From the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:

What's the difference between a group and a team?

Response:

It may seem nitpicking, but, this difference is extremely important to every manager. Wilfred Bion defines a group (other than a group of people standing around) as a collection of people who have, as a common bond, a sense of shared fate. What happens to one, happens to all.

A team may be a group (or not) whose common bond is goal directed behavior. It is this singular focus on achieving a goal that distinguishes a team from a group.

Individual team members may not be subject to shared fate, indeed, what happens may significantly impact the life of one team member, with smaller effects on other team members. They remain a team, not from shared fate, but on their pursuit of a goal. -TF

"Okay, my goal. Our sales targets are my goal. But you assume they are doing their best. What if they aren't doing their best?" Brent protested. "Then, shouldn't I be disappointed?"

"Brent, your contract with each team member is that they come to work each day, and do their best. Full application of their capability, completing the tasks they have been assigned by you. Can you tell if someone is violating that contract?" I asked.

"Of course, I have been a manager here for seven years. I can tell immediately if someone is not doing their best," Brent replied.

"And what reasons would there be for someone to not do their best?"

"Well, it could be a number of things. They might not feel well, they might be sick. They could be fighting with their spouse. They could have a disagreement with a team member. They could be having difficulty because they don't know how to do something. They might not be doing their best because they are not interested in the work."

"Yes, and as their Manager, should you be aware of each and every one of those things? Frankly, most of those are easy things to know, but what about that last reason?"

"You mean, they might not be doing their best because they are not interested in the work?"

"Our goal, their goal? What's the difference?" Brent retorted.

"The difference is your relationship with the team, their relationship with you and your understanding of who is accountable," I replied. "When they don't meet your goal and you come down on them, how do you think they feel? What is their attitude toward you?"

"They know I am disappointed in them."

"No, they get pissed at you."

"Pissed at me?" Brent sat back. "I am not the one who is supposed to be selling, they are."

"You are right. As the leader, I expect you to devote full attention to the management of this sales force. Which is why they are pissed at you."

"I still don't get it. Why are they upset with me?"

"Assuming they are doing their best, and you are still falling short of your goal, who is the only one who can hire more salespeople? Who is the only one who can schedule overtime? Who is the only one who change the assignment of leads? Who is the only one who can change their collateral literature? Who is the only one who can set selling margins?"

Brent was silent, then finally spoke, "That would be me."

"I know how it is affecting you," I said. "How is it affecting the team?"

"Well, when they don't meet the goal," Brent explained, "I sit down with them, mostly one at a time and talk to them about doubling down their effort. They are just going to have to work harder. They can tell I am disappointed in them, so I am sure it makes them feel bad."

"Why are you disappointed in them? Are they doing their best?" I asked.

"Yes," Brent slowly nodded. "They are doing their best, but they are missing the goal."

"Whose goal?"

"Well, the team goal. I am just trying to help them meet the team goal."

"What do you think the team goal is?"

"Well, we measure it in revenue, average revenue per sale, and number of new clients. The goal this month, it is supposed to be our best month of the year, is 47 new clients."

"The goal is 47 new clients? That's good, but I want you to understand that is not the team's goal." -TF

"I am a bit confused about what to do," Brent explained. "All of our plans this year, all of our goals, we are just so far away from where we thought we would be. I am worried."

"What do you think happened?" I asked.

"Well, we build to order. Every project is unique. We have all the resources we need, we have all the people, in fact, too many people, but our customers are not ordering according to forecast."

"And, what is your role in all this?"

"I'm the sales manager," Brent replied. "It's my job to bring in the orders. And we are working really hard, but just not making any headway."

"How many sales people on your team?"

"Eight. I mean, maybe I should have hired more. I'm wondering if I am even capable of running this team in this market. They aren't making sales the way they used to. We have our goals and they are just not meeting them."

"How is that affecting the team? Not meeting your goal?" I followed up.

"Oh, they know I am not happy. I can feel my own tension. I try not to show it, but I am sure the team can tell things are not good."