This document discusses groups and teams in sports performance. It defines what groups and teams are, describes the characteristics and types of groups. It explains why people join groups and the stages in the development of a team. It differentiates between groups and teams, and discusses external conditions imposed on teams and how to measure team cohesion.

1. Topic 7:
Groups & Teams
and Sports Performance
SPS431

2. LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will be able to:
• Define the meaning of a group.
• Explain the characteristic and types of groups.
• Describe why do people join group.
• Define what is a sports teams.
• Elaborate the stages in the development of a team.
• Differentiate groups and teams.
• Explain external condition imposed on a team and what
is team cohesiveness.
• Describe the measurement of team cohesion.
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3. Definition of GROUP
Group – Collection of two or more
interacting individuals who
maintain stable patterns of
relationship, that enable them to
work towards the achievement of
specific goals and recognize
themselves of being members of a
group
(Chelladurai, 1978; Greenberg & Baron, 2000;
Wann, 1997).
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4. Characteristic of Group
1. Made up of two or more in social interaction
(verbal/non verbal), who influence and
interact with one another.
2. Has stable structure that keep members
together, and help them function as a unit.
3. Members share common objectives and
work together to achieve it.
4. Members of the group perceive themselves
as a group and should be able to recognize
their members.
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5. Types of Groups
1. Formal Groups : intentionally created, directs its member towards
achievement of specific objectives.
I. Command group
- made up of people can legally give instructions for other people to
follow
- Specified by the organization chart, comprises the subordinates
who report directly to a given supervisor (e.g. coach, manager,
captain of football club can give orders to players, sports
organization structure).
I. Task group
- formed to complete a specific task or project.
- Members are expertise regarding task to be completed and
without taking into account members’ position in the hierarchy of
authority (e.g. club financial meeting on getting the sponsorship,
Football Development Program – Phase 1, BAM).
2. Informal Groups : developed naturally among employees without
any influence from sports organization within which they operate.
I. Interest group – members share a common interest, and work
together to achieve it. (e.g. salaries or welfare issues)
II. Friendship group – members share many common interest,
participate in social activities ad go beyond their activities in
workplaces. (e.g. go to gymnasium for exercise after work)
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6. Why people join groups?
1. Satisfaction of common interests.
2. Achievement of security and protection
from a common enemy.
3. Satisfy members’ social needs, as allow
them to interact with other people.
4. Lead to satisfaction of need for self-
esteem.
5. Combine members’ energy and effort to
collectively achieve specific task that
they cannot achieve individually.
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7. Definition of SPORTS TEAM
SPORT TEAM – a collection of individuals
who posses a collective identity, have
common goals and objectives, share a
common fate(final outcome), develop structure
pattern of interaction and model of
communication, exhibit personal and task
independence, reciprocate (to give and take mutually)
interpersonal attraction, and consider
themselves to be a group.
(Carron, 1994)
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A sports team is also a group, but it will be a
mistake to see any group of individuals as a
team, as there are some differences between
groups and teams.
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8. Stages in
Development of Teams
1. Stage 1 : Forming – members get to know
each other and try to establish rules for the
group. In this stage they experience inner
doubt about their ability and skill and level
of experience with the team-mate. (e.g.
compare skills and experience – will be in
the starting line up, or only sit on substitutes’
bench)
2. Stage 2 : Storming – known as the infighting
or internal conflict stage. There is a high
degree of conflict within the group, with the
members showing hostility toward each
other. (e.g. compete for position, fight for
attention of the coach)
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9. (cont.) Stages in
Development of Teams
3. Stage 3 : Norming – beginning of the development
of team cohesion. The group become united and
members works together (e.g. praise the athletes
who show hard work and excellence performance)
4. Stage 4: Performing – members work toward
getting the job done. Every members feel secure
and play own roles (e.g. each being happy to see
group members excellent and do well).
5. Stage 5 : Adjourning – group may break up after
achieve objectives. The group may break up to
pursue other opportunity (such join other club), or
sometimes may be due to conflict with the coach.
(e.g. coach/ player being fired perceived to be
caused bad influence to the team cohesiveness)
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10. Groups VS Teams
Groups Teams
Performance depends on
each individuals contribution.
Performance depends on
both each individuals in teams
and joint contribution of
members.
Responsible only for their
individuals performance and
individual contribution to
group performance.
Responsible for their individual
contribution and overalls
team’s performance.
Follow instructions that are
regularly given by
management.
Management set objectives,
provide resources and
personnel, but the team
allowed independence and
flexibility to do the job without
further interference from
management.
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11. Team Cohesiveness
Definition – extent to which members of a
team are willing to be part of the team,
are attracted to each other, accept team
objectives and help in working to achieve
the objectives.
e.g. If the players decide to act against their
coach/manager, they may all play poorly
and ultimately cost the coach/manager
his/her job.
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12. External Conditions Imposed on
Team – the plans, aims and activities of a sports
organization will affect the performance of a team
1. Organizational Strategy
- is a general plan of the organization includes its
objectives, human resources, material
- set by owners, e.g. sell star players.
2. Structures of Authority within the Organization
- operates an authority system, e.g. in football club, manager’s
decision making to recruit players and those to leave the
clubs.
3. Resources of the Organization
- the organizations do not have the same resources;
financial, facilities, players.
- recruit and retain quality players and provide superb
facilities/stadium. e.g. need of huge financial support.
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4. Personnel Selection Procedures used in the Organization
- recruitment procedures is crucial, choose the best people to
operate the sport organizations.
e.g. a recruitment system that is able to recruit the best people for it.
5. Performance Evaluation and Rewards System
- good system of evaluation and reward system as fair and equitable.
- players’ payment based on skilled and experienced.
e.g. demand for salary.
6. Organizational Culture
- appropriate and inappropriate behaviours for a sports organization.
e.g. operate a culture that is exemplified by indiscipline on and
off the field (hostile behaviour); unethical behaviour (bribery).
7. Physical Work Environment
- The physical work environment as designed by architects, engineers
and interiors designers can enhance or prevent the progress of team
performance.
e.g. most successful clubs have best stadium, training facilities which
allow the team to have excellent playing-field (high-technology).
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14. Measurement of
Team Cohesion
 Sociograms – data collected using questionnaire or interview to
discover how athletes interact with one another in the team.
 Importance of Sociograms? indicate social network represent
specific set of connection among specific group (cluster) of
athletes within the team.
• Coalitions – cluster of people for short period of
time within sports organization, come together
to work towards the specific goals.
• Cliques - informal groups that are permanent.
• Isolates – not linked to social network; operate
alone.
• Stars – most connections/linkages in a network
and usually the most popular with members of
the group.
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