Group Dynamics

Group Dynamics

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead

Group Dynamics
Objectives: To identify and analyze the social processes that impact on group development and performance. To acquire the skills necessary to intervene and improve individual and group performance in an organizational context.

Objectives (contd)

To build more successful organizations by applying techniques that provide positive impact on goal achievement.

Group Dynamics
The social process by which people interact in a group environment The influences of personality, power and behaviour on the group process

Reasons for group formation

SECURITY SOCIAL ESTEEM PROXIMITY ATTRACTION ORDERED TO

Types of Groups

Formal - structured to perform specific tasks. Informal - emerge naturally in response to organizational or member interests.

Group Size
Issues to be considered include opportunities:

to express individual viewpoints; to develop social relationships; to ensure everyone participates; for individual recognition.

Group Structure
Issues considered include: ensure that all skill sets are included; examine the impact of a poor performer on group achievement;

Group Structure (contd)

ensure a combination of leaders and followers; examine the potential for personality conflicts; impacts of member diversity.

Stages of team development and associated management challenges

FORMING (Orientation) STORMING (Internal problem solving) NORMING (Growth and productivity) PERFORMING (Evaluation and control)
1. Establish structure, rules, communication networks 2. Clarify relations and interdependencies among members 3. Identify leader roles, clarify responsibility and authority 4. Develop plans for goals accomplishment.
1. Identify and resolve interpersonal conflict. 2. Further clarify rules, goals, and structural relationships 3. Develop participate climate among group members

1. Direct group activity toward goal accomplishment. 2. Develop data-flow & feedback systems for task performance. 3. Promote more cohesion among group members 1. Leader role emphasis on facilitation, feedback, and evaluation. 2. Renewal, revision, and strengthening of roles and group interdependencies. 3. Show of strong motivation toward goal accomplishment

Group Development (contd)

Norming - issue resolution, develop social agreements, cohesion, establish group norms (interdependence) Performing - mutual assistance, creativity, understanding goals and roles (independence) Adjourning - closure, symbolism, ceremonies, and emotional support.

Five Stages of Group Development

Forming Getting to know each other Adjourning Disbanding and celebrating accomplishments Performing Storming Dealing with tensions and defining group tasks

Norming

Maturation in relationships and task performance

Building relationships and working together

Performing

Norming

Task

Storming

Adjourning Forming

Relationship of team maturity and performance

PERFORMANCE

Possible Failure

Possible Failure FORM

Possible Failure

STORM

NORM PERFORM ADJOURN

Mature Efficient Effective

Immature Inefficient Ineffective

Group Functions

Task behaviours; Maintenance behaviours; Self-interest behaviours.

Task Behaviours
initiating; information seeking/giving; clarifying ideas; brining closure; consensus testing.

Maintenance Behaviours
encouraging; improving group atmosphere; harmonizing; compromising; gate-keeping.

Self-interest Behaviours
dominating/controlling; blocking; manipulating; belittling; splitting hairs.

Group Norms
social standards and acceptable behaviours; collectively held expectations of group functioning; provide regularity and predictability to group functioning.

Types of Norms
Standards related to: conduct; work performance/attendance; rearranging personal space; assisting co-workers; loyalty; dress codes; rewards.

Roles

Assigned roles - chair, secretary, manager, treasurer, etc; Emergent roles - confidant, group clown, gossip, mentor, etc;

Factors That Impact Effectiveness

Role Ambiguity - worker is unclear of job definition; Role Conflict - worker experiences job overlap.

Status

Symbolic - office, administrative support, perks; Impact - authority, hierarchy, decisionmaking, rewards.

Group Cohesion
Affected by the ability of the group to:
Work as a unit, share tasks, recognize member contributions;
-VSConflict, role ambiguity, lack of motivation; -AttractsHigh performers, opportunists, achievers; -Affected byGroup size, cliques, acts of protest, self-interest behaviour

Support
training; reward system; empowerment/self-management; organizational representativeness/diversity.

Sources and Consequences of Group Cohesiveness

Factors Leading to Group Cohesiveness

Factor
Group Size Smaller groups allow for high cohesiveness; Low cohesiveness groups with many members can benefit from splitting into two groups. Diverse groups often come up with better solutions. Encouraging a group to adopt a unique identity and engage in competition with others can increase cohesiveness. Cohesiveness increases with success; finding ways for a group to have some small successes increases cohesiveness.

