There are imminent differences in leading a team and leading a group of individuals. According to the case scenario presented for discussion, leading a team entails using different approaches in a collaborative effort of achieving a common goal. The interdependence of parties involved is high and this leads to quality submission on a given task or responsibility. Leading a group, on the other hand, entails following strict guidelines provided by an organization which allows implementation of independent approaches as a means of achieving a common goal. Groups operate as independent units which work on delivering a particular mission statement to an organization. Leading a team – as a supervisor – entails incorporating virtues of communication, problem-solving and conflict management as instruments of effective collaboration with employees.
The case context illustrates communication as an important element of leading a team in professional and social environments. It is through communication that team leaders are able to share their ideas with other members as a means of finding the best approach to implementing a solution. Similarly, communication skills enable employees to provide timely responses which enables progress during a given implementation process. However, it is important to note that formal communication is common in groups – such as progressive reports, official memos and formal letters to departmental heads – regarding different issues. Teams, however, incorporate both formal and unofficial (through social media platforms) communication during an implementation process of given job roles and responsibilities.
Problem-solving describes another element of leading a team in which members of a team or group are expected to take part. This is a process which brings different people together as a means of achieving a common objective using different approaches. In a group setup, problem-solving follows a strict process stipulated by the executive management with regards to a given scenario. Individuals are discouraged from integrating their creativity in a problem-solving process as it would go against the organizational culture of the involve firm. Teams allow their members to participate in a problem-solving process as a means of resolving a given scenario. Problem-solving is important to stakeholders as it determines a leader’s ability to overcome challenges during the implementation of a given project.
The third element, of leading a team, entails conflict management which describes a process of promoting peaceful collaboration of involved stakeholders. In ordinary groups, there are strict procedures – provided to resolve conflicts – which are assigned to the Human Resource (HR) department. In this perspective, conflict management is implemented by a group of individuals whose department head evaluates the success of the conflict management process with respect to how it benefits the organization. In a team setup, any individual can mediate a conflict to provide a logical resolution in a timely cohesive manner. As a team leader, it is important to acknowledge the significance of conflict management as a means of fostering a progressive relationship with employees.
As a team leader communication skills would be the main element of concern during the implementation of leadership roles in a professional environment. According to most employee-management conflicts, it is evidence that an oppressed party claims of receiving no communication on a major decision. For instance, stipulating a minimum hourly wage to a group of employees in a private company – without consultation – would be largely avoided to evade severe consequences of any arising conflicts. This would be mitigated by enhancing all forms of communication, including formal and unofficial channels, which open the door of all-inclusive participation before making a comprehensive decision on an issue. Stakeholder participation would ensure that communication skills are slowly adopted to reduce instances of employee-management conflicts.
Communication skills are essential in understanding and interpreting simple instructions issued by a supervisor which emphasizes improved operational practices. This is to state that communication would enable a supervisor to integrate different ideas of team members into a problem-solving process that reflects the interests of both employees and the organization. Conflict management, moreover, enables a supervisor to mitigate issues that hamper operational success from employees as evidenced in their performance records. Most importantly, team leaders should be responsible for social actions against gender equality and cultural diversity which creates conflicts between employees and supervisors.