The Significance of Cohesiveness in Teams

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Developed by Hildur Lara Jonsdottir, February 2022

Abstract

Cohesiveness refers to a group of individuals that stick together and work together to achieve a common goal. When all team members are linked to one another and the team as a whole, the team is said to be cohesive. The team's cohesion is one of the most crucial factors of a project's success and can be determined by various factors. Making time for team members to recognize one another's abilities and dealing with emotional concerns are two important factors to consider while improving team cohesion. The elements that connect a team's members may be useful or harmful. The key characteristics that determine team cohesion are similar interests, group size, shared successes, and the threat of external competition. ^[1] Project managers must devise strategies to help their teams become more cohesive. Team cohesion may be improved through empowering group members, resolving conflicts, and recognizing each individual's contribution. The benefits of team cohesiveness are frequently perceived as overwhelmingly positive. The link between cohesiveness and performance has been studied and proven to be helpful on a regular basis. The concept that team cohesiveness can have negative effects on team performance and other outcomes has gotten little attention.^[2] The team that cracked the enigma code, led by Alan Turning, is an example of a cohesive team that succeeded. In this article, it will be examined how cohesive teams affect team performance and how they're formed and maintained.

Definition

What is Cohesiveness?

"The quality of sticking together, or of causing things to stick together" is a standard definition of cohesiveness. It is the property of being structured or formed coherently, having close or strong internal links between individuals, ideas, or other elements. ^[3] Cohesiveness refers to the degree and intensity of interpersonal attraction among group members. Team members are drawn to one another and are motivated to stick together. Cohesion is more precisely described as a group's tendency to be together while working toward a common aim of meeting its team members' emotional needs. Cohesion will integrate a team's interpersonal abilities, negotiation skills, cooperation, team process commitment, communication skills, and shared leadership.^[4]

Team Cohesiveness

The term "team cohesiveness" refers to how well a group works together. In studies of teams and team dynamics, cohesion has been a recurring theme. It has been identified as one of the most important aspects determining team performance. Cohesion is defined as a team's ability to work together toward a common goal. Everyone shold understand their position, feel confident in their abilities, and be dedicated to the team's ultimate goal. Team cohesiveness has been identified as a key component in terms of communication patterns and influencing behaviors across a wide range of groups, including sports teams, work teams, exercise groups, therapy groups, task groups, and so on. There are still a lot of individuals that have trouble working together as a team and forming cohesiveness. Despite the fact that team cohesiveness is a significant and determining factor in team performance, it will not guarantee success unless the organisation and management around the team is commitet. Team members may feel linked to their coworkers yet be completely unaware of company values, and vice versa. A team's manager must ensure that this type of separation does not develop, as well as discover ways to improve cohesion. ^[5]

Developing a Team

Figure 1: Stages of Team Development^[1]

Teams are the foundation of how projects, activities, and tasks are structured and handled in businesses worldwide. Everyone has been a part of a team at some point in their lives, whether at work, school, sports, etc. ^[6]

In 1965, psychologist Bruce Tuckman proposed a hypothesis regarding the steps new teams must undergo to succeed and achieve healthy cohesiveness. Developing teams can take time, and the phases of building a team span from when team members are strangers to when they become a cohesive team with a common goal. The four typical stages of team development are forming, storming, norming and performing. To effectively overcome the hurdles of the storming and forming stages, managers or leaders of a team must maintain the team's motivation^[1].

