Unit 3: Foundation of Group Behavior

Learning objective: After completing this unit, you will be able to:

 define the concepts and meaning of group behavior in the organization

 identify the stages in the group development in the organization
 explain the need and importance of group un the organization
 Identify the types (classification) of group
 Explain the characteristic of mature group
 describer the work group structure in the organization
 Define the concept of team and its characteristics

3.1 The Concept of Group Behavior

A group is a collection of two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have
come together to achieve a particular common objective. According to D.H.Smith, “A group is
the largest set of two or more individuals who are jointly characterized by a network of relevant
communication, a shared sense of collective identity and one or more shared disposition with
associated normative strength.

That is why you can find various group terminologies prevailing in almost most organization. It
is common to find committee, task force, and teams or in academic institutions like universities:
Department Council, Academic Commissions, Senate and the like. All these lists attest the
necessity of group efforts to accomplish organizational objectives. The above definition stresses
the following points.

Interaction, Size, Shared goal, interest, Collective Identity

Most available researches indicate that individual behavior is highly influenced by co-workers in
a work group. Interaction affects performance outcomes.

There are several definitions available on the work group but let start with describing it. A group
is conceived in terms of perceptions; that is individuals see themselves as a group, for a group to
exits. In structural terms – a group could be defined as an organized system of two or more
individuals who are interrelated so that the system performs some function; group has a standard

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set of role relationships among its members, and a set of norms that regulate the functions of the
group and each of its members.

Group can also be defined as a motivational term as “Collection of individuals where existence
as a collection is rewarding to the individuals.” Besides, groups can be viewed with regard to
interpersonal interaction: the degree to which members communicate and interact with each
other among themselves overtime.

In brief, group could be defined as a collection of individuals who share a common set of norms,
who generally have differentiated roles among themselves, and who interact with one another
toward the joint pursuit of common goals. From the above explanation you could notice that
groups can be defined in terms of perception, motivation, organizational interdependencies,
and interactions.

3.2 Stages in Group Development

Groups usually don’t just emerge. Besides, it does not look all the same all the time. This implies
there are some processes involved in the group development. Although, there could be different
explanation concerning the stages of group development, group formation involves some
process. Research outcomes indicate that there is no standardized pattern of group development.
i) Forming: At this stage, group members try to comprehend where they stand in the group and
how they are being perceived by others in the group. The members are very cautious in their
interactions with each other and the relationships among the group members are very superficial.
Members’ seldom express their feelings in the group and the individual members who are trying
to understand who they are in the group have concerns about how they will fit in the group as
permanent group members. This is characterized by much uncertainty about group’s purpose,
structure and leadership. Members are ‘testing the waters’ to determine what types of behavior
are acceptable. This stage is complete when members have begun to think of themselves as part
of a group.
ii) Storming: At this stage, disagreement tends to get expressed among the group members, and
feelings of anxiety and resentment are also expressed. Some power struggle may ensure at this
stage to determine who should assume the informal leadership role in the group. This storming
stage is also known as the sub-grouping and confrontation. This group is characterized by
intragroup conflict. Members accept the existence of the group, but there is resistance to the

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control what the group imposes on individuality. There is sometimes conflict over who will
control the group. When this stage is complete, there will be a relatively clear hierarchy of
leadership within the group.
iii) Norming: This stage is characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness. The group sets
norms, tries to attain some degree of cohesiveness, understands the goals of the group, starts
making good decision, expresses feelings openly and makes attempts to resolve problems and
attain group effectiveness. At this stage, members’ roles get defined, and task and maintenance
of roles are assumed by group members. Group members’ also begin to express satisfaction and
confidence about being members of the group.
iv) Performing: This stage is characterized by collaboration and integration. The group
members evaluate their performance so that the members develop and grow. The group
relationships and structures are set and accepted. Group energy has moved from getting to know
and understand each other, to performing the task at hand. Feelings are expressed at this stage
without fear, leadership roles shared among the members, and the group members’ activities are
highly co-coordinated. The task and maintenance roles are played very effectively. The task
performance levels are high and member satisfaction, pride and commitment to the group also
high. Both performance and members’ satisfaction are sustained indefinitely. However, for
temporary committees, teams, taskforces and similar groups there is stage of adjourning.
v) Adjourning: This stage is characterized by concern with wrapping up activities rather than
task performance. The group prepares for its disbandment. High task performance is no longer
the group’s top priority. Instead, attention is directed towards finalizing activities. As the group
approaches the terminal phase, members break off their bonds of affection and stop interaction
with each other. Responses of group members vary in this state. Some feel pride in what the
group has accomplished. Others may be negative and critical of the way the organization has
treated the group and others may be sad over the loss of friendship gained during the life of the
work groups. Hence, organizations should have to notice the different stages involved in the
group development to devise strategy (identify suitable approaches in management), to enhance
group effectiveness and cohesiveness what is literally known as synergy. Yet, managers have to
notice the different behaviors exhibited by group members and one should not think that groups
always remain at performing stage.

