Yours, Mine, and Ours: Facilitating Group Productivity through the Integration of Individual and Group Goals

Abstract

The goal-performance relationship is well documented for both individual and group tasks. However, although group goals have been found to increase group performance, the efficacy of individual goals for improving team performance has produced mixed results. We propose that this variance is due to both task and goal characteristics. This study explores the role of different goal structures (egocentric individual goals, groupcentric individual goals, group goals, alone and in combination) on an interdependent nonsummative task using 60 intact groups. Performance in groups having both group and groupcentric individual goals was 36% higher than a control group, and also superior to the other goal conditions. The increases in group performance are discussed in terms of changes in performance orientation, individual strategy, group strategy, and effort expended.