Communication Studies

• Differentiate between a group and a team

• Define teams, particularly as they pertain to the business
environment or organizational workplace
• Understand the importance of a team in the workplace
• Understand how a team is developed
• Understand what makes a successful team
• Understand project scope
• Understand how to set goals and plans.
A number of things or persons that have some relationship to one
another. Example: A subset of a culture or of a society.
Two or more individuals who share common interests or characteristics
and whose members identify with each other due to similar traits.
In an organization:
a group is a collection of individuals who work together in completing a
task.
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
organization for performing a specific task.
Informal Group: The formation of these groups is done naturally in an
organization, to satisfy the social or psychological human needs.
• A team is a number of people who work together to accomplish a shared
purpose or goal. Each team is the sum of its parts, which means members
of the team rely on one another to accomplish the outcome.
• The agenda of the team should be “one for all and all for one”.
• A group is a collection of individuals who work together in completing a task.
A group of persons having collective identity joined together, to accomplish a
goal.
• Similarities:
• Two or more than two persons. Small group Team
• Interaction of members.
• Face to face relationship.
• Focus on the achievement of an objective.
• Leader
• Sharing of information and resources
Teams and groups differ in five key ways:
task orientation,
purpose,
interdependence,
formal structure,
 familiarity among members.
1. Task orientation: Teams require coordination of tasks and activities to
achieve a shared aim. Groups do not need to focus on specific outcomes or a
common purpose.
2. Degree of interdependence: Team members are interdependent since they
bring to bear a set of resources to produce a common outcome. Individuals
in a group can be entirely disconnected from one another and not rely on
fellow members at all.
Purpose: Teams are formed for a particular reason and can be short- or
long-lived. Groups can exist as a matter of fact; for example, a group can be
comprised of people of the same race or ethnic background.
Degree of formal structure: Team members’ individual roles and duties are
specified and their ways of working together are defined. Groups are
generally much more informal; roles do not need to be assigned and norms
of behavior do not need to develop.
Familiarity among members: Team members are aware of the set of people
they collaborate with, since they interact to complete tasks and activities.
Members of a group may have personal relationships or they may have little
knowledge of each other and no interactions whatsoever.
 BASIS FOR
GROUP TEAM
COMPARISON
Meaning A collection of individuals A group of persons having
who work together in collective identity joined
completing a task. together, to accomplish a
goal.
Leadership Only one leader More than one
Members Independent Interdependent
Process Discuss, Decide and Discuss, Decide and Do.
Delegate.
Work Products Individual Collective
Focus on Accomplishing individual Accomplishing team goals.
goals.
Accountability Individually Both individually or mutually
In a business setting most work is accomplished by teams of individuals.
Therefore, it is important for employees to have the skills necessary to work
effectively with others.
Teams are used to accomplish tasks that are too large or complex to be done
by an individual or that require a diverse set of skills and expertise.
Teams are also effective for work that requires different types of skills and
expertise.
Example: the development of new products involves understanding
customer needs as well as how to design and build a product that will meet
these needs. Accordingly, a new product-development team would include
people with customer knowledge as well as designers and engineers.
• Teamwork also:
• Brings Fresh Ideas To The Table
• Combines Individual Skill Sets
• Lessens Work-Life Induced Stress
• Promotes Taking Risks
• Peer Recognition encourages going the Extra Mile
 Activity…
• Watch the following video and in your groups discuss and note:
• The meaning of the acronym TEAM,
• An Analogy drawn with TEAMWORK
• What are the 3 most important characteristics of a team
member and why and why?
• They have clear goals and plans
• They have strong leadership
• Members fulfill their own tasks and also help one another
• Members communicate openly with the team
• Members resolve conflict constructively
• Members feel they directly contribute to the company’s success
Team goals are performance objectives that require the contributions of
everyone on the team. The best team goals are co-created with the team
members and aligned with larger organizational goals.
Setting team goals collaboratively with your team has many benefits for you as
the leader, your team members, and the organization as a whole.
Team goals help team members understand how their individual work fits
within the group.
Team goals provide a clear direction and plan-of-action for your team.
Team goals facilitate better accountability and encourage ownership
Team goals create opportunities to build trust and collaboration.
Team goals contribute to the professional growth and
development of new skills among team members.
Team goals provide a structure for measuring individual and
group-level progress.
Creating team goals may help you identify overlooked or
unassigned priorities.
Team goals can be used to evaluate performance.
Team goals clarify the contribution the team is making to the
organization.
A SMART goal is one that is written within the following framework:
• S: Specific. Aim to articulate the team goal in the most clear and
specific way.
• M: Measurable. Identify the metrics that will demonstrate the goal
was achieved.
• A: Attainable. State the goal in a way that is challenging, but possible
to achieve.
• R: Relevant. The goal should be important to the team and the
organization.