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3.3 Need and Importance of Groups
Groups are important because they fulfill our fundamental human need for belonging, providing
a sense of community and support while also enabling collaboration, diverse perspectives,
improved problem-solving, skill development, and the ability to achieve goals that might be
difficult to accomplish alone; essentially, groups allow individuals to learn, grow, and achieve
more through collective effort and shared experiences.
Reasons why groups are important:
Social Connection: Groups provide a sense of belonging and social support, which can
positively impact mental health and well-being.
Collaboration and Innovation: By bringing together different perspectives and skills, groups
can foster creativity and generate more innovative solutions to problems.
Information Sharing and Learning: Group interactions allow members to share knowledge,
learn from each other, and gain new insights.
Improved Decision-Making: Group discussions can lead to more comprehensive decision-
making processes by considering various viewpoints.
Motivation and Accountability: Being part of a group can increase motivation and
accountability as individuals feel responsible to contribute to the collective goal.
Skill Development: Through group activities, individuals can practice and refine their skills like
communication, leadership, and teamwork.
Identity Formation: Membership in a group can contribute to a person's sense of identity and
belonging to a particular community.
3.4 Types (Classifications) of Groups
Various methods are used to classify the types of groups that exist in our organizations. In
organizations, the predominant operating groups are the functional groups, task or project groups
and interest groups. In addition, groups are also classified as formal and informal groups.
I. Formal groups:
Formal groups are work units that are prescribed by the organization. Formal groups are
collections of employees who are made to work together by the organization to get the job done
smoothly and efficiently. For example, if five members are put together in a department to attend
to customer complaints they would be a formal group. The formal groups are those whose
primary purpose is facilitating, through member interactions, the attainment of the goals of the

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organization Task groups/project groups, command groups and committees come under
formal groups.
Command group – is a relatively permanent, formal group with functional reporting
relationships and usually included in the organization chart. In a business organizations, most
employees work in a command groups, as typically specified on an official organizational chart.
The size, shape and organization of a company’s command groups can vary considerably. The
basic functional department in organizations could be an example of command groups. An
Example of formal group in the organization could be section, department, committees or special
project task force. Taskforce – is a relatively temporary, formal group established to do specific
task. A task force is created usually to accomplish specified goals for specific period of time.
Once the objective is attained taskforce cease to exist. : When a number of employees are
formally brought together for the purpose of accomplishing a specific task – for a short-term or
long term period – such a collection of individuals is called a task or project group.
Affinity group- is collections of employees from the same level in the organization who meet on
a regular basis to share information, capture emerging opportunities, and solve problems. This
groups share roles, responsibilities, duties and interests. Besides, it meets regularly, and members
have assigned role such as recorder, reporter, and facilitator and meeting organizer.
II. Informal Groups
These groups evolve naturally out of individual and collective self-interest among the members
of an organization and are not the result of deliberate organizational design. Informal groups are
groups that emerge or randomly get formed due to the formal group members’ interaction with
each other, and thereby develop common interest. For example, members who are showing
interest in playing games will join to play volley ball or football enjoy together. Informal groups
provide a very important service by satisfying their members’ social needs. Because of
interactions that result from the close proximity of task interactions, group members play games
together, spending their tea breaks together etc., Interest groups, Friendship groups and
Reference groups come under informal groups.
Interest group - An interest group is usually informal, and is a group of people who band
together to attain a specific objective with which each member is concerned. Within an
organization, this might be a group of people who come together to demand better working

