Download Chapter 5 Building Group Communication Competence

Chapter 5
Building Group
Communication Competence
College students report—


Ideal group member
•
•
•
Competent communicator
Possess desirable relational skills
Participates in group interaction
Common group member deficiencies
•
•
Ability to create relationships with other group members
Ability to work cooperatively and productively on tasks
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1
The Effect of your
Communication
How you communicate
in a group affects
•
•
How others evaluate
your worth as a group
member
How your identity and
role develops within
the group
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Team Member Competencies



Knowledge, skills, and abilities
•
•
Task relevant knowledge, technical skill
Communication competence
Values, beliefs, and attitudes
•
•
Degree to which member values teamwork
Member’s like or dislike of working in groups
Personality traits, cognitive and behavioral
styles
•
Extraversion, cognitive complexity, aggresiveness
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Your Group Interaction Style
Each group member brings unique set of
communication skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Interpersonal needs
Communication competence
Communication apprehension
Attitude towards groups
Communicator style
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Interpersonal Needs

Three basic needs
1.
2.
3.

Inclusion
Control
Affection
Evident in group interaction
1.
2.
Can be expressed by you (sender role)
Can be wanted by you (receiver role)
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Need Compatibility

Achieved when there is a balance
among group members
• Who want to express a need
• Who want to receive a need


Number of members expressing and
wanting does not need to be equal
Incompatibility must be worked through
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Communication Competence

Ability and willingness to participate
responsibility
Effectiveness

Appropriateness

• Goal is achieved
• Do not violate behavioral expectations or
other members’ self-esteem
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Achieving Competence
1.
2.
3.
Can you comprehend the group
situation and its dynamics?
Are you sensitive to the feelings of
others?
Do your verbal and nonverbal skills
contribute to the group’s conversation
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Communication Apprehension

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Fear or anxiety about communicating
Real or anticipated
May be perceived as shy or reticent
Apprehension affects
• Participation in the group
• Others’ evaluation of contributions
• Self-perceptions
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Your Attitude Toward Groups

Grouphate
• Negative feelings that cause an individual to
•
•
dislike working with others in group settings
Captures the tension between an individual’s
preference for working alone and working with
others
Can be minimized when members have
positive group experiences
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Communicator Style


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Your verbal and nonverbal impression
Sends signals about how to interpret
message content
Each characteristic can be effective or
ineffective
What’s your predominant communicator
style?
• How effective are you?
• How flexible are you?
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Communicator Style
Characteristics
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Animated
Attentive
Contentious
Dominant
Dramatic
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Friendly
Open
Precise
Relaxed
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Ethical Group Membership

Caring
• Concerned about the well-being of other
members

Responsibility
• Group members share responsibility for group
outcomes

You are responsible for and to every
other group member
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Communicating in
Diverse Groups
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Differences create variety and multiple
perspectives
Individuals differ on multiple dimensions
Not all types of diversity affect group
interaction in the same way
All differences are not differences that
stem from diversity
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Overcoming Diversity Problems
Solutions
Problems


Unequal participation
Deny diversity matters

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Practicing segregation

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Monitor your
communication
Use decision
procedures
Build cohesion
Focus on goal
Explore similarities
Emphasize personal
identity
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Principles of
Ethical Group Membership
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Be candid and frank
Maintain valued relationships vs. saying
what’s on your mind
Give information without distortion or
exaggeration
Do not cut off other members from
speaking
more 
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Principles of
Ethical Group Membership
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

Be trustworthy and extend trust
Avoid coercion and manipulation in
decision making
Be responsible for defending decisions
of the group to others
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