• T: Time-bound. Clarify the deadline or target date for the goal.
Organizations use many kinds of teams, some of which are permanent and
some of which are temporary:
Common types of teams found in organizations include:
Project teams are created for a defined period of time to achieve a
specific goal. Members of a project team often belong to different
functional groups and are chosen to participate in the team based on
specific skills they can contribute to the project. Software development
is most commonly done by project teams.
Virtual teams have members located in different places, often
geographically dispersed, who come together to achieve a specific
purpose. Academic researchers often work on virtual teams with
colleagues at other institutions.
• Functional teams - include members of the same department. When
working within these teams, you share different responsibilities than
other members. Functional teams have leaders or supervisors whom
members report to and who designate responsibilities. This type of team
may be beneficial to contribute to and prioritize specific workplace
activities and culture.
• Cross-functional teams combine people from different areas, such as
marketing and engineering, to solve a problem or achieve a goal.
Healthcare services are frequently delivered by interdisciplinary teams of
nurses, doctors, and other medical specialists. . These teams are useful for
jobs and projects that require different expertise and viewpoints
Problem-solving teams are teams from the same department or functional area
involved in efforts to improve work activities or to solve specific problems. Members
share ideas or offer suggestions on how work processes and methods can be
improved, but they’re rarely given the authority to implement any of their suggested
actions.
A self-managed team is responsible for getting the work done and for managing
itself, which usually includes planning and scheduling work, assigning tasks to
members, collective control over the pace of work, making operating decisions, and
taking action on problems.
Task-force/specific teams – are formed when emergencies arise. These teams
comprise the most efficient employees within an organization. In task-force teams,
employees work exclusively on their tasks within the team. This differs from other
teams, which frequently combine an employee's regular caseload with that of the
team. The goal of the task force is to complete projects quickly and efficiently.
1. Forming
• The forming phase occurs when a team is established, and members are
introduced. In this stage, members may feel excited and enthusiastic about
the work ahead. In most cases, employees may be more reserved as they
learn more about each other’s skills, interests and background. This is when
the leader shares the project goals, timeline and each member’s roles and
responsibilities.
• Challenges: Because the team is new and just beginning to understand the
work ahead, they may not yet know how to cooperate.
• What leaders can do: In the forming stage, it’s important leaders clearly
communicate the project and their expectations. They should also help team
members get to know each other so they can begin forming relationships.
2. Storming
• The storming phase occurs as employees begin to learn more about each
other and disagree about the best way to start the project or approach
specific challenges. This is mainly due to differences in personality and work
styles. Team members can become frustrated with each other and may argue.
• Challenges: Because team members are still getting to know each other, they
may not yet fully trust each other’s abilities, recognize each other’s values or
appreciate their differences.
• What leaders can do: It’s crucial leaders help team members learn to handle
conflict as early in the process as possible because there will likely be more
disagreements even after the storming stage is over. They should calmly
moderate disputes and help clarify misunderstandings.
3. Norming
• The norming phase occurs when employees begin to recognize one
another’s strengths, understand each other’s roles and become more
comfortable working together. This is also when they start socializing more,
and employees feel more comfortable asking others for advice and feedback.
• Challenges: While norming is a positive phase, unresolved conflict from the
storming phase can lead to a regression. Additionally, too much socializing
between team members can threaten to slow progress.
• What leaders can do: Stay aware of employee interactions and ensure
everyone is communicating respectfully. Regularly ask for project updates to
ensure the team is staying on track.
4. Performing
• The performing phase occurs when employees are comfortable working
together, have built strong relationships and streamlined their processes. This
is also when the team reaches peak productivity and is moving forward
quickly toward the end goal. Generally, team members are happy working
together and appreciative of each other’s talents.
• Challenges: So long as you’ve provided your team the support they needed
during earlier phases, they should be nearly self-sufficient. However, just as
in the norming stage, conflicts can threaten to disrupt progress if employees
still haven’t resolved their differences.
• What leaders can do: During this phase, you should act as a coach or mentor
and offer guidance to help ensure the project meets all goals.
5. Adjourning / transfoming
• The adjourning phase (also called the mourning phase) occurs once the
team has completed the project and members must move on to other
endeavors. While employees generally feel accomplished at the end of
a mission, they may also feel disappointed that the experience is over—
especially if they made close relationships with other team members.
• Challenges: Team members may feel a sense of loss once a project
finishes, especially if they are resistant to change.
• What leaders can do: Take a moment to recognize the team’s
performance and unite them one final time to celebrate their success
together.
Stage Activities
– Direct the team, and establish clear objectives, both for the team as a whole and for individual team
Forming
members;