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conditions or a better employee evaluation process. Outside of an organization, this term is
frequently used in political situations to describe groups that give a point of view a voice.
The group members form relationships based on some common characteristics such as age,
political belief, or interests.
Friendship group. These are groups of people who have come together because they share
common ideals, common interests or other similarities, like age or ethnic background.
For example, recreation clubs, social groups etc. Management usually doesn’t have any control
over these informal groups.
Reference groups. Important groups to which individuals belong or hope to belong and with
whose norms individuals are likely to conform
3.5 Reasons for Joining Groups
The most popular reasons for joining a group are related to our needs for security, identity,
affiliation, power and engaging in common tasks.
Protection of common and individual Interest: By joining a group, members can reduce the
insecurity of being alone. The membership will make them feel stronger, gaining resistant to
threats, having fewer self-doubts etc. New employees are particularly vulnerable to a sense of
isolation and turn to the group for guidance and support. Employees develop a sense of security
at personal as well as professional front by joining groups.
Status: Inclusion in a group that is viewed as important by others provides recognition and status
for its members. The members feel pride and gain status and recognition if they join the best
group.
Self-Esteem: Groups can provide people with feelings of self-worth. That is, in addition to
conveying status to those outside the group, membership can also give increased feelings of
worth to the group members themselves. The self-esteem is increased when members are
accepted by a highly valued group. Being assigned to a task force whose purpose is to review
and make recommendations for the location of the company’s new corporate headquarters can
fulfill one’s intrinsic needs for competence and growth.
Social Needs: Groups can fulfill social needs. People enjoy the regular interaction that comes
with group membership. For many people, these on-the-job interactions at work are the primary
source for fulfilling their needs for affiliation.Basic theories of personality and motivation
emphasize that most individuals have relatively strong social needs. They need to interact with

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other people and develop meaningful relationships. Since, people are clearly social creatures
groups provide structured environments in which individuals can pursue friendships. Of course,
for some individuals social needs are just like an end in their life where as for some it is like a
means.
Power: For individuals who desire to influence others, groups can offer power without a formal
position of authority in the organization. As a group leader, he or she may be able to make
requests of group members and obtain compliance without any of the responsibilities that
traditionally go either formal managerial position.
Economic – Self-interest – people often associate with groups to pursue their own economic
self-interest. E.g. labor union and collective bargaining case.
Physical proximity- many groups formed simply because people are located in close physical
proximity to one another
Goal Achievement: There are times when it takes more than one person to accomplish a
particular task- there is a need to pool talents, knowledge in order to complete a job. In such
instances, management will rely on the use of a formal group.
3.5 Characteristics of Mature Group
A mature group is characterized by a clear purpose, well-defined roles, strong cohesion, shared
norms and standards of conduct, flexible leadership, the ability to handle conflict constructively,
and a high level of trust among members, allowing them to effectively work towards a common
goal.
Key characteristics of a mature group:
Clear purpose and mission: Everyone in the group understands the overall goal and objectives.
Defined roles and responsibilities: Each member knows their specific tasks and contributes
accordingly.
Strong group cohesion: Members feel connected and committed to the group dynamic.
Established norms and standards: Shared expectations about behavior and communication
within the group.
Flexible leadership: Leadership can shift depending on the situation, not solely relying on one
person.
Constructive conflict resolution: Ability to address disagreements openly and productively.

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Open communication: Members feel comfortable expressing their opinions and concerns
freely.
Mutual trust and respect: Members value each other's contributions and perspectives.
Ability to adapt to change: The group can adjust to new situations and challenges
Self-awareness: Members are aware of their own strengths and weaknesses and how they
contribute to the group
4.6 Workgroup Structure
Work group structure can be characterized in many different ways. The characteristics that are
useful in describing and understanding what makes work group different from another are:
I. Work group Size
Comparison of views indicated in several literature attests that, there are simply no right number
of people for most group activities. Work group size has an effect on group interaction pattern,
job attitudes, absenteeism and turnover, and productivity.
A series of classic studies indicates that harmony is crucial in smaller groups and that people in
them have more time to develop their thoughts and opinions. On the other hand, individuals in a
large group must be more directed because of the increased competition for attention.

Increase in workgroup size is fairly consistently found to be inversely related to satisfaction that
is people working in smaller work units or departments report higher levels of satisfaction than
those in larger units. On the other hand, clear relationship has been found between group size and
production. However, when you look at productivity and group size, it is important to recognize
the existence of a unique factor called social lofting. Social lofting is a tendency for individual
group members to reduce their effort on group task. Besides, groupthink is also the influencing
factor of group effectiveness.

II. Work Group Norms

A work group norm is shared by group members and that regulates members’ behavior within an
organization. In an organization there may be a norm against producing too much or too little,
against getting too close to the supervisors, against being late for work and so forth. Work group
norms may be characterized by at least five factors.

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  Norms summarize and simplify group influence processes- They denote the processes
by which groups regulate and regularize their interactions, processes and pattern of
member’s behavior.

