The Difference between
Work Groups and Teams

There is a difference between work groups and teams.

While all teams consist of working groups, not all groups can be considered teams.

Traditionally, working groups have already existed in organizations. Departments such as marketing, finance, human resource have been organized into working groups to fulfil the basic functions of the organization.

However, this new era has brought about a greater need for innovation and creativity; bringing about the need to maximise the potential of every individual.

1. A leader dominates and controls a workgroup, while in a team, the leader is a facilitator.

In a team, the leader often is there to facilitate discussion. Instead of imposing his opinions, a leader in a team often sits back and allows members to speak their mind on certain issues. He doesn’t decide on the final decision, and often seeks consensus from the whole team instead.

2. The goals of a workgroup is often set by the leader or the head of the organization, while in a team, the members usually set the goals

An organization often has pre-determined goals that the work group adopts as a part of their plan, but often, a team comes together to decide on its purposes and goals together.

3. In a workgroup, the leader is obvious and he conducts the meeting; while in a team, the members are often actively participating in the discussions.

In a workgroup, members often just give ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers to the leader in the meeting and contributes very little input except when asked.

In a team, members are often actively participating and discussing about the issues at hand, offering their input spontaneously.

This often creates a synergistic solution to many problems as the issue is seen from different perspectives.

4. In a workgroup, the leader assigns work to the members, while in a team, everyone decides together on the work assignments.

Team members often decide democratically with regards to the responsibilities of the task. This is of greater advantage as everyone is clear about their own strengths and weaknesses as compared to a workgroup, where the leader must be extremely clear about his subordinates to achieve the same effect.

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Creating a Team Mission Statement
Before your team can work effectively, you must set the vision for the team so that every individual in the team understands the purpose of coming together. Are they coming together for a common interest, a specific project, or for a long term vision?

Examples of Team Mission Statements
Here are some examples of good mission statements used in the biggest companies in the world. Learn the elements required in a mission statement and how you can draft a good mission statement.

Formulating Great Team Mottos
A team motto captures the values of a team in a few words or a phrase. Learn about some simple team mottos and how you can create a great team motto for your team.

Setting the Stage for Teamwork
Before you send your team off to do their task, you must set the context and the foundation so that your team will succeed. You need to set expectations, make certain rules within the team and more.

The Barriers to Team Success
There are several barriers to building a successful team. Learn about the pitfalls in teambuilding and how you can avoid them.

Characteristics of Good Teams
Every good team has similar characteristics. Learn six invaluable characteristics that are required to groom an effective, successful team.

Why Doesn't My Team Speak Up?
Getting your team to speak up is probably one of the greatest challenges you will have as a leader. You need to move your team's mindset from the traditional top-down decision making process into the new paradigm.

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