Establish processes and structures.

– Build trust and good relationships between team members.
– Resolve conflicts swiftly if they occur. Provide support, especially to those team members who are
less secure.
Storming
– Remain positive and firm in the face of challenges to your leadership, or to the team’s goal.
– Explain the “forming, storming, norming, and performing” idea, so that people understand why
problems are occurring, and so that they see that things will get better in the future. – Coach team
members in assertiveness and conflict resolution skills where this is necessary.

Norming - Step back and help team members take responsibility for progress towards the goal.

– Delegate tasks and projects as far as you can. Once the team is achieving well, you should aim to
Performing have as light a touch as possible. You will now be able to start focusing on other goals and areas of
work.

– Take the time to celebrate the team’s achievements; you may work with some of your people again,
Adjourning
and this will be much easier if people view past experiences positively.
• https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=section-
32aquiz-stages-team-development
In the organization it helps:
• when hiring the right people for the job.
• will enable management to identify the type of people they will need
• to improve collaboration between and among members and teams
• there are higher chances of collaboration and sharing of work becoming more
successful.
• the development of strong teams
• strong teams are composed of individuals who know what they are supposed to do
• to improve overall effectiveness and efficiency
• Finding a good fit or match between jobs and people will lessen and even eliminate
errors and mistakes, and improve quality of work.
To start with, there are three things that every member of an organization
must be clear about:
their superiors or the person they have to report to,
their responsibilities and corresponding expectations,
the level of authority they require in order to make decisions.
NB. A role is not a responsibility, and vice versa.
Job roles refers to a person’s position in the organization.
Job responsibilities refer to the duties and tasks of their particular roles
Many people mistake a role as the job title, but there is more to it than just a
designation.
To summarize, your role relates to your job title, and your responsibilities are
your job description.
Remember: Large and small companies use teams to accomplish various tasks.
According to the management and consulting firm, Belbin Associates, teams
are groups of individuals working collectively toward common objectives.
Dr. Raymond Meredith Belbin, the founder of the management consulting
firm, Belbin Associates, notes that a team role is a tendency to behave,
contribute and interact with others in a particular way.
Belbin's research found that the difference between team failure and success
depends on the behavior of team members.
Understanding various team roles helps in understanding the strengths and
weaknesses of your team members, enable both better delegation and
coordination.
 Belbin Test
• https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/belbin-team-
roles
• Other team role test - https://testyourself.psychtests.com/bin/transfer
• http://wiki.doing-
projects.org/index.php/Design_the_team_you_need_to_succeed_using_B
elbin%27s_team_roles
• Belbin Game - https://www.smarttstrategies.com/blog/a-simple-game-
highlights-the-fundamentals-of-awesome-teams
• Detailed benefits of defining roles and respons… -
https://www.betterup.com/blog/roles-and-responsibilities-why-define-
them
We can organize group roles into four categories:
task roles- help or hinder a group’s ability to accomplish its goals
social-emotional roles - focus on building and maintaining
relationships among individuals in a group (the focus is on how
people feel about being in the group).
procedural roles- concerned with how the group accomplishes its
task. Eg. Following directions, proper procedure, going through the
right channels. Etc.
individual roles - includes any role “that detracts from group goals