The Stages of Team Development:

• Forming: Forming is the beginning stage where relationships among the team members are formed. Everyone in the team is getting to know one other at this point, and team dynamics and responsibilities have yet to be formed. At this point, a team leader will normally emerge to take command and direct the individual members^[1].
• Storming: When team members begin fighting for position, stumbling from confusion, and having disputes regarding leadership, strategy, and goals, the storming stage is triggered. This is when the importance of team leadership becomes apparent. The leader must succeed in motivating the team, resolving all issues, and articulating the team's purpose and objectives^[1].
• Norming: Once the storming stage has been completed, a team will go into the norming stage. After overcoming the storming stage, the team is ready to develop open communications, stable positions, and norms. These are the initial steps toward belonging to a group^[1].
• Performing: Teams will go from norming to performing and then to highly performing after acquiring cohesion. The team should celebrate a job well done while performing and organise events such as team lunches following a successful deployment to build camaraderie. This will serve as a motivation for the following cycle of work, reinforcing the already-established group togetherness. All work and no play might cause your team to become disjointed. Allowing your team to interact, celebrate, and unwind makes it simpler to develop genuine connections and maintain team cohesiveness when the going gets tough^[1].

Aspects of Team Cohesiveness

The four main aspects of team cohesion are multidimensionality, instrumental foundation, dynamic, and emotional nature. Multidimensionality refers to the many variables that come together to make team members work as one. The team's aims and objectives change throughout time due to the team's dynamic character. Its instrumental basis is concerned with how members are committed to a common goal, while the emotional dimension is concerned with some of the advantages that members gain from being cohesive.^[7]

What Influences Team Cohesion?

Figure 3: What Influences Team Cohesion?^[8][7][9]

Shared Goals and Like-Mindedness: The fact that members of a team share similar beliefs and attitudes is one of the factors that keeps the team together. People, on the whole, like to be in the company of those who share their values and perspectives. There fore one of the variables that contributes to team cohesiveness is similarity. A cohesive group is made up of people who have similar interests and aims but can come from different backgrounds. ^[8]

Size of a Team: Smaller teams have a higher level of cohesion than larger teams. There is more engagement and communication in smaller groups, which helps members remain bonded. It is possible that interaction decreases in larger groups, making it more difficult to reach consensus on many problems. In bigger groupings, smaller cliques may form inside the group, resulting in disputes and dilution of the general aim. ^[7]

Time: The more time a team spends together, the stronger the group becomes and the stronger the relationships within the group get, resulting in better teamwork. ^[7]

Threats and Competition: When a team faces obstacles together, it gets stronger. Members will put their differences aside and work together to solve a problem at hand. ^[7]

Communication: The importance of effective communication between the team and its members cannot be overstated. To reach a final conclusion, thoughts should be explicitly stated. Any misunderstanding of language among individuals and groups can result in several problems. ^[9]

Trust: In order for a group to be cohesive, it must have a high level of trust and reliability. Individuals in a group must have faith in the team and its decisions in order to effect positive change. Trust unites the group and its members, allowing for unanimous decision-making. ^[8]

Benefits and Drawbacks of Team Cohesiveness

Figure 2: Benefits and Drawbacks of Team Cohesiveness ^[9]

Organizations devote a significant amount of time and attention to encouraging their workers to collaborate successfully with one another. Team cohesion has been linked to increased productivity and job satisfaction in studies. Team cohesion, on the other hand, has both benefits and drawbacks. It is critical for a team leader to understand the advantages and disadvantages of his or her team and to employ ways to increase team performance ^[9].

Benefits

• Increased Productivity: Productive and high-performing teams are more likely to be cohesive.
• Enhanced Team Motivation: Being a part of a cohesive team boosts team motivation. Various opinions are held by different members, which serves as motivation. This also gives team members the confidence to express their opinions, which increases the overall team effort.
• Improved Coordination: When the aims and preferences of group members are comparable, group cohesiveness improves in the delivery of better outputs and productivity. It comprises greater teamwork and collaboration among members.
• Saves Effort and Time: Working in a cohesive team can be time-saving because a team that is not cohesive may take a bit longer to resolve difficulties, but when it comes to a cohesive team, the answer may be better and faster.
• Better Job Satisfaction and Morale: Cohesive teams have higher job satisfaction and morale.
• Improved Communication: Because the entire team works together under the direction of the team leader, there is a general improvement in communication levels. The engaging sessions assist people in making positive adjustments in all areas of their lives while also increasing their self-esteem.

