Understanding Groups and

Teams

Reflective Questions to guide this lecture

Part 1: Exploring what is Groups and Teams?
1. What is a Group? What is a Team? Does it matter if they are the
same or different?
2. Why do we need teams? Why are there different types of teams?
3. What makes successful teams? (Tuckman & Jensons Framework;
Gersicks Punctuated Equilibrium Model)
4. What are the key components of Group Structure? (Members Roles,
Member Goals, Norms, Conformity, Cohesiveness, Size, Leadership
Positions)
Part 2: Effective Groups and Teams
1. How do we identify and resolve team conflict? (Peterson and Harvey,
2009)
2. How do we achieve Team Effectiveness? (Mathieau and Rapp, 2009)

Team

Group

Group or Team
- A group is 2 or more people with a common goal, but there is no psychological contract between them =- the outcomes are
less dependent on all members working together and there is usually no shared responsibility and accountability for outcomes
- A team is 2 or more people psychologically contracted together to achieve a common goal in which all individuals involved
share at least some level of responsibility and accountability for the outcome
- However, in most literature, the terms groups and teams are used interchangeably when discussing organisational settings
- Groups can be either formal (formed by organisation) or informal (social)
- Formal work groups in organisations are also called teams. Teams are groups whose members work intensely on a specific,
common goals (eg: Command groups, Cross Functional Teams, Self-managed teams, Task Force)

Why do we need teams?

COMPLEX projects need more than one person
- Multiple areas of expertise - one person does not have all the skills
- Sequential tasks
- Time (One person would take a long to complete the project)

Virtual Teams
- A team of people who work together largely through computer-based rather than face to face interactions
- Advantages:
- Saves time (working can continue 24/7)
- Saves on travel expenses
- May reduce interpersonal difficulties
- Disadvantages
- De-personalised relationships
- Poor communication
- Successful virtual teams:
1. Engage in 'social' interaction
2. Have clearly defined roles
3. Have positive attitudes and commitment to team goals

Group development 1 Tuckman and Jensen (1977)

2
norming

adjourning

performing

storming
1

Produces the outcome

forming

Group development 2 Punctuated equilibrium

Performance

High

Low

Punctuated
equilibrium

Inertia
First meeting
Time

Urgency

Deadline

Group Structure
- Member roles
- Member goals
- Norms
- Conformity
- Cohesiveness
- Size
- Leadership positions

Group Structure
Member roles
Member goals
Norms
Conformity
Cohesiveness
Size
Leadership positions (Topic 8)

Member Roles
1. Task Accomplishment
- Clarifying
- Diagnosing
- Initiating
- Evaluating
- Opinion seeking
- Information gathering
- Summarising

What do you mean when you said?

Who knows about?

I think the problem with that idea is ....

What do you think if we try this approach?

Member Roles
2. Maintaining Group Member Satisfaction
- Encouraging
- Gate keeping (even participation from everyone)
- Expressing feelings
- Following
- Compromising
- Harmonising
- Setting standards

Who else has felt frustrated that our meetings never start on
time?

Member Roles
3. Self oriented or hindering
- Attacking
- Blocking
- Dominating
- Withdrawing
- Special pleading
- Clowning

Member goals
- Why is each member in the group?
- Are they in the group by choice or requirement?
- What does each person want to accomplish in the group?
- How do the goals of each member align with the other member goals?

Group Norms
Definition:

Implicit (unspoken)
Explicit (written or spoken the rules)
Examples in groups:
- Where you sit?
- Do we start on time, or not? Can some members arrive late?
- Dress code
- Language: which language, what type of language
- Level of formality

How do norms develop?

- We bring our norms with us from old groups to new groups
- New norms develop based on what happens early on in a groups existence

Five factors that can determine the speed of norm

formation.
1. Individual characteristics
2. Clarity of the norm
3. The number of people who have already
conformed to the norm
4. The quality of the interpersonal relationships
within the group
5. The sense of group identification

Conformity and Groupthink

Groupthink definition: The illusion of agreement
Certain group characteristics encourage group think, such as:
- A strong group identity
- A norm that discourages debate and open discussion
- Critical thinking is not encouraged or rewarded
- Members think their group can do no wrong
- Members apply pressure to those wo do not support the group
- Members often believe they have reached a true consensus
- Members want to reinforce the leader's beliefs

How do we prevent groupthink?

- Encourage critical, independent thinking
- Leaders should encourage disagreement and discussion
- Be aware that status differences can influence decision making
- Get someone from the outside to evaluate the decision making
- Assign the role of devil's advocate to one of the group members
- If the group is large enough, s

Group size
Problems when a group is too
small
Problems when a group is too
big
Social loafing
Why does social loafing
occur?

Group Processes
Links to week 5 - Group decision making
- Consensus: When all group members support and are committed to a decision.
- How to facilitate reaching consensus?
- Keep the group oriented toward its goal
- Be aware of the ideas and feelings of others in your group
- Encourage honest interaction and dialogue

Team conflict
According to peterson & Harvey
- What are the negative aspects
of team conflict?
- What are the positive aspects
of team conflict?
- What does conflict occur?

Effective Teams
Mathieau, J & Rapp, T 2009, Laying the Foundation for successful Team
Performance Trajectories: The role of Team Charters and Performance
Strategies. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 94, No.1, pp. 90103.

Team work + Task work = Team effectiveness

The authors look at team activities and divide them into 2 categories:
- Task work
- Task work

Team work planning

Team contracts :
- Prompt team members to consider the team mission & objectives
- Help identify important stakeholders for successful team functioning
- Identify team member strengths, weaknesses & working styles