A group is a collection of individuals who coordinate their individual efforts. On the other hand, at team is a group of people who share a common team purpose and a number of challenging goals. Members of the team are mutually committed to the goals and to each other.
“A champion team will defeat a team of champions.”
Team members share the responsibility for delivery, but group members don’t. Instead, groups focus on achieving the individual tasks and individual goals. Real teamwork implies [1]:
“A team is a group of two or more people who interdependently seek to meet a common purpose, often through problem solving, in order to meet their own and their organization’s goals. At a minimum, a team should be a cooperative unit and, at its best, a team is a collaborative unit.”
According to the TESI (Team Emotional and Social Intelligence) Model, there are seven skills that will contribute to effective team functioning:
A group with a strong team identity demonstrates belongingness and connectedness, a desire to work together, and a sense of clarity around the role of each member. Groups with strong team identity also have high degrees of loyalty.
A high level of motivation corresponds with the energy and responsibility levels of the team, and whether competition is working for or against the team. Having a motivated team requires knowing and meeting stakeholders’ desires, setting Sprint Goals, reinforcing success, and being persistent.
A team’s emotional awareness encompasses the amount of attention the team pays to noticing, understanding, and respecting the feelings of team members. Emotional awareness is a critical factor in motivation, productivity, and a team’s ability to collaborate, making it central to the success of every team.
Intuitively, we know that communication is an essential factor for a group of people working together. It provides feedback and guidance on how well each of the team members listens, encourages participation, and discusses sensitive topics.
A team with good stress tolerance knows how well it’s doing in managing the pressures of stakeholder demands, time constraints, and the real need for sustaimable pace and work-life balance.
Assessing a team’s conflict resolution means examining how a team processes disagreement and whether the team is able to deal with adversity as a way to enhance its functioning, rather than being caught up in the conflict. It’s essential for productivity and creativity.
A team with a positive mood has is built on foundations of encouragement, a sense of humor, and an expectation of success. Positive mood is a major factor in a team’s flexibility and resilience, and it’s the heart of a “can-do” attitude. It influences how energised the team’s attitude is.
According to this framework, the result of applying these skills is sustained productivity and emotional and social well-being for the team. Isn’t that what we all want?
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”