed of 2-4 members that work

interdependently with each other to a significant degree. They
are committed to work together and willing to be handled by a
leader.
 • A team is considered to work interdependently and is
committed to achieve one common goal. They are usually
composed of 7-12 members and are helping each other to
develop new skills to which it can help improve their
performance.

Comparison Chart

BASIS FOR
GROUP TEAM
COMPARISON

Meaning A collection of A group of persons

individuals who work having collective identity
together in completing joined together, to
a task. accomplish a goal.

Leadership Only one leader More than one

Members Independent Interdependent

 BASIS FOR
GROUP TEAM
COMPARISON

Process Discuss, Decide and Discuss, Decide and Do.

Delegate.

Work Products Individual Collective

Focus on Accomplishing Accomplishing team

individual goals. goals.

Accountability Individually Either individually or

mutually

Definition of Group

A group is an assemblage of persons who work, interact and

cooperate with one another in achieving a common goal in a specified
time. The identity of the group members is taken individually. The
members share information and resources with other group members.

In an organisation, the groups are made on the basis of common

interests, beliefs, experience in common fields and principles, so that
they can easily coordinate with each other. There are two kinds of
groups:

 Formal Group: These groups are created by the management of

the organisation for performing a specific task.
 Informal Group: The formation of these groups is done
naturally in an organisation, to satisfy the social or psychological
human needs.

For example: Ethnic groups, trade unions, friendship circles, airline

flight crew, etc.

Definition of Team

A group of people who are joined for achieving a common goal

within a stipulated period, having collective accountability is known
as the team. The agenda of the team is “one for all and all for one”.
Apart from sharing information, the team members also share the
responsibility of the team task. The team is always responsible for the
outcome (i.e. Result of the collective efforts of the team members).

The team members have a mutual understanding with other members.

They work jointly to maximise the strengths and minimise the
weakness by complementing each other. The most important feature
of a team is “synergy” i.e. the team can achieve much more as the
members can achieve individually. The three key features of team
functioning are:

 Cohesion
 Confrontation
 Collaboration

For example: Cricket team, team for accomplishing a project, team

of doctors, management team etc.

Key Differences Between Group and Team

The difference between group and team in the workplace can be

drawn clearly on the following grounds:

1. There is only one head in a group. A team can have more than
one head.

2. The group members do not share responsibility, but team

members share the responsibility.

3. The group focuses on achieving the individual goals. Conversely,

the team members focus on achieving the team goals.

4. The group produces individual work products. As opposed to, the

team who produces collective work products.

5. 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.

6. The group members are independent. Unlike a group, the team

members are interdependent.

Similarities

 Two or more than two persons.

 Interaction of members.
 Face to face relationship.
 Focus on the achievement of an objective.
 Leader
 Sharing of information and resources

Creating effective teams

The first rule of team building is an obvious one: to lead a team

effectively, you must first establish your leadership with each team
member. Remember that the most effective team leaders build their
relationships of trust and loyalty, rather than fear or the power of their
positions.

 Consider each employee's ideas as valuable. Remember that

there is no such thing as a stupid idea.
 Be aware of employees' unspoken feelings. Set an example to
team members by being open with employees and sensitive to
their moods and feelings.
 Act as a harmonizing influence. Look for chances to mediate
and resolve minor disputes; point continually toward the team's
higher goals.
 Be clear when communicating. Be careful to clarify directives.
 Encourage trust and cooperation among employees on your
team. Remember that the relationships team members establish
among themselves are every bit as important as those you
establish with them. As the team begins to take shape, pay close
attention to the ways in which team members work together and
take steps to improve communication, cooperation, trust, and
respect in those relationships.
 Encourage team members to share information. Emphasize
the importance of each team member's contribution and
demonstrate how all of their jobs operate together to move the
entire team closer to its goal.
 Delegate problem-solving tasks to the team. Let the team
work on creative solutions together.
 Facilitate communication. Remember that communication is
the single most important factor in successful teamwork.
Facilitating communication does not mean holding meetings all
the time. Instead it means setting an example by remaining open
to suggestions and concerns, by asking questions and offering
 help, and by doing everything you can to avoid confusion in
your own communication.
 Establish team values and goals; evaluate team
performance. Be sure to talk with members about the progress
they are making toward established goals so that employees get
a sense both of their success and of the challenges that lie ahead.
Address teamwork in performance standards. Discuss with your
team:
o What do we really care about in performing our job?
o What does the word success mean to this team?
o What actions can we take to live up to our stated values?
 Make sure that you have a clear idea of what you need to
accomplish; that you know what your standards for success are
going to be; that you have established clear time frames; and
that team members understand their responsibilities.
 Use consensus. Set objectives, solve problems, and plan for
action. While it takes much longer to establish consensus, this
method ultimately provides better decisions and greater
productivity because it secures every employee's commitment to
all phases of the work.
 Set ground rules for the team. These are the norms that you
and the team establish to ensure efficiency and success. They
can be simple directives (Team members are to be punctual for
meetings) or general guidelines (Every team member has the
right to offer ideas and suggestions), but you should make sure
 that the team creates these ground rules by consensus and
commits to them, both as a group and as individuals.
 Establish a method for arriving at a consensus. You may
want to conduct open debate about the pros and cons of
proposals, or establish research committees to investigate issues
and deliver reports.
 Encourage listening and brainstorming. As supervisor, your
first priority in creating consensus is to stimulate debate.
Remember that employees are often afraid to disagree with one
another and that this fear can lead your team to make mediocre
decisions. When you encourage debate you inspire creativity
and that's how you'll spur your team on to better results.
 Establish the parameters of consensus-building sessions. Be
sensitive to the frustration that can mount when the team is not
achieving consensus. At the outset of your meeting, establish
time limits, and work with the team to achieve consensus within
those parameters. Watch out for false consensus; if an
agreement is struck too quickly, be careful to probe individual
team members to discover their real feelings about the proposed
solution.

