Workgroups and Teams: Characteristics & Dynamics
Characteristics of a Working Group
A working group has a clear purpose and common goals. Its members are interrelated to achieve those objectives. They have their own material resources available. Each member perceives themselves as part of the group. It’s important to note that members can be entirely independent.
Team Concept
A team is composed of a small group of people who are in direct contact, working together, and engaging in coordinated action. This creates positive synergy.
Concept of a Working Group
A working group is a collection of individuals who interact primarily to share information and make decisions. This helps each member perform within their area of responsibility.
Positive Synergy in Teams
A task force creates positive synergy. This means the result of their combined individual efforts is a level of performance greater than the sum of those individual contributions.
Five Advantages of Teamwork
Teamwork facilitates tasks, solves problems faster, reduces physical and mental deterioration of workers, encourages creativity, and more.
- Facilitates tasks
- Solves problems faster
- Reduces worker deterioration
- Encourages creativity
Team Roles
Driver Role
Sets goals and encourages the group.
Task-Oriented Role
Focuses on technical processes and practical spirit: to the point.
Cohesion-Oriented Role
Encourages meetings, creates social events, gives news, and shows solidarity with the weaker members of the group.
Hidden Agenda-Oriented Role
May express negativity, such as “Other people do it better,” “That may not work,” “This company is a disaster,” or “The bosses are just there to annoy us.”
What are Hidden Agendas?
Hidden agendas are goals or interests that cannot be openly discussed because they are essentially unmentionable.
Difference Between Leadership and Management
Management is about planning, organizing, facilitating, and monitoring the activity of subordinates. Leadership, on the other hand, seeks to influence the behavior of individuals to achieve personal and organizational goals.
Difference Between Formal and Informal Groups
Formal groups are preset by the organization (e.g., a designated committee). Informal groups arise spontaneously within a group of people in the company (e.g., friends, colleagues who went to the same school).
Management Styles
- Participatory Style: Consults with subordinates, giving them responsibility.
- Autocratic Style: Imposes rules, and the employee obeys.
- Democratic Style: Issues are discussed and decided within the group. The leader is just a support.
- Laissez-faire Style: Great freedom. The leader is not involved, only informs.
- Paternalistic Style: Protective attitude.
- Bureaucratic Style: Forms prevail over people.
Types of Groups According to Their Purpose
- Production
- Problem-solving
- Conflict resolution
- Change and development of the organization
Stages of Group Formation
- Initial phase
- Conflict
- Development
- Work
Choosing Group Dynamization Techniques
Consider the following:
- The objective.
- The level of maturity and characteristics of the group.
- The group size.
Group Dynamization Techniques
Role-Playing
Role-playing involves dramatizing a real situation where group members assume the roles of those involved. Reactions and feelings are then discussed.
Uses:
- Improving relations within the company.
- Resolving conflict situations.
- Integrating marginalized individuals.
Phillips 66
Phillips 66 involves dividing the group into teams of six, who discuss a topic for six minutes. Each group then presents its conclusions, and a general conclusion is drawn.
Uses:
- Identifying ideas about tasks.
- Assessing the degree of satisfaction.
- Evaluating the work performed.
Brainstorming
In brainstorming, the group freely expresses any idea that comes to mind on an issue or problem raised by the moderator.
Uses:
- Enhancing creativity.
Case Study
Case study involves the analysis of a situation presented to the group in writing or by recording. Each person individually studies it in their own time. Afterward, the solution is discussed in groups to draw realistic conclusions.