A group within the workplace often incorporates three or more individuals who identify themselves as a discrete department or unit but work independently to attain the company’s set goals (Bell, 2016). Individuals within a group often coordinate their efforts towards the attainment of a goal. For instance, a small organization may have a consumer services grouping, but one individual may focus on local consumers, the other may focus entirely on regional consumers, and the third person's duty may be to assist the first and the second individuals in their respective task performances. A team, on the other hand, comprises three or more individuals who may be from different departments within the organization but collaborate and work together through time to attain a common purpose or goal (Felix, 2017). Team members are mutually dedicated towards each other and to the established goals; this mutual commitment subsequently generates joint accountability which in turn, fosters the development of a strong bond and an undying motivation to perform. For example, before the creation of a new product by an organization, the company may organize a team of employees from different departments such as marketing, legal, finance, and engineering departments to evaluate various aspects associated with the product to evade unexpected outcomes. An effectively defined strategic plan which delineates the objectives, goals, values, and purpose of the team usually becomes the framework that binds the workplace group together and aids in the transformation of the group into an effective team. A team's power transpires from the sense of community which develops and reinforces a significant impact on the behaviors and attitudes of the participants.
Groupthink relates to a form of thinking executed by an organization’s employees in instances where they are deeply engaged in a cohesive-in group; this is common in cases where members' strive for solidarity undermine their motivation or capacity to evaluate different courses of action practically. Groupthink is a rationalization approach that is often initiated in instances where team members or group members share common thoughts or perceptions towards a particular aspect (Bell, 2016). Groupthink may be enhanced by the culture of a particular organization, by leaders who don’t condone dissent, or by leaders who often provide their employees with an extensive level of praise and encouragement which consequently prompts every employee to undermine the severity of potential problems. Teamthink incorporates aspects such as team assumptions and beliefs, team mental imagery, and the patterns of the team thought in the culture of a particular organization. Teamthink encourages openness in idea expression, different viewpoints, the identification of threats and limitations, the aspect of valuing a member’s unique view, and the discussion of uncertainties which subsequently fosters effective decision-making processes and team performance (Felix, 2017).
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According to Felix (2017), there are various drawbacks associated with teamthink within the organization; these drawbacks include the capacity of teamthink to foster inherent conflicts within the organization, its capacity to limit creativity, and the possibility of unequal participation by various team members. Groupthink is associated with various drawbacks in the organization's decision-making procedures including the incomplete evaluation of alternatives and objectives, its incapacity to foster the assessment of the probable risks associated with a preferred alternative, its incapacity to enhance the reappraisal of the previously rejected alternatives, and its selective prejudice during the processing of data. Groupthink is also ineffective in the assessment of contingency plans and the survey of information. Group thinking suppresses the thoughts of an individual which subsequently hinders innovation, and it fosters unethical behaviors within the organization. The advantages of groupthink include its capacity to foster a significant level of harmony through cultivating and seeking common ground, it enhances the performance of a new organization through emphasizing and coordinating the efforts of the group towards a common goal, and it enhances the successful execution of the established decisions.
The process of evolving a workplace group into a team is dependent upon five major stages; they include the forming phase, adjourning phase, performing phase, norming phase, and the storming phase. The forming phase is the initial stage, and it is typified with an increased level of politeness among group members. During this stage, members begin to familiarize themselves with each other, exchange personal details, and evaluate each other. Group members are usually uncertain and anxious about their roles and their prospective leaders. The forming stage’s duration is usually uncertain and is dependent upon factors such as management accountability, group composition, and the tasks assigned to every group. The qualities of a leader is also a significant factor which may either shorten or lengthen the forming phase’s duration (Felix, 2017).
The second step is the storming phase which incorporates the evaluation of the leader’s knowledge, management techniques, and his control approaches by the group members. The storming phase is often perceived as a phase of an increased level conflict, whereby every member attempts to occupy a unique position and to participant significantly in the process of developing the group’s normative system. The duration of the storming phase is dependent upon the capacity of the leader to direct the prevailing conflicts to constructive purposes and the communication style adopted by the group (Felix, 2017). The subsequent stage is the norming phase whose most significant outcome is group cohesion which often develops consistently with the group's normative system. Cohesion relates to coordinated efforts that aim to keep the group together, and the normative system of the group is considered critical for its unity.
The fourth stage is the performing phase which is typified by the development of functional roles. Felix (2017) points out that group members often interact and support one another to attain a common goal. Conflicts are usually resolved constructively. The performance of the group is usually optimal, and the grouping is often fully adapted to the company’s organizational structure. A leader’s role in the provision of feedback is crucial during this stage. The last step is the adjourning phase. Here, the group often terminates its existence after the fulfillment of the group’s purpose. A company’s organizational culture is perceived as an important aspect of the entire process. The organizational culture of a company will aid in fostering effective communication and risk management strategies, enhancing the integration of employees into the desired teams, the establishment of control through the development of rules and regulations, promoting the capacity of the manager to resolve the prevailing conflicts within the organization, promoting managerial support, and in the implementation of an effective leadership style
Various leadership styles are considered important in the successful management of multicultural teams and groups. These leadership styles include participative leadership, transformational leadership, supportive leadership, and achievement-oriented leadership (Bell, 2016). According to Bell, transformational leadership is a leadership style where a leader works hand in hand with his subordinates to recognize the desired change, develop a vision that guides the anticipated change through motivation, and implement the desired change with the committed group members. Transformational leadership fosters job performance, morale, and motivation. Supportive leadership aims to decrease the frustrations and stress of employees within the workplace. Participative leadership is a leadership style that encourages employee input on all company decisions. Achievement-oriented leadership involves the setting of challenging goals, the expectation of high performance from employees, and the management’s confidence regarding the capacity of employees to achieve the established goals (2016).
Ethical leadership is perceived as a significant issue for both practitioners and academicians as it is crucial in influencing the employees’ performance and behavior within the company. Empirical evidence reveals that ethical leadership significantly impacts the performance and behavior of an organization’s employees in various ways such as fostering employee commitment and enhancing trust amid the company’s employees. Ethical leadership relates to the manifestation of normatively appropriate behavior through various interpersonal relationships and personal actions, and the reinforcement of these conducts to one’s followers through fostering a two-way communication strategy and through various decision-making strategies (Felix, 2017). An ethical leader lives up to the established principles of conduct within the organization, and he adheres to the universal standards of moral conduct. Ethical leaders often employ various ethical principles in their decision-making strategies. They identify the moral standards that create a fine line between an employee’s intolerant and acceptable behaviors. These leaders serve as effective role models within the company by establishing a moral atmosphere typified by a collective perception of the acceptable and the intolerant behaviors within the workplace and by common presuppositions on how the company often responds to moral issues. Ethical leaders are obliged to establish and communicate the company’s ethical policies and codes to the organization’s employees.
References
Bell, R. M. (2016). First Century Groupthink: An Exegetical Case Study. Journal of Biblical Integration in Business , 19(1), 26-36. https://cbfajbib.org/index.php/jbib/article/download/432/438
Felix, C. (2017). Teamthink Works: Teamthink rewards individual contributions by positively examining every idea that is presented . Retrieved from https://www.productionmachining.com/columns/teamthink-works
