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Working in Groups
Working in Groups
Working in Teams
Characteristics of
Groups
 Size
 Interaction
 Interdependence
 Duration
 Identity
What Makes a Group a
Team?
 Clear and Inspiring Shared Goals
 A Results-driven Structure
 Competent Team Members
 Unified Commitment
More...
What Makes a Group a
Team?
continued...

Collaborative Climate
 Standards of Excellence
 External
Support
and Recognition
 Principled Leadership
Types of Groups
Closed Groups
>Brainstorming
>Quality circles
volunteer group / problem solving / leader emerges
>Focus groups
>Support groups
Self-directed Work
Teams
 Characteristics of Self-directed Teams
Technical or Functional Expertise
Problem-solving or Decision-making Skills
Interpersonal Skills
Open Groups
Symposium
 A meeting or conference for discussion of a topic, especially
one in which the participants form an audience and make
presentations
Panel discussion
Forum
 A public meeting place for open discussion
Groups and Teams
options
 Face-to-face Teams
 Virtual Teams
www.gotomeeting.com
Systematic Problem
Solving
1. Define the Problem
2. Analyze the Problem
3. Establish Criteria for a Solution
4. Consider Possible Solutions to the Problem
5. Decide on a Solution
6. Implement the Solution
7. Follow-up on the Solution
 Trait Approach
Centralized Leadership
 The leader exercises leadership controls based on individual characteristics
 Style Approach
 attempts to analyze how leaders act in certain situations and what they do to attain and maintain
their leadership
 Contingency Approaches or Situational Approaches --
adapt to
situation
 Functional Approach

focus on HOW leadership occurs rather than on WHO
Leadership Emergence
--Leadership emerges in three phases. First, those who are
unsuitable are eliminated. Then one potential leader is selected. Finally, there is a
probationary period during which the leader must continue to demonstrate his/her skills.
Shared Power in Groups
 Position Power
 Coercive Power
 Reward Power
 Expert Power
 Referent Power -- Influence over others, acquired
from being well liked or respected by them
(more)
Shared Power in Groups
continued…
 Information Power
 Connection Power
 Functional Perspective -- views society as an
organism in which each part serves a function
Stages in Group Problem
Solving
 Orientation Phase
 Conflict Phase
 Emergence Phase
 Reinforcement Phase
Decision-making
Methods
 Consensus
 Majority Vote
 Minority Decision
 Expert Opinion
 Authority Rule
Choosing a Decisionmaking Method




What Type of Decision Is Being Made?
How Important Is the Decision?
How Much Time Is Available?
What Are the Personal Relationships Among
Members?
Recognize Both
Group and Personal
Goals
Group Goal
 Athletic Team Wants to Win Team Championship
 Sales Department Wants to Meet Annual Sales
Target
 Retailer Wants to Expand Hours to Attract New
Business
 Company Wants Employee to Attend Seminar in
Minneapolis
Recognize Both
Group and Personal
Goals
Personal Goal
 Athlete wants to be star for social awards
 Sales representative wants to earn bonus
and receive promotions
 Employees want to avoid working nights
and weekends
 Employee wants to visit family in Minneapolis
Typical Constructive
(and Destructive)
Norms for Working Groups
 Handle(ignore) business for co-workers who are
away from their desks
 Be willing (refuse) to admit your mistakes
 Occasional time off from work for personal
reasons is (isn’t) okay, as long as the absence
won’t harm the company
Typical Constructive
(and Destructive)
Norms for Working Groups
continued...
 Do (don’t) be willing to work overtime without
complaining when big, important deadlines
approach
 Say so (keep quiet) if you disagree. Don’t (do)
hint or go behind others’ backs.
Factors that Promote Optimal
Level of Cohesiveness
 Shared or Compatible Goals
 Progress Toward Goals
 Shared Norms or Values




Minimal Feelings of Threat Among Members
Interdependence Among Members
Competition Form Outside the Group
Shared Group Experiences
Avoid Excess Conformity
Groupthink * Risky Shift
 Illusion That the Group Is Invulnerable
 Tendency to Rationalize or Discount
Negative Information
 Willingness to Ignore Ethical or Moral
Consequences of the Group’s Decision
 Stereotyped Views of Other Groups
 Group Pressure to Conform
Avoid Excess Conformity
Groupthink * Risky Shift
continued…
 Self-censorship
 Illusion of Unanimity
 “Mindguards” Against Threatening Information --
a
member of the group who, in an attempt to preserve the central
group idea, omits any information which may cause doubts to arise
within the group
 Groupthink is defined as “A strong concurrenceseeking tendency that interferes with effective
group decision making” (Forsyth)
Encourage Creativity
 Conduct a Warm-up Session
 Generate Possible Solutions
 Eliminate Duplicate Ideas
 Evaluate Ideas
Task function in groups
Information giver
Offers facts, relevant evidence
Information seeker
Asks others for information
Opinion Giver
Opinion Seeker
(more)
Task function in groups
Starter ‘let’s get moving’
Summarizer
Diagnoser assesses group behavior “We spend a
lot of time...”
Energizer invigorates, enthuses
Gatekeeper
Reality tester “could we really plan a
carnival in 3 weeks?”
Social / relational
functions
Participation encourager
Harmonizer -- mediates conflicts
Tension reliever
Praise giver
Empathic listener -- listen w/o evaluating
All functional roles
Dysfunctional roles
Blocker
Attacker
Recognition-seeker
Joker
Withdrawer
(exercises next)
Group decision making
1...
Recommend how to spend $50,000 for
TAMU-Commerce to improve its recruiting
efforts to area high schools
Must come up with specific budget
Must show how it will be effective use of
money
Must show how it will be received
Other group decision
making...
Group makes recommendations for how to
improve communication between
administration and students
Group makes recommendations for how to
improve student life