How Are Groups and Teams Different?

One distinguishing characteristic between groups and teams is how products are produced. A group typically produces products that are the sum of individual member contributions. A team develops products that are a result of the team's collective effort. Another difference is in terms of accountability. Group members are individually accountable for their efforts; team members are both individually and collectively accountable for the timeliness and quality of the team's products.

Groups and teams differ in leadership. Typically, a working group, committee, or other form of group has a strong leader who directs activities, assigns tasks, establishes schedules, and performs in a traditional management role. By contrast, teams may have:

• Shared leadership among individual members, or may
• Rotate leadership among members.

In a group, members usually have assigned roles and tasks that last for the duration of the effort. In teams, roles and tasks may change, depending upon the expertise and experience most pertinent to the work being performed. Also, teams often rotate among team members the less desired tasks, such as record-keeping or minutes, so that no one member is permanently assigned to a less challenging or less interesting activity.