Team Dynamics

Team Dynamics

Within any group, there are many roles that make up the list generally included when considering group dynamics. All these roles are helpful to the success of the team, but there are some that are absolutely necessary for the team to accomplish its mission. If one looks around, one can see these roles being played out in many different groups. This paper will focus on teams in the workplace and the roles that are a necessity for success.

According to Benne and Sheats, there are two main categories of roles in group dynamics (1948). These are Task roles and Maintenance roles. Task roles are helpful in making sure the group stays focused on the given assignment. Maintenance roles, on the other hand, deal with the connections and rapport that team members build upon and help keep the group cohesive. Each of these main categories contains subordinates. For Task Roles, there are: 1) The Initiator 2) The Information seeker/giver, 3) The Opinion seeker/giver, 4) The Elaborator, 5) the Coordinator, 6) the Orienter, 7) the Evaluator, 8) the Energizer, 9) the Procedural Technician, and 10) the Recorder. Maintenance Roles include: 1) The Encourager,