Is Your Group a Team?

There’s a lot of talk about workplace teams and teamwork within organizations.

We hear of team leaders, strategic teams, committees, task forces and working groups. And of course, so many team-related catchphrases.

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Together Everyone Achieves More.

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. 

– Helen Keller

Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.

– Henry Ford

Sayings can be inspiring, but just because we label a group of people a workplace team doesn’t make them function like a team. Yet how many times do we hear an entire organization referred to as a team?

Some will point to the values of teamwork, such as using effective listening, supporting each other and sharing information, as proof that an entire workforce can be a team. However, these values are not exclusive to teams. Arguably, they benefit individuals and groups as well.

So, what does make a group a team? How do teams differ from groups within an organization? It’s an important distinction.

As leaders, we need to be able to figure out if any given group is a team, and there are times when we need to determine whether a group should be a team — or not. If it is (or should be) a team, knowing how to build a strong (or stronger) workplace team is critical to success.

The Difference Between a Team and a Group 

There are some key differences between a group of coworkers and a workplace team.

It’s a group when:

• The performance is based on what each individual does.
• Individuals are accountable for their own work or results.
• Each member may have a different purpose or goal.
• Individuals may not know how what they do fits in with what others do.
• They come together to share information, best practices or perspectives that can inform other decisions or actions.
• Members might be friendly but don’t have to work collectively with others.

It’s a team when:

• The performance includes what individuals do and what the team members do together, collectively.
• The team is accountable for the results of their combined efforts; members are accountable for their own and the collective work or results.
• Members have a shared purpose and goal.
• Everyone understands how what they contribute fits into the work of the entire team.
• They come together to contribute their complementary skills to a shared goal.
• Members create and work together, trusting each other and forming a bond because of their shared responsibility and purpose.

The way folks work and interact can change significantly between a group and a team. How we lead a group can also be very different from leading a workplace team.

Building the Foundation for a Strong Team 

Having complementary skills to work toward a shared purpose and goal helps to identify a group with the potential to be a well-functioning team.

It can be challenging to bring folks together and build a strong workplace team. Here are some strategies that help to make a group become an effective team (and strengthen an existing team):

1. Focus on building strong relationships. Folks need to know each other to build trust, and trust is essential to building an effective team. There are simple ways to build stronger relationships with your team that work. If team members feel safe, they’re willing to take risks and trust that their colleagues will be supportive, dependable and honest.
   
   
2. Assess the conflict on the team. It’s not unusual to see signs of destructive conflict at first. Part of building a stronger team is to move from unhealthy conflict to constructive conflict. When folks feel safe to share constructive criticism and dissenting opinions, the conflict is around ideas and not people. This is when team members feel engaged and free to be innovative and creative — which leads to success.
   
   
3. Encourage and model effective communication. Often, folks listen with the intent to respond. When we listen with the intent to understand, the dynamic changes for the better.
   
   
4. Focus on continual improvement. Being able to provide effective feedback helps everyone refine processes and develop their talents. It’s focused on supporting future success rather than taking someone to task for making a misstep or falling short in the present. Having a culture that values learning and curiosity ensures that mistakes are learning opportunities and problem-solving is the default when faced with a challenge.
   
   
5. Support professional development and personal growth. When folks are encouraged to learn new skills, everyone benefits. At Padraig, our executive coaches use a tool with teams called Everything DiSC to help individuals understand themselves and others better.
   
   
6. Recognize milestones and accomplishments. It’s important to celebrate successes in meaningful ways. Team members who can see how their collective contributions matter will feel more engaged, motivated and connected.
   
   

What Helps Make a Winning Workplace Team

According to the Harvard Business Review (HBR), there are certain elements that successful teams share.

• Team members are working toward specific performance goals. These are measurable and related to the overall purpose of the workplace team, with each person’s part working toward the success of the whole team. When folks understand how and why their contribution matters, they tend to be more engaged in their work and committed to the outcomes.
  

• The team is a manageable size. According to the HBR, their research showed the optimal size for an effective workplace team ranges from two to 25 people. They found that sometimes a team of around 50 had success breaking into smaller sub-teams that had different responsibilities. Why are the small numbers key? In addition to the logistical challenges of coordinating meetings for a big group, it’s more challenging for large groups to bond (due to crowd or herd behaviours) and work effectively together toward a common goal.
  
  
• The members have the right mix of complementary skills. These include technical expertise, problem-solving and decision-making skills and interpersonal skills.
  
  
• The team members hold themselves and each other accountable. Everyone is motivated to meet deadlines and commitments. They can trust other members are responsible and committed, too. Pro tip: Using the RASCI Matrix can help everyone on a team understand who is Responsible, Accountable, Supportive, Consulted and Informed.
  

And, of course, effective workplace teams also have a common purpose and a commitment to working together to achieve the team’s goals.

Coach’s Questions:

Are there groups in your organization that are — or should be — teams? How do you know? What is something you can do to build a stronger team?