 Norms apply only to behavior, not to private thoughts and feelings. The fact that
individuals belong to certain group and adhere to their norms doesn’t mean that one has
to abandon his values, feelings and thought to group’s conformation.

 Norms are generally developed anytime for behaviors that are viewed as important by
most group members. For instance, someone might be in different group which demands
different norms to follow. One can be a teacher or student where both need different
norms to adhere to be accepted by the group.

 Norms usually develop gradually, but the process can be quickened if members wish to
do so. Imagine the way you behave as student over the time you stay in the collage/
university. Or, remarkably one can notice the way the fresh employee acts and what
could happen through laps of time in certain organization.

 All norms do not apply to all members. Some norms, for example apply only to young
initiates, whereas others are based on seniority, sex, race or economic class.
In general, work group norms serve four functions in organizational settings

 Norms facilitate group survival – it directs the way the groups behave or perform.

 Norms simplify expected behavior – norms tell group members what is acceptable and
unacceptable.

 Norms help to avoid embarrassing situations - norms tell group members when
behavior or topic is damaging to other members.

 Norms help to identify the group and express its central values to others- norms
concerning clothes, language, mannerisms, and so forth help tell others who belong to the
group and in some cases, what the group stands for. Imagine the way one dresses in the
military and one works in banks are different.

Norms and Conformity

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As a member of a group, you desire acceptance by the group. Thus, you are susceptible to
conforming to group norms. Considerable evidence suggests that groups can place strong
pressures on individual members to change their attitudes and behaviors to match the group’s
standard.

III. Group Cohesiveness.

Groups differ in their cohesiveness—refers to the extent of unity in the group and is reflected in
the members’ conformity to the norms of the group, feelings of attraction for each other, and
wanting to be co-members of the group. The more the members feel attracted to the group, the
greater will be the group cohesion. The greater the cohesion, the greater the influence of group
members to persuade one another to conform to the group norms. The greater the conformity, the
greater the identification of the members with the group, and the greater the group cohesion.
Cohesive groups work together to achieve the group goals. They can be considered as valuable
assets to the organization if the group’s goals coincide with the organization’s goals.
Some workgroups are cohesive because the members have spent a great deal of time together,
the group’s small size or purpose facilitates high interaction, or external threats have brought
members close together. Cohesiveness affects group productivity. Studies consistently show that
the relationship between cohesiveness and productivity depends on the group’s performance
related norms.
If norms for quality, output, and cooperation with outsiders are high, a cohesive group will be
more productive than a less cohesive group. But if cohesiveness is high and performance norms
are low, productivity will be low. If cohesiveness is low and performance norms are high,
productivity increases, but less than in the high cohesiveness/high-norms situation.
When cohesiveness and performance-related norms are both low, productivity tends to fall into
the low-to-moderate range.
Cohesiveness
High Low

High productivity Moderate

High productivity
Performance Norm
Low Productivity Moderate to low
Low
productivity

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Major factors that affect group cohesiveness are:
 Group homogeneity: the more homogeneous the group is, the more members share
similar characteristics and backgrounds and the greater the cohesiveness will be.
 Group maturity: groups tend to become more cohesive simply as a result of the passage
of time. Continued interaction over long periods of time helps members develop a
closeness born of shared experiences.
 Group size – smaller groups have an easier time developing cohesiveness, possibly
because of the less complex interpersonal interaction patterns.
 Frequency of interactions: groups that have greater opportunities to interact on a regular
or frequent basis tend to become more cohesive than groups that meet less frequently or
whose members are more isolated. When group members have the opportunity to interact
frequently with each other, the probability for closeness to develop will increase.
Managers can provide opportunities for increased group interaction by calling frequent
formal and informal meetings, providing a common meetings place or physically
designing the facilities so that group members are within sight of one another.
 Common consent on Group Goals: If the group agrees on the purpose and direction of
its activities, this will serve to bind the group together and structure interaction patterns
towards successful goal accomplishment
 Competition or external threat: when groups sense external threat or hostility, they
tend to bond together more closely.
 Success: If a group has a history of success, it builds an espirit de corps that attracts and
unites members. Group success on the previous task often facilitates increased
cohesiveness and a sense of “we did it together”
 Pleasant experiences with the group: When group members are attracted to each other
or there is a full trust and cooperation, interaction may become a pleasant experience
resulting in high level of cohesiveness in the group
 Gender of Members: It is reported that women tend to have greater cohesion than men.
A possible reason is that women are more likely to be feeling types than thinking types
What can you do to encourage group cohesiveness?
1. Make the group smaller.
2. Encourage agreement with group goals.

