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Difference Between Groups and Teams

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Groups and teams are two different things that most people usually do not take the time to differentiate. They are, however, two very different things. According to the University of Phoenix’s Learning Team Toolkit (as cited in Stewart, G., Manz, C., & Sims, H., 1999) groups are “two or more people who interact in some way” and teams are “groups with shared commitments and goals.” The Learning Team Toolkit (as cited in Stewart, G., Manz, C., & Sims, H. 1999) goes on to say that these two definitions suggest that teams are more than groups. Teams are groups that have a purpose or that come together to accomplish some goal or purpose.
Groups may come together for any number of reasons. Groups can be local citizens who come together once a week to play bingo, spectators at a sporting event who have nothing in common save the fact that they all want to watch the same game, or even a large group from the same town who are at the grocery store at the same time. All three of the above examples are groups. They do not have a lot in common, although they could have many similarities, and are still part of the group. Groups could be grouped together for virtually any reason, such as hair color, geographic location, or social class. While it is possible for individuals in groups to happen to share some common goals or purposes, it is not the reason they are grouped together, nor is it the case all of the time for all groups. Teams are groups of people who are brought together for a specific reason or purpose. Teams could be anything from sports teams, to sales teams. Teams are made up of individuals seeking the same goals, or that have the same purpose. Sports teams are made up of individual athletes who work together to win games, sales teams are made up of individual professionals who work together to sell products and services.

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