Groups, Teams – they are all a pain in the butt! I can do it better and faster myself!
Well, that is pretty blunt and is there any credibility to those statements? Study after study has noted the following advantages of teams in the workplace:
Large talent pool
Less individual stress
Wider viewpoints
Balanced decision making
Peer motivation
Peer conflict resolution
Less management intervention.
That all sounds great, so what’s the problem? Well, study after study has noted the following disadvantages of teams in the workplace:
Longer timelines
Unequal workload
Inherent conflict
Lack of recognition
Lower motivation
Lack of creativity.
So, who is right? Both/Neither – that’s who! It simply depends on the project.
A small assignment is often better assigned to the right individual. That person can quickly complete the task and do it well with no guidance or interference from anyone. There is nothing wrong with having subject experts. It is a very effective and efficient way to work.
If the project has a longer timeline or is more complicated it makes sense to work in a team. This guarantees completion even if it does take a little longer. There are companies who allow one skilled employee to single-handedly manage one area. This makes them indispensable – a very bad business decision. They need vacation, they may get sick, they have too much control, there is no contingency planning and this simply cannot be sustained.
So, as stated above – it depends. Make the right choice at the right time and allow your project and purpose to drive your management decisions.
