Difference Between Group and Team

Group vs Team

Group and Team may seem to sound similar but the term group and team are very different from each other. Though they may often be used interchangeably but it is important that we can distinguish one from the other so as to accurately provide the proper definition.

Group

A group is usually composed of 2-4 members that work interdependently with each other to a significant degree. They are committed to work together and willing to be handled by a leader. Though they are interdependent with each other but still they have individual responsibility that they have to perform, and that specific accountability, when done well, can help the group accomplish their goals.

Team

A team is considered to work interdependently and is committed to achieve one common goal. They share the responsibilities and deliver results until they reached the conceived output of their efforts. They are usually composed of 7-12 members and are helping each other to develop new skills to which it can help improve their performance. They don’t usually rely on a leader for supervision.

Difference between Group and Team

So which is better a team or a group? They basically are the same. Although a group is easier to manage and they are great for short term output, since they would divide the work amongst their skills, they can easily get the job done. A team on the other hand works best for long term projects, since they work together as a whole equally distributing the tasks at hand regardless if they have the proper skills or not. This paves the way for the each member of the team to have ample time to develop abilities that can further enhance their performance as a whole. Due to the span of time that the members spend with each other, it’s a good ground as well for camaraderie within the team.

It all boils down to the need for skills and performance. It may also be dependent on the complexity of a certain project, as to which would be more appropriate to form to have the end result delivered.