Small Group Communication and Team Leadership

1
Small Group Communication and Team Leadership

• Are five heads really better than one?

2
Why Work in Groups?

• evidence of increased creativity
• increased commitment to implementation
• recognition of the potential contributions of
  workers outside of management
• opportunities for anonymity
• relational benefits

3
What Happens When a Group is Too Large...

• formation of subgroups
• unequal participation, less per member
• increased likelihood of domination
• higher demands on the leader
• needs higher tolerance for group takeover of
  administrative tasks
• more trouble achieving consensus

4
Possible Disadvantages to Groups

• The potential for social loafing
• One person may dominate the discussion
• Id rather do it myself syndrome
• Pressure to conform
• Risky shift phenomenon--possible explanations--no
  single person responsible, risky advocates more
  persuasive, our culture values risk taking

5
Definitions--Small Group Communication

• Gaut and Perrigo-- a collection of three or more
  individuals who interact with one another to
  achieve a common task or goal
• questions--when is a group too big to be a small
  group.must the interaction be face to face?

6
Typologies of Groups in Organizations

• Learning Groups
• Self Maintenance Groups
• Problem Solving Groups
• Therapeutic Groups

7
Druckers Group Typology

• Work teams--like a baseball team--on not in a
  team
• Cross functional teams--like a football
  team--each with primary responsibilities but
  contingency recognized
• Self managed teams--like a doubles team in
  tennis--no leaders, fully interchangeable

8
Some Principles of Small Group Leadership

• Leadership is not always vested in the formal
  leader of a group
• Leadership is multi-dimensional
• task orientation
• socio-emotional orientation
• Leadership cannot always be compelled

9
3 Styles of Group Leadership--Autocratic

• Autocratic or Authoritarian Leadership
• Advantages--time, efficiency, large groups,
  simple tasks
• Disadvantages-low cohesion
• Communication behaviors
• controls discussion, low involvement, infrequent
  feedback, dominates interaction

10
3 Styles of Group Leadership--Democratic

• Democratic Leadership
• advantage--satisfaction, commitment, complicated
  tasks
• disadvantage--inefficient
• Communication behaviors
• mediates conflict, encourages participation,
  socio-emotional orientation

11
3 Styles of Group Leadership--Laissez-faire

• Laissez-faire Leadership
• advantage--utilizes the talents of the group
• disadvantage--potential for misdirection
• Communication behaviors--facilitates group
  activity but not discussion, poor feedback,
  provides info at the direction of the group

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Types of Small Group Decisions

• Consensus
• Compromise
• Voting
• Railroading
• Coalitions/Handclasping