Managed Diversity Group Identity

Success

Transactional Analysis
Social transactions between individuals:
Parent - protective, nurturing, controlling, critical, guiding.

Adult - rational, calculating, factual, unemotional. Child - rebellious, spontaneous, dependant, creative, emotional.

Reactions

Im OK - Youre OK Im OK - Youre not OK Im not OK - Youre OK Im not OK - Youre not OK

Individual Behaviour
Passive - easily pushed around, compliant, submissive, non-resistant.
Aggressive - pushy, hostile, forceful, creates conflict, shows disregard for others. Assertive - self-assured, confident, positive, protects own rights, respects others.

Effective Teams
Are a result of:
high skills, high motivation; have a clear picture of group goals; high performance; success attracts others; opportunity for individual recognition; recognition of professionalism.

Effective Groups
Focus on the task Have a clear understanding of task All members contribute Decisions are written down Feedback is task focussed Failures are explored Deadlock is debated ? by opposite groups Sign posting = reminding of larger task Avoid single solutions (or first solutions) Active communication

How do groups make decisions?

Potential advantages of group decision making.
More knowledge and expertise is applied to solve the

problem.
A greater number of alternatives are examined.
The final decision is better understood and accepted

by all group members.

More commitment among all group members to make

the final decision work.

How do groups make decisions?

Potential disadvantages of group decision

making.
Individuals may feel compelled to conform to

the apparent wishes of the group. The groups decision may be dominated by one individual or a small coalition. Group decisions usually take longer to make.

How do groups make decisions?

Groupthink.
The tendency for members of highly cohesive groups

to lose their critical evaluation capabilities.

Groupthink can lead the group to make poor decisions. Group members and leaders should:
Be sensitive to the occurrence of groupthink. Take actions to prevent the occurrence of groupthink.

How do groups make decisions?

How to improve group decision making.
Brainstorming.

Nominal group technique.

Delphi technique. Computer-mediated decision making.

How do groups make decisions?

Brainstorming. Group members actively generate as many ideas and alternatives as possible, and they do so relatively quickly and without inhibitions. Brainstorming rules.

All criticism is ruled out. Free-wheeling is welcomed. Quantity is wanted. Piggy-backing is good.

How do groups make decisions?

Nominal group technique.
A form of structured group decision making

that enables everyone to participate and have his/her ideas heard without hostile criticism or distortions.
A structured voting procedure is used to

prioritize responses to the nominal question.

How do groups make decisions?

Delphi technique. Used in situations where group members are unable to meet face to face. The process.
A series of questions is distributed to a panel. Panel members submit their responses to a decision

coordinator. The decision coordinator summarizes the responses, and sends the summary along with a follow-up questionnaire to the panel. Panel members send in their responses. The process is repeated until a consensus is reached.

How do groups make decisions?

Computer-mediated decision making.
Electronic brainstorming through the use of

special software and personal computers..

The nominal group and Delphi techniques lend

themselves to computer mediation.

TEN CRITERIA FOR MEASURING THE MATURITY OF A GROUP

Immature group 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Feedback mechanisms Decision-making methods Group loyalty/cohesion Operating procedures Use of member resources Communications Poor Dysfunctional Low Inflexible Mature group

Excellent
Functional High Flexible Excellent Clear Accepted

Poor
Unclear Not accepted Independent Low Low

7.
8. 9.

Goals
Authority relations Participation in leadership

Interdependent
High High

10. Acceptance of minority views

Group Problem # 1
Lack

of Interaction You are the TA for a group project & your group is not interacting
1)

think of 2 possible reasons why 2) come up with 2 possible solutions for each reason

Group Problem # 2
Unequal

Participation You are the TA for a group project & you notice very unequal participation
1)

think of 2 possible reasons why 2) come up with 2 possible solutions for each reason

Dynamics of Inter-group competition (prevent the emergence of unhealthy

competition before it occurs)

reward groups for making further contributions avoid win-lose competitions for rewards reward groups for giving help to one another stimulate frequent interactions between members of different groups prevent groups from withdrawing and becoming isolated from one another rotating members among different groups