The management of teams and groups is an ability of an organization or an individual to coordinate and administer people to perform tasks. Managing members working for a common goal includes communication, teamwork, performance appraisals, and setting objectives. Proper running of groups involves identifying problems and resolving them within the team. There are several leadership styles used in team management, although not all of them are effective. The success of teams and groups depends on the type of leader at the top and the leadership styles employed.
Teams, Groups, And Their Leadership
Nowadays, organizations adopt team and group concepts to accomplish various client projects. When two or more people come together either by social needs or through an organization, it is called a group. A team refers to a collection of individuals who are together with the sole aim of achieving a common objective (Flint & Hearn, 2015). Teams do most of the work in organizations because of their effectiveness. A team can have several groups in which the individuals help the group leaders accomplish their specific goals (Yasir & Kamal, 2018). Both teams and groups must have leaders who will coordinate the way they perform their tasks.
Group ethical decision-making is essential in teams in an organization. It is a procedure in which different people collaborate by analyzing situations and problems and evaluating the best action to take. The process involved in arriving at a solution might be structured or unstructured. However, what is essential is the kind of leadership during the process of making challenging decisions. Therefore, team management skills are required for leading, controlling, planning, and managing tasks. Good leaders need to demonstrate all the attributes mentioned above (Yasir & Kamal, 2018). For team projects to be completed successfully, no single member should be left behind when a decision is taken.
An ideal situation for teams is that where members make unanimous team decisions after having intensive discussions about an issue. When the verdict of an issue is purely the team’s pronouncement, it is easier for everyone to join the rest so that they can implement the conclusions collectively. A lot of wisdom needs to be demonstrated by the leader because if there is any disagreement, they will be forced to make the final decision. Not all leadership styles can fit in every situation (Yasir & Kamal, 2018). Therefore, leaders in teams and groups need to use the right leadership styles appropriate to the circumstances. All leaders need to have several alternative ideas in their leadership styles so that if one idea fails, they can use another. The participative leadership style is one of the most effective styles used in teams and groups. According to this method, members perform their roles in a team or group with some autonomy level. The leader who uses this method recognizes the value the other members can bring to the team and therefore utilizes their abilities to benefit the entire group (Elearn, 2016). The members take a more active role idecision-makingng, although the leader still retains the final say over the decisions made. Another essential leadership style is transformational, where leaders motivate, encourage, and inspire their members to be creative and innovative. They train their subordinates to take responsibility and authority in their tasks. The style is designed to give the team room to find solutions to the problems existing in their teams and groups. Of importance in these two leadership styles is that the leaders do not coerce or compel the members to do what is right. (Elearn, 2016). They make subordinates followers because the leaders lead through influence.
The effectiveness of either a team or a group depends on its design, leadership, and purpose. Several studies have shown that leaders and leadership styles are essential if a team has to achieve its objectives. The team structure is a primary determinant of the relationship between team members, responsibilities, tasks, and authority. Elearn (2016) explains that interdependence within a team and its autonomy is important for its success (Flint & Hearn, 2015). Other important aspects of a team are self-leadership and initiative. There is rich literature in social psychology that shows that if a leader uses a style that empowers its members to be creative and imaginative, the prospect of completing successfully the tasks allocated is high (Elearn, 2016). Motivated teams have a smooth workflow for their tasks or projects. The literature on leadership shows that participative and transactional leaders empower and inspire their subordinates, which gives the employees some level of freedom. The role of leaders amongst members is essential in gaining the team members’ trust and stimulating their commitments towards accomplishing the allocated projects, as cited by Yasir Hayat & Kamal (2018). The leaders need to have an idealized influence, which means that they have to be charismatic because charismatic leaders influence their followers through encouragement, example, and inspiration (Elearn, 2016). Captivating leaders are natural influencers because they easily sway the views of the followers. Leaders and leadership styles are essential in teams and groups because they influence how tasks will be completed. Suitable leadership styles motivate the members working as a group, which leads to increased productivity. The team members are supposed to be given freedom s so that they can generate their ideas in solving problems within themselves. The freedom their leaders give them leads to innovative concepts that enhance creativity and imagination.
Elearn. (2016). Leading teams. Routledge.
Flint, M., & Hearn, E. V. (2015). Leading teams: 10 challenges, 10 solutions (1st ed.). FT Publishing International.
Yasir, H. M. & Kamal, S. (2018). Servant leadership styles and strategic decision making (1st ed.). IGI Global.