Group and Teams Paper - Essay Example

In this regard, the essay aims to proffer an explanation of the differences between a group and a team. Likewise, the importance of workplace diversity in an organization would be included and how it relates to team dynamics in the workplace and how it relates to team dynamics in the workplace. Differences Between Groups and Teams To distinguish between groups and teams, respective definitions are hereby noted. According to Martires and Fule (2004), a group is “a collection of people interacting with each other for fairly some time utilizing certain resources and methodologies to achieve common goals or interests” (p. 93). On the other hand, Clark (1997) defined a team as “a group of people coming together to collaborate.

This collaboration is to reach a shared goal or task for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. A team is a group of people with a high degree of interdependence geared towards the achievement of a common goal or completion of a task rather than just a group for administrative convenience” (par. 3). . 1). Thereby, the role and participation of leaders and members in goals setting and decision- making differentiates one from the other. Further, the significant role that collaboration plays in a team separates it from a group.

Importance of Workplace Diversity Greenberg (2006) defines diversity in the workplace as “the variety of differences between people in an organization…Diversity encompasses race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organizational function, education, background and more” (par. 1). The importance of workplace diversity is seen from the benefits accorded to both the employees and the organization. The research of Greenberg stipulates that diversity has the capacity for “increased adaptability, broader service range, variety of viewpoints, and more effective execution,” (pars. 4 – 6) among others.

By supporting a diverse workforce, organizations foster a more balanced working environment as different ideas, perspectives, and suggestions for strategies, problem-solving, and decision-making are readily available. Relation of Diversity to Team Dynamics in the Workplace Discoveries from diverse research indicate that diversity supports teambuilding and cohesion, increasing the dynamic interrelationships among teams within the organization. A study conducted by Davis and Bryant (2008) indicates that diverse teams surpass the performance of homogeneous teams in various aspects.

The authors averred that “diverse environments also yield more effective collaboration and teamwork than homogenous teams. There are a variety of ways to solve a problem; leveraging the input of a diverse staff population helps organizations arrive at better decisions. You can’t underestimate the value of the creativity