Do you know the difference between a group and a team? Can the terms be used interchangeably? Actually, there's a big difference. A group is a small group of people with complementary skills and abilities who are committed to a leader's goal and are willing to be held accountable by the leader. In a group, decisions typically represent the dominant viewpoint and leadership is usually held by one person.

A team is a small group of people with complementary skills and abilities who are committed to a common goal for which they hold each other accountable. Decisions are made by consensus and leadership may be shared or rotate, depending on the task at hand.

Most important, team members hold each other accountable for performance. When one person isn't performing, the team addresses the problem. Why do we hear about training in team building, but not training in group building? Obviously, teams - and their leaders - require skills that may not be needed by groups. Team building is a process that involves a number of steps:

• Establishing team goals
• Defining team metrics
• Developing team boundaries
• Implementing team training
• Monitoring team performance
• Making changes required for improvement

Although there are many advantages of teams, team building takes commitment to training. Team members need to understand how teams work. They must have the skills required to establish team goals, define member roles, monitor performance, resolve conflict, and apply problem solving tools for continuous improvement.

Team leaders must understand the team building process. They must be able to assess their team's progress and provide coaching and resources when needed.

Team building is not an easy task; it takes time and effort. However, the benefits are worth it. High performing teams can accomplish far more than individuals or groups!