Before we get to the issue of teams, we should mention their origin, groups. A group is the basis of the life of society: nations, cultures, classes disappear, but small groups remain. Small groups, such as the family, are full-fledged groups because all macrosocial phenomena (the genesis of norms, etc.) take place in these small groups. They represent the basic human bonds and give people a space for essentially meaningful relationships.
A social group consists of people united by a certain characteristic and adhere to the same norms (rules). The prerequisites are, above all, the same goal, the satisfaction of needs, and, if possible, the interconnectedness of social roles. The satisfaction of the group member’s needs, and the realization of the group’s goals are the basis for group cohesion. Where certain features and characteristics of a group are absent, we use the term aggregate or grouping. Thus, for convenience, social groups can be divided according to size, priority, norms, affiliations, referential classification, and degree of agreement.
Small vs. large group. A small group has 2 to about 40 members. The ideal social group is one with 7-15 people. The criteria here are face-to-face communication, mutual acquaintance (or emotional ties), and interconnectedness of social roles (family, interest groups, etc.). A large social group usually has 30 or more members. There is no direct communication within it (face to face), all members may not know each other personally, and there is no emotional bond between everyone (employees, nations, sects, etc.).
Primary vs. secondary groups. A primary group contributes to the typical manifestations, in the family as a child or at school as a student. A secondary group then teaches specific expressions in different social situations. It is, therefore, a superstructure of the requirements for membership of the primary group.
Member vs. non-member. There are groups where it is clear who belongs (family, hobby group, etc.) and groups where it cannot be so easily provable. This division gives us a so-called social identity. In the context of social identification, it is worth mentioning the results of early studies. These studies show that once a group is formed, it begins to perceive itself in opposition to other groups or individuals. However, it was later found that this ‘conflict’ does not necessarily occur. Today we know from practice that groups and teams can work together.
Here it does not matter whether the individual is a member or not. The individual only needs to identify with the group and its principles. The individual identifies with its norms and goals and wants to be a part of the group. The group strongly influences the experience and behaviour of this individual, who uses the standards of the reference group in defining and evaluating his behaviour. A reference group can be negative, in which case the individual rejects all socially accepted norms and goals.
Own (in-group) vs. foreign (out-group). An individual considers a group as his own when he refers to it as “we” and agrees with practically everything within it. There is a high degree of emotional satisfaction. An out-group is one that the individual refers to as “them”. This way the world is divided into “us/we” and “them”.
Norms develop largely unconsciously, by force of habit. People form norms from their guesses and beliefs concerning the nature of their work and implicit expectations from management. In a formal group, norms are predetermined and must be adhered to for membership. Failure to adhere to them is followed by set penalties. In an informal group, members create the norms themselves. They can change these norms as the group evolves, for example, with new members. These groups are formed to satisfy certain needs and interests. Members form strong and lasting relationships based on sympathy and anti-sympathy. If group members cause enough pressure, they can change the group norms. Members can change the norms if they register the need for a change, come together, oppose the established norms, and establish new ones. Group norms primarily have the following functions: they express the values of the group, help the group to function better, define acceptable social behaviour, and help the group to survive. People have a spontaneous tendency to form (informal) groups to protect their interests and satisfy one of their basic needs, the need for belonging somewhere..
A team has the same norms as a group since it comes from a group. The norms differ mainly in their assessment and approach to work. In a group, everyone tries to do their job. In a work team, there is a consciousness of a common task. Everyone contributes directly to the common goal completion through their work. Team norms tend to be task-oriented, and the highest value is placed on efficient and precise work. Anything that leads to the accomplishment of the task at hand is then encouraged, and novel approaches to different solutions are valued. In contrast to groups, everything is judged in terms of the goal and not in terms of the group’s norms.