Mgt 307 University of Phoenix - the Advantage of Div

Groups and Teams Paper

Laurie Putnam

MGT 307

Shad Slaughter

August 3, 2010

In today’s environment and because of globalization it is necessary for organizations to incorporate and embrace diversity among its employees. Diverse cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs will offer creativity and change within a company that can lead to new opportunity and growth within the organization.

Groups and teams made up of a diverse body of talent can bring fresh ideas, perspectives, and views to their workplace. A manager’s challenge is recognizing the talents from which these employees bring and placing them in the group or team that will bring the highest return on the company’s employee investment.

In this paper I will examine the difference between a group and a team within a workplace environment. Also, we will examine the importance of diversity in an organization and its relationship to team dynamics.

Groups are made up of two or more people working together over a designated period to achieve a common goal or objective. If a group can reach a “high level of task performance, member satisfaction, and team viability” that group is considered to be an effective group (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn p.171). Effective groups offer an organization the opportunity to complete important tasks and objectives. In turn this creates synergy. Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborn define synergy as “the creation of a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts” p. 171. Effective groups create synergy when the accomplishment of the group is greater than the total of the members’ individual talents.

Group development typically evolves through five states:

• Forming – During these period members of the group feel a great deal of uncertainty regarding the who what and why. Once some of these questions are answered, members begin to think of themselves as part of the group.

• Storming – in this stage members are uncertain about the constraints the...