Turman, P. (October 13, 2000b). Group Decision Making & Problem Solving: Group Communication [Lecture] Cedar Falls, IA. University of Northern Iowa, Communication Studies Department.
A team can be defined as a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performing goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable (Katzenbach & Smith, The Wisdom of Teams 2015). A team can also be defined as a group in which members work together intensively to achieve a common group goal (Lewis-McClear & Taylor 1998). According to the class lecture, teams can improve competitiveness, improve productivity, improve quality, provide backup for key skills, enhance
There is one major difference between a group and a team: accountability. Group members are accountable to each other, but each member is individually held responsible for their own performance. In a team, all members share accountability as a unit. "A team is a small group of people with complementary skills who work actively together to achieve a common purpose for which they hold themselves collectively accountable" (Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn, 2005). It is important for everyone that is a part of a high performance team to have the same purpose and goals. If the teammates have different goals or motives then it can make it difficult for the team to be effective. Everyone who is participating with the team should trust or learn to trust each other.
5) “as a cooperative method that lets in regular people to achieve extraordinary effects”. Harris & Harris (1996) additionally give an explanation for that a team has a common purpose or cause where Team individuals can expand effective, mutual relationships to gain group desires. Teamwork replies upon people working collectively in cooperative surroundings to reap common team goals via sharing knowledge and talents. The literature consistently highlights that one of the essential factors of a team is its recognition toward a collective goal and a clean motive (Fisher, Hunter, & Macrosson, 1997; Johnson & Johnson, 1995, 1999; Parker, 1990; Harris & Harris, 1996). Teams are a fundamental part of many corporations and must be integrated as a part of the transport of tertiary
Proactive management of the decision-making process can minimize the threat of groupthink compromising the quality of decisions. Managers can place importance of having a wide variety of options and idea brought to the table. Encouraging employees to thoroughly analyze all aspects of the options, from the moral and ethical implications, to the response they can expect from their opposition. With each decision appoint one or more group member to play devil’s advocate to the suggested options, ask that person to analyze and make a case against each of the suggestions (Sims & Sauser, 2013). Rotate this position throughout the group so that one person is not refuting the groups ideas consistently. Continually encouraging and rewarding contrasting views can hedge the complacency groups fall into after working together for periods of time. Management should be active listeners in the decision-making process being careful to not assert their preference towards a certain option to avoid the group conforming to the preferences of their superiors before the options are fully analyzed (Rose, 2011). Finally, after a decision has been made and the analysis has been completed before implementing or going public with the idea reconvene and go through the choose plan of action one last time to ensure that new information has not become available and
LaFasto, Frank M. J.; Larson, Carl (August, 2001). “When Teams Work Best.” Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
McShane and Van Glinow defined team as "
. group of two or more people who interact and influence each other, are mutually accountable for achieving common objectives, and perceive themselves as a social entity within an organization" (p. 227). This statement means that for a team to be successful in its endeavors there is a need for interdependence and collaboration amongst team members to accomplish common goals. Team members should place the objective of the team higher than individual priorities and be willing to devote whatever effort is necessary to achieve team success.
The Challenger space shuttle explosion. The Bay of Pigs invasion. The Korean War debacle (Janis 1-28). These are examples of situations where group communication failed. Group communication involves a shared identity among three or more people, a considerable amount of interaction among these people, and a high level of interdependence between everyone involved (Trenholm 196-97). It is essential to understand group dynamics for a variety of reasons. Everyone participates in groups throughout the course of a lifetime, and these groups are often very goal-oriented. The business community, non-profit organizations, and town governments all use groups to make decisions. Sometimes a condition known as Groupthink can occur in groups that are extremely task-oriented and goal-driven. Groupthink is as "a mode of thinking people engage in when cohesiveness is high" (Blumberg and Golembiewski 134). Groupthink leads to poor decision making and results in a lack of creativity. Although Groupthink has been studied extensively, many people are unaware of its dynamics and the consequences that they might induce. This paper was designed to raise awareness about Groupthink and to provide some suggestions that can help task-oriented groups avoid this condition. To understand Groupthink it is essential to have a basic familiarity with group communication dynamics. Once this is accomplished some symptoms of Groupthink will be explored and some solutions will be offered.
Hellriegel, Slocum, & Woodman (1986) state that team building is used to improve the effectiveness of work groups by focusing on any of the following four purposes: setting goals and priorities, deciding on means an methods, examining the way in which the group works, and exploring the quality of working relationships. A cycle then develops; it begins with the awareness or perception of a problem and is followed sequentially by data collection, data sharing diagnosis, action planning, action implementation, and behavioral evaluation. This style is repeated as new problems are identified.
Hackman, J. Richard, ed. (1990). Groups That Work (and Those That Don't): Creating Conditions for Effective Teamwork. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Many organizations have working groups that call themselves teams. A team is a group of people coming together to collaborate (Clark). A team is a group of people with a high degree of interdependence geared towards the achievement of a common goal or completion of a task. But their work is produced by a combination of individual contributions. Teams produce work that is based on collective effort. Team members are deeply committed to each other's personal growth and success. Team members not just cooperate in all facets of their tasks and goals; they share in what are customarily thought of as management functions, such as planning, organizing, setting performance goals, assessing the team's performance, developing their own strategies to manage change, and securing their own resources (Clark). A team outperforms a group and outperforms all reasonable expectations given to its individual members (Clark).
A team or group is a collection of people who are associated and interdependent in their tasks, share obligation regarding results, and view themselves as a unit inserted in an institutional or organisational framework which works inside the established boundaries of that system.(H.Kristin,2013)Teams and groups have shown a similar relationship within the bounds of the procedures and research identifying with their effectiveness(K.Steve, 2006) (i.e. group cohesiveness, cooperation) while as yet keeping up their freedom as independent units, as gatherings and their individuals are autonomous of each other's part, aptitude, information or purpose versus groups and their individuals, who are reliant upon each other's part, ability, learning and
In order for a work place to be successful and beneficial to everyone involve in the company, teams needs to be form, and each team must have a goal in mind. Employees must come together to accomplish a common goal. Teamwork will not only benefit those involve in the project but it will also have a huge impact in your business.
Larson, C. and LaFasto, F. (1989), Teamwork: What Must Go Right/What Can Go Wrong. Newberry Park, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Agnes, M. (2003). Teamwork. In Webster's New World dictionary (p. 662). New York, NY: Pocket Books.