When does a ‘group’ become a ‘team’?

Posted on 06. Jul, 2010 by susan in engagement, Motivaton, People Management, Performance Management, Teams

This question came to mind last weekend, when I had the good fortune to attend ‘Wintersong 2010′ an annual choral workshop held in the Blue Mountains. The weekend revolved around learning and performing diverse works arranged for choir - with 90 other singers from all over the country.

Composer and musician, Paul Jarman led us in an amazing workshop. In around an hour, we composed and performed a choral work in 7 parts. My first response when this was suggested was ‘this will never work’. To my amazement, it worked brilliantly!

I think we were working as a team at that point. (And arguably for the rest of the weekend, in producing some incredible sounds.)

For this project we were a team and not just a group because we had:

1. A leader who was very skilled and experienced;

2. An intention to create something of quality;

3. Goodwill and a desire to cooperate;

4. Diverse ideas and abilities; and

5. A specific goal, with a defined timeframe.

What do you think?

Do these things make a team? Or am I getting carried away with the analogy?

Please post your comments below.

Have you booked in for our webinar ‘How to Make Your Good Team Great’ on 7 July at 12 noon AEST? Click to register.

Tags: coaching, retention, team, values

7 Responses to “When does a ‘group’ become a ‘team’?”

Hugh Todd

09. Jul, 2010

I would add that you all had the intense experience of actually performing together. The things you mention are pre-performance, so make it a potential team – the actual performance pulls it together, and is where people really feel the power of being part of a team. Love it when that happens!

Great blog Susan …

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- admin
  
  10. Jul, 2010
  
  Thanks, Hugh, for stopping by! Of course, what we miss (as it was a one-off workshop) is the joy of building on our successes to create even greater performance in the future…
  
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Don Swanborough

07. Jul, 2010

Susan, I think a good team is one in which each member respects the other for the individual strengths, gifts and talents they bring to the team. They realise to get a good outcome it is a blend of unique strengths complementing others weaknesses. In other words we can’t be good at everything but we can try to find people who are good where we are weak.

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- admin
  
  07. Jul, 2010
  
  Thank you, Don, for taking the time to comment. What you say is very true!
  
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Bev Barnfather

07. Jul, 2010

Susan, you are absolutely spot on! A great team also comprises members who are happy to leave their personal agendas and egos “at the door”

Reply to this comment
- admin
  
  07. Jul, 2010
  
  Thanks, Bev, for a very good point! That certainly applied on the weekend: There were some amazing voices in the room, but it was all about doing something great together. No divas!
  
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