When does a group become a team?

Yesterday I was working with a group in an organisation and we were wrestling with the question above. Lots of things were coming up for them

o   Are we a team?

o   Do we need to be a team?

o   Are we more different than similar?

o   Does it matter?

o   Why are we working in this way?

o   People don't understand why we have been grouped like this - what's the benefit?

o   What is our identity?

The leader of the team had created a clear set of statements which showed how and where they had commonality but it hadn't sunk in or been ingrained. The whole company has just gone through a reorganisation and there is pain associated with that process including redundancies, so people throughout the organisation were and are smarting.

The new shape, for some of the group, doesn't feel right and some of them are looking back to the 'old days.'

So when is a group a team? And what difference does it make?

There appeared to be a desire to be more than just a group who get together once in a while and, as senior people with big workloads and plenty of responsibility they need good reasons to diary in time together. If this leadership team doesn’t feel bonded and committed to the function – how then can the staff who report to them?

My sense is that organisations can gain in big ways when cross functional teams spend time together. It is hard to explain how in brief terms but Barry Oshry in his book ‘Seeing Systems’ explains it very well. In short, when cross functional teams understand each other and have insight into other parts of the business new levels of connection, support, sharing of best practice and cross fertilisation of ideas occurs and the business benefits. Not only that but employees are more engaged and are allowed to develop their own creativity.

Former delegates if mine from a long standing leadership programme say one of the most powerful things is the cross functional networking they get to do during the 7 days on the course. It makes them more effective as a leader and better able to do their jobs, influence the business and manage their own careers.

So, a group begin to be a team when they can see the benefit of being together, personally and professionally, individually and organisationally. What they choose to do with those beginnings is another matter.

Now, back to yesterday's group. They had had months of working in this group and reflected that they had done lots of ‘task stuff’ but no ‘team’ stuff. Some said they did with their own teams but hadn't with this group - maybe now was the time, time to get to know each other, to meet the people behind the job functions, to build social cohesion so that the task cohesion has a foundation upon which to rest. I have spoken about relationships in business before and I'll say it again. Business is built on relationships. Without them there is less trust and without trust, things take longer and cost more. With trust things are quicker and cost less. It is all about the relationships. We work with people, not job roles.

If you lead a group, ask yourself what's in it for the members? What extra can or do they get out of it? When you get that right the team feeling will grow - follow this with some purposeful team development work and a clear objective or performance standard and you will be well on the way. Shine your light of attention on the team needs, then task needs then the individual needs and keep it shining in the right place as appropriate and you will achieve the balance.

Are you a member of a group or a team? And where does your light need to shine?

Piers Carter

Coach & Leadership Consultant