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3. Increase the time members spend together.
4. Increase the group’s status and the perceived difficulty of attaining membership.
5. Stimulate competition with other groups.
6. Give rewards to the group rather than to individual members.
7. Physically isolate the group.
3.7 Group Decision Making
Group decision making is when a group of people work together to make a choice. It can also be
called collaborative or collective decision making. Many decisions in organizations are made by
groups, teams, or committees. We’ll discuss the advantages of group decision making, along
with the unique challenges group dynamics bring to the decision-making process.
Group vs the Individual
Decision-making groups may be widely used in organizations, but are group decisions
preferable to those made by an individual alone? The answer depends on a number of factors.
Groups are an excellent vehicle for performing many steps in the decision-making process and
offer both breadth and depth of input for information gathering. If group members have diverse
backgrounds, the alternatives generated should be more extensive and the analysis more critical.
When the final solution is agreed on, there are more people in a group decision to support and
implement it.
We must be careful to define the types of conflicts, however. Research indicates that group
conflicts about tasks may increase group performance, while conflicts in relationships may
decrease performance. In some cases, therefore, we can expect individuals to make better
decisions than groups.
Strengths of group decision making
Groups generate more complete information and knowledge. By aggregating the resources of
several individuals, groups bring more input as well as heterogeneity into the decision process.
They offer increased diversity of views. This opens up the opportunity to consider more
approaches and alternatives. Finally, groups lead to increased acceptance of a solution. Group
members who participate in making a decision are more likely to enthusiastically support and
encourage others to accept it later.
Weaknesses of group decision making Group decisions are time-consuming because groups
typically take more time to reach a solution. There are conformity pressures. The desire by group

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members to be accepted and considered an asset to the group can squash any overt disagreement.
Group discussion can be dominated by one or a few members. If they’re low- and medium-
ability members, the group’s overall effectiveness will suffer. Finally, group decisions suffer
from ambiguous responsibility.
3.7.1 Workgroup Effectiveness
Literally it is usually believed and stated as “two heads are better than one”. This statement could
hold true if the effectiveness and synergy effect prevails in a group.If you are given group
assignment by your instructor, do all the members equally participate? What is the contribution
of each member? There are tendencies for some individuals to contribute less in a group. These
are usually referred to as process loss. Then, what is workgroup effectiveness? As a matter of
fact effectiveness is not easy to define for there are various models to describe it. According to
(Steers, 1991: 239) effectiveness is defined interns of three criteria:
 Productive output– the productive output of the group must meet or exceed the
quantitative and qualitative standards defined by the organization.

 Personal need satisfaction – groups are effective if membership facilitates employee

need satisfaction.

 Capacity for future cooperation – effective groups employ social processes that
maintain or enhance the capacity of their members to work together on subsequent tasks.
Destructive social processes are avoided so that members can develop long term
cohesiveness and effectiveness.
Coming to the notion of group effectives, what factors determines group effectiveness?
According to the literature groups’ effectiveness is largely determined by three factors:
i. Group effort – the amount of group effort group members exert toward task accomplishment

ii. Group knowledge and skill – the amount of knowledge and skills possessed by group
members that are available for group effort and performance.

iii. Task performance strategies – the extent to which the group’s strategies for task
performance are appropriate. To sum up group effectiveness is presented as follow:

Group effectiveness = each individual’s contributions + synergy – process loss

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3.8 The concept of Teams
Team is a small No. of people with complementary skill who are committed for common
purpose for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. (According to Robbins, 1998)
work team is a group whose individual efforts result in a performance that is greater than the sum
of those individual inputs.
Teams are more flexible and responsive to changing events than traditional departments or other
forms of permanent groups can be. They can quickly assemble, deploy, refocus, and disband.
They are an effective means to democratize organizations and increase employee involvement.
And finally, research indicates that our involvement in teams positively shapes the way we think
as individuals, introducing a collaborative mind-set about even our own personal decision
making.
3.8.1Types of Teams
The following are identified as work teams:
i) Problem-solving Teams: these refer to certain individuals or experts who come together to
solve certain problems. The primary goals of these teams are improving quality, efficiency and
the work environment. The members share ideas or offer suggestions about how work process
and methods can be improved. Quality circles are one of the problem solving teams where the
work group members meet regularly to discuss and solve problems. The team members use tools
and techniques to examine these problems and to present to management solutions and the costs
and benefits of solving a problem.
ii) Cross-functional Teams: This refers to a type of teams where employees from about the
same hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task.
Examples of Cross functional include task force to resolve emergency cases, committee
composed of members from across departmental lines etc.
iii. Management teams – consists of managers from various areas; they coordinate work teams.
iv. Product development teams – are combinations of work teams and problem solving teams
that create new designs for products or services that will satisfy customer needs.
v) Virtual Teams: Teams that use computer technology to tie together physically dispersed
member in order to achieve a common goals. They allow people to collaborate on-line using
communication links such as wide area networks, video conferencing or e-mail. The three
primary factors that differentiate virtual teams from face to face teams are:

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i) The absence of Para verbal and nonverbal cues,
ii) Limited social context and
iii) The ability to overcome time and space constraints. In virtual teams the members will never
have an opportunity to have an access of Para language and non-verbal communication. And also
suffer social support and less direct interaction among members.
3.8.2 Creating effective team
What does effective team mean? Typically this has included objective measures of the team’s
productivity, manager’s ratings of the team’s performance, and aggregate measures of member’s
satisfaction.
The key components making up effective teams can be classified into four general categories
A) Work Design, B) Team composition. C) Contextual influence that makes team effective
D) Process Variables
A. Work Design
Effective teams need to work together and take collective responsibility to complete significant
tasks. The work design category includes variables such as freedom and autonomy, the
opportunity to utilize different skills and talents, the ability to complete a whole and identifiable
task or product, and working on a task or project that has substantial impact on others. The
evidence includes that these characteristics enhance member’s motivation and increase team
effectiveness. These work design characteristics motivate because they increase members’ sense
of responsibility and ownership over the work and because they make the work more interesting
to perform.
B. Composition
This category includes variables that relate to how teams should be staffed. In this section, we all
address the ability and personality of team member, allocating roles and diversity, size of the
team, member flexibility, and members’ performance for teamwork.
Abilities of Members –To perform effectively, a team requires three different types of skills.
First, it needs people with technical expertise. Second it needs people with the problem-solving
and decision – making skills to be able to identify problems, generate alternatives, evaluate those
alternatives and make competent choices. Finally, Teams need people with good listening,
feedback, conflict resolution and other interpersonal skills. No team can achieve its performance
potential without developing all three types of skills.

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Personality – As we discussed in the previous topics, personality has a significant influence on
individual employee behavior. This can also be extended to team behavior. Many of the
dimensions in the personality model have been shown to be relevant to team effectiveness.
Specifically, teams that are rated more highly in mean levels of extraversion, agreeableness,
conscientiousness, and emotional stability tend to receive higher managerial ratings for team
performance.
Allocating Roles and Diversity–Teams have different needs, and people should be selected for
a team to ensure that there is diversity and that all various roles are filled. On many teams,
individuals will play multiple roles. Managers need to understand the individual strengths that
each person can bring to a team, select members with their strengths in mind, and allocate work
assignments that fit with members’’ preferred styles. By matching individual preferences with
team role demands, managers increase the likelihood that the team members will work well
together.
Size of teams- The most effective teams are neither very small (under four or five members) nor
very large (over twelve). Very small teams are likely to lack diversity of views. When ream
members are large, members have trouble interacting constructively and agreeing, and large
numbers of people usually can’t develop the cohesiveness, commitment, and mutual
accountability necessary to achieve high performance.
Member Flexibility- Teams made up of flexible individuals have members who can complete
each other’s tasks. This is an important to the team because it greatly improves its adaptability
and makes it less reliant on any single member. Selecting members who value flexibility and
then cross- training them to be able to do each other’s jobs should lead to higher team
performance over time.
Member Preference – Not every employee is a team player. Given the option, many employees
will select themselves out of team participation. When people who would prefer to work alone
are required to team up, there is a direct threat to the team’s moral. This suggests that when
selecting team members, individual preference should be considered as well as abilities,
personalities and skills. High -performing teams are likely to be composed of people who prefer
working as part of a group.
C. Context

