Team Dynamics
Learn what group dynamics and team dynamics are, the difference between them, and how understanding these concepts can improve communication, collaboration, and performance in the workplace. Explore actionable tips for enhancing group dynamics and fostering professional growth.
Humans are hardwired to be part of a group. Belonging and a sense of connection are right in the middle of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, with only physiological needs and safety (food and shelter) taking priority.
In fact, belonging to a group is sometimes necessary for obtaining our most basic necessities of life. Think of housemates who might not be able to rent a place on their own but can afford to do so together or, going back in time, Stone Age hunter-gatherers who needed to be part of a group in order to hunt large game and construct shelters.
Positive group dynamics help satisfy that core human need for belonging. Poor group dynamics, on the other hand, can cause real harm. Imagine members of a hunter-gatherer clan bickering about whose turn it was to tend to the fire that kept away predators at night, with no one agreeing to keep watch. The only ones to benefit from that destructive dynamic would have been lions or wolves that came across the dark, sleeping camp.
The unresolved conflicts, poor communication, lack of cooperation, and low morale common in poor group dynamics are hallmarks of a toxic workplace. The resulting inefficiencies, missed deadlines, and high turnover of such a workplace cost U.S. employers $777.9 billion a year. On the other hand, improving collaboration alone can boost productivity by an average of 39%.
In this blog post, we explore group dynamics in the workplace, their differences from team dynamics, the importance of these dynamics, and how to foster constructive group dynamics that benefit both individual members and the organization.
What are Group Dynamics?
Group dynamics refer to the interactions and behaviors of group members, including the formation of groups, the establishment of group norms, and various communication styles. It encompasses decision-making, conflict resolution, leadership, and collaboration. Group dynamics are essential to understand in any situation where a group effectively working together can improve a desired outcome, such as in the workplace.
Several key aspects comprise group dynamics:
- Roles: the specific responsibilities taken on by each group member. They can be explicit (QA analyst, graphic artist) or implicit (peacemaker, leader).
- Norms: the expected, accepted behaviors of group members. In some workplaces, for instance, arriving up to 15 minutes after the official 9 a.m. start time might be the norm; in others, people are expected to be seated at their desks by 9 a.m.
- Communication: how members exchange and receive information, ideas, and feedback.
- Cohesion: the degree of closeness, collaboration, and belonging members feel.
Team Dynamics vs. Group Dynamics: Understanding the Difference
Group dynamics and team dynamics are often used interchangeably, but while all teams are groups, not all groups are teams.
A group is simply a collection of people who interact with one another. People in a gym are a group, even if they’re not talking to or spotting each other. The group dynamics are evident in how they use the equipment and the space: wiping down machines when they’re done, for instance, or moving out of the way when someone wants to walk past. They’re not a team, however, because they aren’t working together toward a shared objective.
A team is a type of group in which the members share a specific objective. In fact, teams are often formed for the specific purpose of achieving a goal, whether it’s fulfilling customer orders or winning the Stanley Cup. Team dynamics are often more focused and productive than general group dynamics because the members involved share common interests and objectives.
In the workplace, team dynamics are most likely to affect the accounting department, the team put together to launch a new product, and other tighter, more specialized units. Group dynamics apply to them as well, but they also affect, say, the fifth-floor staff that shares a lunchroom and the organization’s employees as a whole.
Why are Group Dynamics Important in The Workplace?
Cooperation, communication, and collaboration: All depend on group dynamics. Creating positive group dynamics for teams leads to a myriad of positive outcomes, including:
- Effective collaboration. Clear, open communication, a distinguishing factor of strong group dynamics, is essential to productive collaboration. So are other elements of positive group dynamics, such as mutual respect, trust, and support.
- Greater innovation. The open communication and trust inherent in healthy group dynamics are critical components of effective brainstorming and the sharing of creative ideas and solutions.
- Successful conflict resolution. Active listening, the understanding of norms, and a willingness to collaborate enable conflicts to be handled in a constructive way that will only strengthen a group over time.
- Improved productivity. When group members understand their roles and expectations and communicate effectively with one another, they’re better equipped to achieve their individual and group goals.
- Lower turnover. Almost half of all employees have quit a company because of a poor company culture, which includes poor communication, unresolved conflicts, abusive interactions, and other aspects of destructive group dynamics.
How do Group Dynamics Contribute to Professional Development?
It’s clear that understanding and optimizing group dynamics benefits a workplace. It also helps individuals grow professionally and personally. Members of a group gain emotional intelligence by learning to perceive others’ emotions and the best ways to respond to them. They also learn how to effectively manage and communicate their emotions.
Involvement in a group improves other communication skills too. Actively participating in brainstorming sessions, project postmortems, and presentations enables members to hone their oral and written communication skills. And by observing the words and actions that galvanize other group members and strengthen group dynamics, individuals can develop the motivational skills key to effective leadership.
In the standard 70-20-10 L&D framework — where 70% of learning comes from on-the-job experience, 20% from social learning (peers and mentorships), and 10% from coursework — it’s all the more important that the group dynamics are productive ones. Just as working out with an ill-informed physical trainer can lead to unhealthy exercise habits, being part of an ineffective, conflict-riddled group can teach individuals unhealthy communication and collaboration techniques.
