Introduction
When you were in school at any time we're you ever in a group project and it was so chaotic hard to get anything done, and ultimately made it where you didn't like group projects anymore? Or when you did another one but you guys got everything done super early and all worked super well together?
This difference actually comes down to groups vs. teams! In today's workplace, managers need more than just people completing tasks - they need high-performing teams built on trust, collaboration, and shared goals (Robbin & Judge, 2022).
In this blog, we'll be exploring how organizational behavior concepts can turn groups into effective teams, this backed up with both theories and real life examples.
Groups vs. Teams
A group consists of at least two people who are interdependent. When a group is interdependent that means that they have to work together to reach their goals. A team is "a small number of people with complementary skills, who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable" (Katzenbach & Smith, 1933, para. 11).
In a work group everyone works together while reporting to someone such as a manager or leader, whereas in a work team everyone works independently and their tasks come together to complete a project.
What Makes a Team Effective
There are two notable major frameworks that really explain in depth on what makes a team properly effective. The first framework is Katzenbach & Smith's Effectiveness model. This model is characterized by performance results, personal growth, and collective accountability. The second model is the Context, Composition, and Process Principles model. This model is characterized by creating the right environment, selecting members with complementary skills, and efficiently guiding team dynamics.
Both models have their respective positives and negatives, but as as group we believe that the more effective model in this scenario, is the composition, context, and process model. Why do we think that you may ask? We believe that this is the better model in comparison to the Katzenbvach & Smith's model, because it provides actionable steps such as, defining the team's purpose, selecting people with diverse strengths, and allowing us to build supportive processes. One example being communication norms.
Real World Application
The theory is very common to see in day to day life. Many of us see things of this sort every single day.
I am in the car business, and the amount of teamwork needed for even a single car deal is extraordinarily significant. I am a sales consultant. I have a role that I must adhere to the standards of and it would just not work if I tried to go beyond the means of my role. If I tried to do the role of both salesman and sales manager or finance manager on a deal, nothing would go right because the way the responsibilities are split is designed that way for a reason. It would take a whole day or more to complete one deal if I was trying to do every part of it. This is why having roles with responsibilities is important.
In high school I played football and the same concept is seen here. I was a center. I snapped the ball to the quarterback. It would be physically impossible for me to snap the ball and run behind myself to catch the snap, just like it would be physically impossible for me to throw the pass, run out and catch it myself.
Both of these things contribute to the real life application of Katzenbach & Smith's idea of collective accountability and how recognition of roles motivates preformance.
If managers apply these lessons such as clarifying roles, modeling collaboration, and rewarding achievements, teams have a much higher likelyhood of success. (Robbins & Judge, 2022)
Call to Action
To make an affective group you need to do many things that all of your team should pay attention too.
Make sure to figure out what everyone is doing from the start. Doing so will make sure everyone clearly understands what they need to do to achieve the collective goal. Next you have to trust your team. Letting others do their best and work on what is in their field not only helps you relax but also helps them do their job without you staring down on them. Finally recognize the individual victories of your teammates. This help boost morale making it easier to achieve daunting tasks as a group.
What about you? Have you ever been part of a team that worked together completely beautifully or one that fell apart instantly? Share your story in the comments!
Personal Reflections & Contribution statements
Abigail (Project Manager): I really learned the general importance of setting goals and keeping everyone accountable. My main contribution was organizing the project page and timeline and also creating the introduction.
Ashton (Theory Expert): With my place in the group, I understand the importance of checks and balances. While Abigail makes sure everyone is treated fairly, I have to make sure to keep momentum up by stimulating deeper thinking. I have to do research to bring topical content to the group that helps everyone do their job more affectively.
Ava (Writing Expert): I learned the importance of making our ideas flow into a clear and easy to understand draft.
Sean (APA Expert): I was able to develop a new skill in applying my APA skills to new exciting formats such as this blog, and I was also able to make sure that citations and references were correctly cited in our blog.
Abigail (Teamwork Expert): Doing this blog really showed me how structure impacts how successful collaboration can be. I also contributed by tracking our deadline and helping keep everyone aligned.
Ava (Checklist Auditor): This blog has showed me the importance of checking assignments against the rubric. I have checked our blog against the rubric provided by the professor.
Connor (Quality Control): Connor didn't help this time around...
Gavin (Designer): This blog showed me the importance of team work and communication, It also showed me the importance of not waiting until the last minute to complete things.
References
Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (1993, March–April). The discipline of teams. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/1993/03/the-discipline-of-teams-2
Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2022). Organizational behavior (19th ed.). Pearson.
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