Drawbacks

• Lack of Creativity: Because members of a cohesive team come from the same sector of employment, their ideas may be too similar, limiting creativity. As a result of the group's cohesive behavior, the organization's creative elements may suffer. Additionally, all aspects of team cohesion contribute to a lower level of creativity in their group or team.
• Lack of Innovation: A lack of innovation is associated with a lack of creativity. Because of this, the final result in terms of innovation may be unsatisfactory.
• Domination: Because of the team leaders in each group, dominance might occur. Most of these sorts of group leader dominance are never beneficial to the firm, and they can even harm the group's cohesiveness. As a result, all team leaders must recognize that if they need and want their team members to follow their instructions, they must treat them as equals in the group.

Management and Cohesiveness

When it comes to putting together successful, high-performing teams, cohesion is crucial. Leaders may develop dynamic, high-performing, cohesive teams that exceed the standards set before them by following Tuckman's steps for building teams. To achieve a firm foundation of infinite creativity, leaders must understand how team cohesion works and how bonding in a team will develop energy in order to strengthen the sense of belonging and mutual respect. ^[10]. A team's atmosphere is determined by its managers. They must be able to tailor their leadership style to the requirements of all of their employees, not just those who share their beliefs and behaviors. Following the development of a team, which is one of the most critical processes, team managers must implement team building activities and assist the team in its development. To achieve a successful functioning team, it is critical for a team manager to recognize the disadvantages and benefits of a cohesive team.^[5]

How to Manage and improve Team Cohesion

Below are some factors and techniques a team manager can use to create and maintain a cohesive team:

Choose Team Members Carefully: The team manager should carefully choose team members. Despite the importance of diversity, a cohesive team usually operates when people with similar aims are brought together in a team. However, too much similarity can lead to a lack of creativity and innovation, which the team manager should be aware of. For the team to be cohesive, the manager must consider the team's size and purpose. Not everyone can operate as a cohesive team, and the manager must understand the aspects that contribute to the team's cohesiveness. ^[11]

Encourage Commincation: Encourage communication: Because a cohesive team relies on open communication, the team manager must encourage it among team members. Improved communication might be accomplished by ensuring that team members have the resources they need to interact effectively with one another. Online communication platforms, remote team software, regular meetings with open discussion, and other communication channels can help to improve team engagement. A team manager must be accessible to his team and address any concerns, ideas, and efforts that his team members have. ^[11]

Practice Team-building Activities: It's critical to concentrate on the team's objectives and the relationships among team members that help them achieve those objectives. Self-esteem and overall morale may be boosted through team-building exercises. Team-building events, such as monthly team trips, team games, and team lunches, might regularly be scheduled by the team manager. Those kinds of activities might help improve relationships among team members and the team manager.^[11]

Define Goals: The team manager must ensure that each team member knows and understands their responsibilities and tasks for each objective. Team members must grasp the organization's aims and values from the beginning of the team's formation to the end. There are several ways to organize goals, such as constructing a goal pyramid at various levels, such as individual and team goals, employing the SMART concept, or providing the team with tools and expertise to help them achieve their objectives. To guarantee that all team members have a common understanding of the team and its purpose and work, team managers should ask team members how they presently view the team and its aim and work.^[11]

Promote Training and Development: Once a team has been formed, it is critical that the team manager provides training and development opportunities for his staff in order to keep the team functioning effectively. This might motivate team members to take charge of their abilities and capabilities. This will eventually aid in the improvement of their job and general contribution to the team. ^[11]

Celebrate Achievements as a Team: Instead of concentrating on an individual's accomplishment inside the team, managers should encourage teams to celebrate their triumphs together. Managers should congratulate their staff on their accomplishments and encourage and appreciate them for their efforts. ^[11]

Put an Emphasises on Trust: Team managers should provide a secure and trustworthy atmosphere where their team members may freely communicate their opinions and feelings. The ability of a team to function successfully together and cohesively is heavily reliant on trust. The team manager must set an example and be as open as possible with their employees to establish trust. Team members are more likely to lose trust and believe they can't interact securely and productively if the team manager keeps secrets or isn't honest and transparent. This might make team members feel like their team leader is too dominating and keeps them in the dark. ^[11]

Resolve Conflicts: Conflict occurs in every team. When disagreements emerge, the team manager should push the team to collaborate as quickly as possible to find a feasible solution. Encourage team members to collaborate on developing and implementing solutions and ensure they have the resources they need to resolve conflicts. ^[11]

Was the Team that Cracked the Enigma Code Cohesive?

