Group Communication

1
Group Communication

• What is the difference between a group a crowd?
• Group- Consists of people who communicate with
  each other over time and share an interest in the
  same things or share a common purpose
• Groups may be formal or informal
• Purpose of group may be social, task, or a
  combination of social task

2
Group Communication

• Typically, members of a group
• Communicate regularly
• Participate in planning, decision making or
  action
• Feel connected to other members

3
Group Norms

• Group norms- Standards for behavior within a
  group how you are expected to interact
• Whether its okay to arrive early or late, how
  hard to work, how to act or dress, whether taking
  a break is acceptable or not, when and how to
  disagree, what topics are acceptable to discuss,
  how much to divulge about personal life, etc.

4
Ideal Groups

• Group size Researchers have found ideal group
  size is 5-7 members
• Cohesion- When members have respect for one
  another, share same values, and look to one
  another for support when they all want to
  achieve the same goal

5
Group discussion- Cooperative exchange of
information, opinions, and ideas

• Types of Group Discussion
• Panel- informal discussion that takes place
  before an audience designed to help audience
  become more familiar with issues
• Symposium- more formal present opposing points
  of view invited experts deliver short speeches
  on particular issues
• Town Hall Meeting- members of the community
  discuss issues and usually vote for solutions

6
Leadership

• Leadership functions any kind of behavior that
  helps the group toward its goal (could be one or
  more members of a group who fulfill these roles
  group can have effective leadership even without
  an official leader)

7
Characteristics of a good leader

• Good grasp of problem (well-informed)
• Familiar with group process- can organize
  (provide direction structure)
• Open-minded (consultant rather than boss)
• Self-disciplined, respectful, empathetic
• Good speaker (skillful communicator)
• Can formulate goals ideas for both group and
  self
• Share rewards and give group credit (believe in
  teamwork)
• Good planner
• Able to adapt to meet needs of group

8
Ways of becoming leader

• Appointed
• Elected
• Emerging
• Shared

9
Duties of a leader

• Procedural matters
• State topic
• Call on individuals
• Request specific info.
• Open and close meeting
• Interpersonal or climate matters
• Promote group cohesiveness
• Encourage members to respect one another
• Help members get to know one another

10
Styles of Leadership

• Laissez-faire advises if called upon observes,
  records does not direct
• Authoritarian strongly directs very
  goal-oriented opinionated
• Democratic guides receptive to members
  suggestions leaves decisions up to group

11
Group Roles

• Initiator- Proposes new ideas, goals, procedures,
  methods, solutions
• Information seeker- Asks for facts,
  clarification, or information from other members
• Information giver- Offers facts and information,
  personal experiences, and evidence

12
Group Roles

• Opinion seeker- Draws out opinions of others
• Opinion giver- States own belief or opinion
  expresses a judgment
• Clarifier- Elaborates on ideas expressed by
  another, often by giving an example, explanation,
  or illustration

13
Group Roles

• Coordinator- Clarifies relationships among facts,
  ideas, and suggestions suggests an integration
  of ideas and activities of two or more group
  members
• Orienter- Makes sure the group is focused on
  purpose or goal, defines position of the group,
  summarizes or suggests the direction of the
  discussion
• Energizer- Prods the group to greater
• activity or to a decision stimulates activity
• warns the group to act while there is still time

14
Group Roles

• Procedure developer- Offers suggestions for
  accomplishing ideas of others, or handles such
  tasks as seating arrangements, setting up the
  computer, handing out papers, running copies,
  etc.
• Recorder- Keeps written record serves
• as groups memory
• Supporter- Praises, agrees, indicates warmth and
  solidarity with others or goes along with them

15
Group Roles

• Harmonizer- Mediates differences between others
• Tension reliever- Jokes or brings out humor in a
  situation, reduces formality and status
  differences, relaxes others
• Gatekeeper- Opens channels of communication,
  brings in members who otherwise might not speak
  sees that everyone has a fair chance to be heard

16
Group Roles

• Blocker- Constantly raises objections, insists
  nothing can be done, repeatedly brings up the
  same topic after the rest of the group has
  disposed of it
• Aggressor- Deflates status of others, expresses
  disapproval, jokes at the expense of others,
  expresses ill will or envy
• Recognition seeker- Boasts, calls attention to
  self, relates irrelevant personal experiences,
  seeks sympathy or pity
• Dominator- Tries to run the group by giving
  directions, ordering, and interrupting insists
  on his or her own way
• Observer- Part of the group but only watches not
  an active participant
• Isolate- Does not participate may not want to be
  part of the group