5 Steps to Building an Effective Team

04/23/2015 09:43 pm ET Updated Jun 23, 2015


 

One of the things that leaders are often pondering is the performance
and relationships of their team. Performance indicators show that
effective teams will almost always outperform people working
individually, particularly in high-pressure situations or when multiple
skillsets are needed.

This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as most organizations are

recognizing the importance of team building and are trying to foster it
in the workplace. However, building effective teams requires more
than an abstract commitment to teamwork; it requires input from
managers to foster it.

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Without team building skills, a manager risks limiting the

productivity of their employees to what each member can do on their
own, whereas if you foster team building you can unite your team
around a common goal, which will raise productivity as a result.
So here are five steps to building a productive and effective team this
year:

Step 1: Establish leadership.

If your employees trust your judgement, they will work effectively

even when you’re not around. Before you can start team building, you
need to develop the right kind of leadership skills. This doesn’t mean
asserting authority, instead try to foster trust through honesty and
transparency. Especially in larger organizations, managers can’t be
everywhere at once, but if your employees trust your judgements they
will work effectively even when you’re not around.

Step 2: Establish relationships with each of your employees.

Try to learn more about each member of your team, their skill sets,
how they are motivated and their likes and dislikes. This knowledge is
invaluable to leaders, as it allows them to match each employee’s
expertise and competencies to specific problems, which will help
increase their productivity and job satisfaction.

As well as this, try to include your employees in the decision making

process where possible. Instead of delegating tasks, give your team’s
open-ended projects and allow them to determine the best solution.
This will encourage them to cooperate and develop problem solving
skills.

Step 3: Build relationships between your employees.

As your team starts to cooperate more, examine the way they work
together and take steps to improve communication, cooperation and
trust amongst the team. If there are any conflicts, try to resolve them
amicably. Listen to both sides of the argument and act as a mediator.
One way to do this is to brainstorm solutions, which helps to
empower your employees and may lead to new solutions to the
problem.

Step 4: Foster teamwork.

Once you have established relations with and between your

employees, it’s time to help them work together effectively.
Encourage your team to share information, both amongst themselves
and within the wider organisation. Also, try to communicate more
with your team. This goes beyond simply holding meetings, and
includes things like being open to suggestions and concerns, asking
about each team member’s work and offering assistance where
necessary, and doing everything you can to communicate clearly and
honestly with your team.

Step 5: Set ground rules for the team.

Finally, you can begin officially establishing your team through

creating team values and goals, as well as evaluating team
performance alongside individual performance. Be sure to include
your team in this process, so they know what’s required and agree
with it.
Team building is one of the most important responsibilities a manager
has. It isn’t something that can be achieved in a short time and then
forgotten. It is an ongoing organic process that you a will have to
facilitate and guide. As this process unfolds, however, your team
members will begin to trust and support one another and share their
skill sets and effort in order to more effectively complete your
organisation’s goals.

Rosalind Cardinal is The Leadership Alchemist and Principal

Consultant of Shaping Change, an Australian consultancy
specializing in improving business outcomes by developing
individuals, teams and organizations. You can interact with Ros,
learn more about leadership and management, and download a
complimentary copy of her e-guide on leading change at her website.