What is a Group?
A group is a collection of persons who have been brought together for a common purpose. Groups are formed by members who know each other, but they can also be formed by strangers in the case of informal groups. Groups can be formal or informal where people just find themselves together, forced by circumstances.
Sometimes some groups are called communities or societies. These are formed to create a sense of belonging and socializing for the members. The group may be based around a profession, hobby or interest like gardening or music.
In the case of informal groups, people get together by default. Examples are people traveling together to a certain destination though they had no prior arrangements or people who meet up with friends to go for a drink or do something. Informal groups are loose and less structured than formal groups such as companies, committees, clubs, etc.
People can come together and form them, or find themselves in groups that were formed by someone else. A teacher can decide to group some students together to work on a certain assignment.
What is a Team?
Teams are collections of people who work together to complete a shared goal. A team is deliberately formed to accomplish specific goals that members have in mind. The word team has been used in the world of sports since at least 1892 and the phrase “the team” is used to refer to the members of a particular sport’s side.
At the workplace, teams are formed because there is a need for more than just one person to accomplish a task. This is done sometimes to have accountability in sensitive departments, for example, or in order to pool together the various giftings available.
There is an intangible benefit in teamwork that cannot be replicated by any single person, no matter their talent level.
Problems arise in teams when there is a team member who does not want to contribute. This can be frustrating for managers, but it can also be frustrating for the individual who has felt like they’re not doing anything. Teams should identify these members and figure out to help them feel like equal contributors.
Teams are a component of most workplaces. There are two types of teams, voluntary and non-voluntary. Non-voluntary teams for instance happen when new employees are assigned to teams by their supervisors or managers.
Difference Between Group and Team
A group is a set of individuals who are not officially organized. They may be united by circumstances, ideals, or common interests. Groups provide social support and may help establish norms and values. A group is based on the type of activity they are involved in and can be classified as a social, work, or interest group.
A team is a group of persons that work together to accomplish common goals. A team can be made up of five, ideally, to seven or more people, but they all have the same goals in mind.
Comparison Between Group and Team
| Parameter of Comparison | Group | Team |
| Dependency | Each member acts independently. | Members depend on each other in order to accomplish their goals. |
| Accountability | No one takes responsibility | Each person on the team takes responsibility. |
| Mode of operation | They have a defined activity or problem they want to tackle, and each member works independently. | They work together to accomplish their tasks. |
| Aim | To achieve personal goals. | Members aim to complete team goals. |
| Leadership | There is normally one leader. | They can have one or more leaders, or take leadership in turns. |