Differences Between Groups and Teams

A group doesn’t necessarily constitute a team because a team requires a

coordinated effort. A team is a more specialized in that it includes common
resources and collective effort. Characteristics of a group are interdependence,
interaction, synergy, common goals, shared norms, and cohesiveness. A group
can be informal, such as 3-12 people that are in a meeting to discuss a business
problem. Teams are structured more formally and are sometimes assigned.
Teams have a purpose, specific goals, and assigned duties. Teams need to have
different members with special roles in order to help achieve a common goal.

On the other hand, groups are often comprised of people with similar abilities and
goals and may not have participating members with different skill sets. Groups
come together more casually and will typically have less structured meetings
than teams. A successful business needs both groups and teams in order to
function effectively.