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The three contextual factors that appear to be most significantly related to team performance are
the presence of adequate resources, effective leadership, and a performance evaluation and
reward system that reflects team contributions.
Adequate Resources – All work teams rely on resources outside the group to sustain it. Scarcity
of resources directly reduces the ability of the team to perform its job effectively. As research
indicates, one of the most important characteristics of an effective work group is the support the
group receives from the organization. This includes support such as timely information,
technology, adequate staffing, encouragement, and administrative assistance. Teams must
receive the necessary support from management and the largest organization if they are going to
succeed in achieving their goals.
Leadership and Structure–Team members must agree on who is to do what and ensure that all
members contribute equally in sharing the workload. Additionally, the team needs to determine
how schedules will be set, what skills need to be develop, how the group will resolve conflicts of
work and how the group will make and modify decisions. Agreeing on the specifics of work and
how they fit together to integrate individual skills requires team leadership and structure. This
can be provided directly by management or by the team members themselves as they fulfill
prompter, organizer, producer, maintainer, and linker roles.
Performance Evaluation and Reward System–How do we get team members to be both
individually and jointly accountable? The traditional, individually oriented evaluation and
rewired system must be modified to reflect team performance.
Individual performance evaluation, fixed hourly wages, individual incentives, and the like are
not consistence with the development of high-performance teams. So in addition to evaluating
and rewarding employees for their individual contributions, management should consider group-
based appraisal, profit sharing, gainsharing, small-group incentives, and other system
modifications that will reinforce team effort and commitment.
D. Process
Process variables include member commitment to a common purpose, establishment of specific
team goals, team efficacy, a managed level of conflict, and the reduction of social loafing.
A common purpose – Effective teams have a common and meaningful purpose that provides
direction, momentum, and commitment for members.This purpose is a vision. It is broader than
specific goals, members of successful teams put a tremendous amount of time and effort in order

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to discussing, shaping, and agreeing up on a purpose that belongs to them both collectively and
individually. This common purpose, when accepted by the team, provides direction and guidance
under any and all conditions.
Specific goals – Successful teams translate their common purpose into specific, measurable and
realistic performance goals. Goals leads individuals to higher performance, goals also energize
teams. They also help teams maintain their focus on getting results.
Team Efficacy – Effective teams have confidence in themselves.They believe they can succeed.
We call this team efficacy.
Success breeds success. Teams that have been successful raise their beliefs about future success.
This, in turn, motivate them to work hard.
What can management do to increase team efficacy? Two possible options are helping the team
to achieve small successes and providing skill training. Small successes build team confidence.
As the team develops an increasingly stronger performance record, it also increases the collective
belief that future efforts will lead to success. In addition, managers should consider providing
training to improve members’ technical and interpersonal skills. The greater the abilities of the
team members, the greater the likelihood that the team will develop confidence and the
capability to deliver on that confidence.
Conflict levels – Conflict on team is not necessarily bad. It is believed that teams that are
completely void of conflict are likely to become apathetic and stagnant. So conflict can actually
improve team effectiveness. But not all types of conflict. Relationship conflicts – those based on
interpersonal incompatibilities, tension, and animosity, toward others – are almost always
dysfunctional. Task conflicts stimulate discussion, promote critical assessment of problems, and
options and can lead to better team decisions. So effective teams will be characterized by an
appropriate level of conflict.
Social Loafing – We learned in the previous chapter that individuals can hide inside a group.
They can engage in social loafing and coast on the group’s effort because their individual
contributions can’t be identified. Effective teams undermine this tendency by holding themselves
accountable at both the individual and team level.
Successful teams make members individually and jointly accountable for the team’s purpose,
goals, and approach. They are clear on what they are individually responsible for and what they
are jointly responsible for.

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3.8.4 Turning Individuals into Team Players
Many people are not inherently team players. They are people who want to be recognized for
their individual achievements. The ability to be a good team player was a basic hiring
qualification that all new employees had to meet.
The following summarizes the primary options managers have for trying to turn individuals into
team players.
Selecting: Hiring Team Player- Some people already possess the interpersonal skills to be
effective team players. Therefore, managers, when hiring team members, can make certain that
candidates can fulfill their team roles as well as technical requirements. Creating teams often
means resisting the urge to hire the best talent no matter what.
Teams made of members who like to work through difficult mental puzzles also seem more
effective and able to capitalize on the multiple points of view that arise from diversity in age and
education.
Many job candidates don’t have team skills. This is especially true for those socialized around
individual contributions. Such candidates can undergo training to make them into team players.
Training: Training specialists conduct exercises that allow employees to experience the
satisfaction teamwork can provide. Workshops help employees improve their problem-solving,
communication, negotiation, conflict-management, and coaching skills.
Rewarding: Providing Incentives to Be a Good Team Player- A traditional organization’s
reward system must be reworked to encourage cooperative efforts rather than competitive ones.
Promotions, pay raises, and other forms of recognition should be given to individuals who work
effectively as team members by training new colleagues, sharing information, helping resolve
team conflicts, and mastering needed new skills. This doesn’t mean individual contributions
should be ignored; rather, they should be balanced with selfless contributions to the team.
Finally, don’t forget the intrinsic rewards, such as camaraderie, that employees can receive from
teamwork. It’s exciting to be part of a successful team. The opportunity for personal
development of self and teammates can be a very satisfying and rewarding experience
3.8.5 Role of Emotional Intelligence in Team Work
Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a crucial role in teamwork by enabling individuals to
understand and manage their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others, leading to better
communication, conflict resolution, collaboration, and a more positive and productive team

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environment: essentially , it fosters strong relationships within a tea, allowing for better
cooperation and achieving shared goals.
Key elements of emotional intelligence in teamwork
 Building trust- individuals with high EI can build trust by demonstrating empathy,
actively learning, and being open and honest, which is essential for effective
collaboration.
 Effective communication – Emotionally intelligent individuals can identify potential
conflict early and navigate challenging situations with composure, facilitating
constructive solutions.
 Positive team dynamics – By recognizing and appreciating the contribution of others,
team members with high EI can foster a positive team culture and boost morale.
 Adaptability to change – EI allows teams to better manage stress and adapt to changing
circumstances by maintaining emotional balance and flexibility.
Components of emotional intelligence relevant to team work
 Self-awareness; Understanding one’s own emotion and how they impact others.
 Self – regulation: Managing one’s emotion effectively, especially in challenging
situations.
 Social awareness: Recognizing and understanding the emotions of others.
 Relationship management: Building and maintaining positive relationships with team
members
Benefits of high emotional intelligence in teams
 Increased productivity: Better communication and collaboration lead to improved
efficiency and outcomes.
 Enhance creativity and innovation; A supportive environment where people feel
comfortable sharing ideas.
 Higher team satisfaction: Positive team dynamics contribute to greater job satisfaction
and management.
 Reduced team conflict: Proactive conflict resolution strategies can minimize work place
tension.
3.9Groups vs Team differences and Similarities
A simple comparison between work groups and work teams are stated as follow:

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Group: A group that interacts primarily to share information to make decision to help each
group member perform within his or her area of responsibility. Work groups have no need or
opportunity to engage in collective work that requires joint effort.

Team: A group whose individual effort results in a performance that is greater than the sum of
the individual inputs. A team gets a greater degree of individual commitment towards the
common shared goal. The efforts of the team members result in more synergy and may achieve a
better total performance.

Work groups Work teams

Goal --------------- Share information ---------------- Collective performance
Synergy ------------b Neutral (sometimes negative)--- Positive
Accountability ------ Individual ------------------------- Individual and mutual
Skills ------------ Random and varied -------------- Complementary

Unit summary

A group is a collection of individuals who interact to achieve shared goals, defined by collective
identity, roles, and interdependence. Groups can be formal (e.g., committees or task forces) or
informal (e.g., friendship or interest groups), with people joining for reasons like security,
status, and fulfilling social needs. Groups evolve through stages: forming (where relationships
and uncertainty emerge), storming (marked by conflicts over roles and leadership), norming
(characterized by cohesion and clarity), performing (when collaboration and task execution
peak), and adjourning (disbandment after goals are achieved). Groups play a vital role in
fulfilling social needs, enhancing decision-making, fostering innovation, and developing
individual skills. The dynamics of a group include its size, which affects satisfaction and the risk
of social loafing, shared norms that ensure behavior alignment, and cohesiveness, which
strengthens group unity and productivity when aligned with organizational goals.

In contrast to groups, teams emphasize collective outcomes and positive synergy. Teams require
complementary skills and a shared purpose. They focus on mutual accountability, often with
problem-solving or cross-functional roles. Effective team-building relies on factors such as work
design (autonomy, task significance, skill variety), composition (balancing technical, problem-

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solving, and interpersonal skills), context (adequate resources, leadership, and team-based
rewards), and processes (clear goals, managed conflict, and reduced social loafing). Emotional
Intelligence (EI) plays a crucial role in team dynamics by improving trust, communication,
conflict resolution, and adaptability, fostering better teamwork and collaboration.

Discussion Questions
1) Why it is useful for a manager to understand group behavior? Why it is useful for an
employee?

2) List two norms each for two of the groups to which you belong. How are these norms
enforced?

3) Why is it important to make a distinction between “group” and team?’ what kinds of
behaviors might be different in these assemblages?

4) List and describe different types of groups.

5) What motivate individuals to join a group?

6) How status and norms are related? Give example.

7) What is group think? Does it have any effect? Describe.

8) Distinguish between groups and teams. Support your answer with practical examples.

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