During World War II, the German military employed the Enigma code to encrypt strategic messages. The British government assembled a team of scientists to crack the engima code, which was vital in gaining intelligence on Germany's operations during World War II. The team struggled at the start of the project and failed multiple times. The assembled team shared a similar background and a common goal: crack the engima code. However, communication and trust in the team were lacking, and confrontations arose often. Alan Turning is one of the team's most important members, and he eventually became the team's leader. He wanted to work alone at first and solve everything independently, which led to failures. After Alan took over as team leader, communication and trust among the group improved. The crew became closer as time went on, and they regularly got together after work for drinks. This is an example of how many intelligent individuals can be grouped together, but they will not be successful until they pool their talents and communicate. The team's lack of cohesiveness was noticeable at first, but after improving their group dynamics, they cracked the engima code and became an extremely successful cohesive team. ^{[12] [13]}

Conclusion

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Annotated bibliography

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} Molnau, D. (n.d.). HIGH-PERFORMANCE TEAMS: UNDERSTANDING TEAM COHESIVENESS. iSixSigma. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://www.isixsigma.com/implementation/teams/high-performance-teams-understanding-team-cohesiveness/
2. ↑ Dyaram, L., & Kamalanabhan, T. J. (2005). Unearthed: The Other Side of Group Cohesiveness. Journal of Social Sciences, 185–190. https://doi.org/10.1080/09718923.2005.11892479
3. ↑ Cohesiveness. (n.d.). Dictionary.Com. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/cohesiveness
4. ↑ Beam, M. (2012, July). Emotional Intelligence and Team Cohesiveness [Thesis, Marshall University]. Retrivied February 13, 2022 from https://mds.marshall.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1304&context=etd
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Howard, S. (n.d.). Improve team cohesion in the workplace. The Predictive Index. Retrieved February 16, 2022, from https://www.predictiveindex.com/blog/how-to-increase-team-cohesion/
6. ↑ Druskat, V. and Wolff, S (2001).Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups, Harvard Business Review, pages 82, 83 and 85.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4} Team Cohesion: The strength and extent of interpersonal connection among the members of a group. (n.d.). Corporate Finance Institute. Retrieved February 12, 2022, from https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/careers/soft-skills/team-cohesion/
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Group Cohesiveness. (n.d.). Toppr. Retrieved February 16, 2022, from https://www.toppr.com/guides/fundamentals-of-economics-and-management/group-dynamics/group-cohesiveness/
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3} Reddry, C. (n.d.). Group Cohesiveness: Factors, Advantages and Disadvantages. Wisestep. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://content.wisestep.com/group-cohesiveness-factors-importance-advantages-disadvantages/
10. ↑ Throness, S. (2021, November 15). HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAMS: HOW TO CREATE TEAM COHESIVENESS. GETTING PEOPLE RIGHT. Retrieved February 16, 2021, from https://gettingpeopleright.com/resources/high-performance-teams-how-to-create-team-cohesiveness/
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7} Editorial Team. (2021, March 3). 10 Steps To Improve Team Cohesiveness in the Workplace. Indeed. Retrieved February 16, 2022, from https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/team-cohesiveness
12. ↑ Tyldum, M. (2014). Imitation Game [Film]. Black Bear Pictures.
13. ↑ DIFFICULT TO DECODE: ALAN TURING’S LIFE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS. (2012, July 3). SITN. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2012/turing-biography/