Key Theories of Group Dynamics
If group dynamics psychology were intuitive, dysfunctional groups wouldn’t be so common. Fortunately, numerous behavioral scientists have devoted their attention to group dynamics theory, including both small group dynamics and large group dynamics. Understanding their theories can help you develop groups that function effectively and transform negative dynamics into positive ones.
Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development
In 1965, psychological researcher Bruce Tuckman suggested there are four stages of team development:
- Forming. Members are introduced to each other and the tasks they’re responsible for, individually and collectively.
- Storming. Members seek and gain each other’s trust and begin to collaborate. Any conflicts that arise at this time need to be resolved before the group can progress to the next stage.
- Norming. Members become more accepting of each other’s differences and cooperate more closely to achieve their goals. However, this is also the stage when members might fall prey to groupthink: To avoid conflict, they keep any dissenting opinions and suggestions to themselves, which can lead to poor decision-making and a lack of innovation.
- Performing. The group is working effectively together and individually.
In 1977, Tuckman and his collaborator Mary Ann Jensen added a fifth stage, Adjourning, in which the group disbands after achieving its goals.
Leadership needs vary at each stage. For instance, in the early stages, managers should model open communication and take a more active role. In the later stages, they can step back, as long as they continue to encourage constructive criticism.
Social Identity Theory
With this theory, social psychologists Henri Tajfel and John Turner explored how individuals derive a sense of identity from the groups they belong to. In instances of poor group dynamics, there may be in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination or bias. Leaders need to break down any barriers between “in” and “out” groups and promote overall cohesiveness for optimal performance.
Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Business management consultant Patrick Lencioni outlined five common roadblocks to team effectiveness, in order of importance:
- Lack of trust prevents open communication, willingness to collaborate, and just about every other component of positive group dynamics.
- Fear of conflict can lead to unresolved tensions or members shying away from making suggestions that could improve results.
- Lack of commitment often results in group members slacking on tasks, decision-making, or deadlines.
- Avoidance of accountability leads to finger-pointing when things go wrong, or conversely, failing to point out subpar efforts or outcomes, which, instead, allows mediocre work to be submitted.
Inattention to results typically goes hand in hand with complacency, losing sight of the goal or prioritizing personal interests over the group’s.
How to Improve Group Dynamics: Actionable Tips
Identifying and understanding the types and stages of group dynamics is ineffective if you don’t also know how to improve the effectiveness of a group. Trust and a sense of psychological safety are at the heart of positive group dynamics. The following tips help build both — and more.
Foster Open Communication
To ensure that group members feel comfortable sharing ideas and opinions, underscore the difference between constructive and destructive criticism, making clear that only the former is acceptable. Practice and encourage engaged, active listening. Not only does this minimize misunderstandings on the part of listeners, but it also shows speakers that their input is valued.
Build Rapport
In addition to being an important aspect of open communication, active listening helps create empathy and affinity among group members. So does asking open-ended questions, such as “How was your weekend?” and follow-ups, like “Was this your first time rafting?” Display positive body language, such as nodding when another person is speaking (also known as a minimal encourager) and making eye contact, and look for commonalities such as shared hobbies.
Define Clear Roles
Members need to understand exactly what their roles and responsibilities are before they can perform them. But beyond that, they should be shown how their roles contribute to the overall group’s goals. This encourages accountability while reinforcing the sense of belonging.
Encourage Diverse Perspectives
The classic fairytale “The Emperor’s New Clothes” illustrates the importance of being free to share alternative insights. Differing skill sets, backgrounds, and personality strengths lead to group dynamics where creativity and innovation flourish.
Address Conflicts Early
Diverse viewpoints and personality types can generate ideas that buck conventional wisdom and improve existing products and processes. However, they can also lead to conflict. And conflicts are less like wine and more like milk: They get worse, not better, with age.
Acknowledge conflicts sooner rather than later. Then incorporate open communication, active listening, and a focus on solutions rather than blame to resolve the problem in a way that strengthens the group’s dynamics.
Promote Team-Building Activities
Just as the healthiest plants need continued nurturing, so do even strong group dynamics. Tried-and-true exercises such as scavenger hunts and egg drops aren’t the only way to reinforce group cohesiveness. Weekly potluck lunches or monthly volunteering projects are among the myriad of ways to bolster a sense of belonging, collaboration, and camaraderie through team-building activities.
Celebrate Achievements
Recognizing and celebrating achievements can be a team-building activity, for instance, hosting a group breakfast after a project was delivered on budget and ahead of time. Alternatively, you can recognize achievements in a more individualized manner, such as commending high-performing members in an email or offering a spot bonus for a job well done. Creating a culture that acknowledges successes, large or small, encourages collaboration and pride in being part of the group.
Embracing Group Dynamics and Team Dynamics in The Workplace
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts” is true only when positive group dynamics and team dynamics are in place. Dynamics characterized by distrust, closed communication, or simmering conflicts make it impossible for group members to cohere and work together productively.
Understanding the elements that create healthy group dynamics (and their subset, team dynamics) is the first step toward ensuring members achieve their goals, individually and collectively. This understanding enables you to recognize problems hampering the group’s effectiveness and to proactively resolve them. The result: collaboration, innovation, satisfaction, and productivity.
We created Wonderlic Team Dynamics to help individuals learn about themselves and their fellow group members so they can better communicate with and support each other in the workplace. This enables them to transform goals into achievements.
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