• Unit 3: Managing Groups

    Is there a difference between a group and team? Certainly! For example, groups can exist without having a specific goal in mind, or they can have a goal that fluctuates or changes to adapt to the needs of the group. A book club is a group. However, the people you discuss that month's reading with are not part of your team.

    To have a team, you must have a clear and elevating goal that supersedes all individual goals. Usually, this goal does not change or get adjusted; instead, it guides all aspects of the team's performance. This does not mean there is no place for groups within a company; many groups exist to serve other needs within the organization. You might, for example, have a committee for enhancing diversity, or a group of executives that are searching for a new CEO. In both of these examples, there is a goal (to increase diversity or find a CEO), but the way this goal is attained can change throughout the process. Perhaps your group decided halfway through the process to only consider internal hires for a promotion instead of conducting an external search.

    Whether you are working with a group or a team, there are several characteristics that successful groups and teams share, including proper group development, the establishment of guidelines and boundaries, leadership, and strong communication channels. In this unit, you will learn about these topics and more. Because so much of business success relies on teams and groups, learning how to properly manage them may be the most important takeaway from this course.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 14 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

      • compare and contrast groups and teams;
      • describe and identify group and team development;
      • explain group dynamics;
      • explain the benefits and costs of teams from the organization’s perspective;
      • discuss the skills required for working effectively in teams; and
      • identify and discuss interpersonal communication styles within groups and teams.

    • 3.1: Groups

      • Managing Groups and Teams URL

        At this point in the course, you have a firm knowledge of organizational behavior and its relation to organizational success. You have also gained an understanding of managing individuals. You will be introduced to the concepts of groups and teams and how to manage them. As you read, focus on what defines a group and a team. What are the differences? What are the similarities? Are all groups the same? What are the cross-cultural influences on groups? Finally, what are the stages of group development?

      • Group Processes in the Organization Page

        We continue with our study of groups by learning about types of groups, characteristics of groups, and cohesiveness of groups. Think about what makes a group? What type of interaction is required to make a group? What types of goals must be shared? How many members make up a group? What other factors must be present to make up a group?

      • 3.1.1: Defining Groups

        • Social Norms in Groups Page

          This video takes us further on our journey to discover the power of social norms within groups. What are norms, how are they formed, and how do they influence group behavior?

      • 3.1.2: Group Development

        • Group Influence on Individuals Page

          This video will discusses the influence that the group can have on an individual's performance, behavior, and attitudes. Why and when do we yield to group norms? What are the stages of group and team development, and how can we use what we learned about groups to create high-performance teams?

      • 3.1.3: Cohesion

        • Group Dynamics URL

          Read this chapter to develop a greater understanding of group development stages, paying particular attention to the Figure 13.4. Be ready to define and discuss the stages of group development and what occurs at each stage. Also, reflect back to our video on group cohesion. Can a group have too much cohesion? What are some of the effects of too much group cohesion?

    • 3.2: Teams

      • Managing Groups and Teams URL

        Now we are ready to learn about teams! As you read this chapter, try to compare and contrast the features of groups and teams. What are some of the barriers to team effectiveness? What are the features of high performance teams? Learn about how to design an effective team, as well as the link between diversity and team composition.

      • Can Groups Be Creative? Page

        Read this article, which discusses ways that groups can work effectively as a team. Do you agree with the author? What are your thoughts? Are managers responsible for creating an environment where teams can thrive?

      • Groups vs. Teams URL

        This presentation provides a summary of the characteristics that differentiate a group from a team. Use this presentation to highlight the key points that we've discussed regarding groups and teams.

    • 3.3: Leadership

      • Communication in the Organization Page

        Communication is key to organizational effectiveness. Watch this video and take notes on the importance of the process of communication. What are the components of the process of communication? What are the key functions of communication? What are the primary types of communication? Think about how the process of communication impacts the performance of groups and teams.

      • Communication URL

        This chapter is a great resource to highlight and reinforce the concepts we learned in the previous video. The chapter begins with the Radio Shack case, which exemplifies the wrong way to communicate bad news. Consider the message, as well as the medium that you would choose in this same situation. Also, take a look at the "communication freezers", words that essentially shut down effective communication within your workplace. Do you use these words? What might you say instead to create bridges instead of barriers?

      • 3.3.1: Basic Approaches to Leadership

        • Interpersonal Communication URL

          Review this article, which discusses interpersonal communication, including communication with friends, partners, and family. Pay attention to the concept of self-disclosure. What level of self-disclosure is appropriate in the workplace? With friends? With family? With your partner? Also discussed in this article are conflict styles and how to apply effective conflict management to your organization.

      • 3.3.2: Modern Issues in Leadership

        • An Empirical Study on the Role of Interpersonal and Institutional Trust in Organizational Innovativeness URL

          Organizational researchers are of the view that "trust" remains the basis of high performance management teams. Trust in the workplace has been shown to have a strong and robust influence on a variety of organizational phenomena, including job satisfaction, organizational citizenship behaviors, organizational commitment, turnover, job, employee and team performance, innovation, workplace, and counterproductive behaviors, organizational revenue, and profit. Read this article and see if you come to the same conclusion. 

      • 3.3.3: Managing Relationships in the Workplace

        • The Importance of Interpersonal Skills URL

          Awareness of our own and others' interpersonal skills can help us in dealing with our work tasks and make us more effective on the job. Read this article to recognize the importance of good interpersonal skills, as well as how positive communication can enhance our work relationships including those within groups and teams.

    • Unit 3 Assessment

      • Unit 3 Assessment Quiz

        Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.

        • This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
        • You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
        • You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.