and emphasizes personal goals”
• The Task Leader is the person that keeps the group focused on the primary goal or task
by setting agendas, controlling the participation and communication of the group’s
members, and evaluating ideas and contributions of participants.
• Information Gatherers are those people who seek and/or provide the factual
information necessary for evaluating ideas, problem solving, and reaching conclusions.
• Opinion Gatherers are those that seek out and/or provide subjective responses about
ideas and suggestions. They most often take into account the values, beliefs, and
attitudes of members.
• The Devil’s Advocate is the person that argues a contrary or opposing point of view.
This may be done positively in an effort to ensure that all perspectives are considered,
or negatively as the unwillingness of a single person to participate in the group’s ideas.
• The Energizer is the person who functions as the group’s cheer-leader, providing
energy, motivation, and positive encouragement.
The Social-Emotional Leader is the person who is concerned with maintaining
and balancing the social and emotional needs of the group members and tends
to play many, if not all, of the roles in this category
The Encourager practices good listening skills in order to create a safe space
for others to share ideas and offer suggestions.
Followers are group members that do what they are told, going along with
decisions and assignments from the group.
The Tension Releaser is the person that uses humor, or can skillfully change
the subject in an attempt to minimize tension and avoid conflict.
The Compromiser is the one who mediates disagreements or conflicts among
members by encouraging others to give in on small issues for the sake of
meeting the goals of the group.
Groups cannot function properly without having a system of rules or norms in
place. Members are responsible for maintaining the norms of a group and play
many roles to accomplish this.
The Facilitator acts like a traffic director by managing the flow of information
to keep the group on task.
Gatekeepers are those group members that attempt to maintain proper
communicative balance. These people also serve as the points of contact
between times of official group meetings.
The Recorder is the person responsible for tracking group ideas, decisions, and
progress. Often, a written record is necessary, thus, this person has the
responsibility for keeping, maintaining, and sharing group notes.
Because groups are made of individuals, group members often play various roles in
order to achieve individual goals. Individual roles are roles that conflict against with
group goals and regulations…
The Aggressor engages in forceful or dominating communication to put others down
or initiate conflict with other members. This communication style can cause some
members to remain silent or passive.
The Blocker is the person that fusses or complains about small procedural matters,
often blocking the group’s progress by not letting them get to the task. They worry
about small details that, overall, are not important to achieving the group’s desired
outcome.
The Self-Confessor uses the group as a setting to discuss personal or emotional
matters not relevant to the group or its task. This is the person that views the group
as one that is there to perform group therapy.
The Playboy or Playgirl shows little interest in the group or the problem at hand and
does not contribute in a meaningful way, or at all. This is the person who does
essentially no work, yet still gets credit for the group’s work.
The Joker or Clown uses inappropriate humor or remarks that can steer the group
from its mission.
References
• Survey of Communication Study. Authored by: Scott T Paynton and
Linda K Hahn. Provided by: Humboldt State University. Located
at: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Survey_of_Communication_Study
. License: CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Image of group working. Authored by: Spaynton. Located
at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Groupwork490.png. Li
cense: CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike