Improving Group Dynamics such as Climate, Communication, Power, and Leadership

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Chapter 9

• Improving Group Dynamics such as Climate,
  Communication, Power, and Leadership

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Climate

• To increase the Communication Climate of the
  Group Situation one should start by simply
  working on the Basics
• Listen think about what we have studied thus
  far about listening effectively
• Respect other members
• Have a positive mindset
• Expect the best outcome and act accordingly

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• Build Cohesiveness (in the book)
• Cohesiveness is the degree to which an individual
  feel connected to and committed to the group.
• Create shared goals, norms, and values
• Engage in shared group activities
• consider getting together in a social situation
  such as dinner/pizza.
• Decrease internal threats
• make everyone feel that he/she has an important
  role to play.
• See the good in others
• Make progress toward the goal
• Do not leave the group meeting without making
  some future plans even if it is only a time to
  meet
• WARNING Can have TOO MUCH of a Good Thing

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CommunicationRemember that Increased interaction
equals increased satisfaction among group members

• Impacted by Patterns of interaction
• Chain a common style used in the military
• Communication follows from one person to another.
• Most efficient requires the least interaction
• Not reliable for lengthy or complex issues
• Wheel
• Gatekeeper (hub), one person acts as a
  clearinghouse, receiving and relaying messages to
  other members
• Works well when one person is more available to
  meet with all members via email, etc. or when
  relationships are strained between some members.
• All-Channel
• Members all meet face-to-face
• Greatest interaction greatest satisfaction

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• 2. Communication is also impacted by Seating
  arrangements
• Circular better than rectangular
• Members at ends of table are seen as
• Less friendly
• more powerful and influential

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Power

• Power is the ability to influence others
• All members of a group possess some degree of
  power.

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Some factors tend to increase a person's power

• They speak up in group discussion without
  dominating others,
• They demonstrate their competence on the subject
  being discussed
• They observe group norms
• They have support of other members.

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• Types of Power
• Legitimate title or position
• Coercive
• Expert
• Power which comes from what other group members
  feel a member knows or can do
• Reward
• Referent
• Information
• Power which comes from a members knowledge to
  help the group reach its goal.

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Leadership

• What is leadership?
• Do you think some people are more likely to
  become leaders than others?
• Do some people lead more effectively than others?
• What things determine the best way to lead a
  group?

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• Trait Theory basically maintain that some people
  are born to be leaders and possess Charisma
• Excellent social skills.
• Talk more often /fluently.
• Regarded as more popular, cooperative
• Possess goal-related skills that help groups
  perform tasks.
• More intelligent and more dependable.
• Want the role as leader and act in ways to help
  them achieve it.
• Tend to be slightly taller, heavier, and
  physically more attractive than other members.
• However, research shows that Charisma may be the
  result rather than the cause of effective
  leadership.

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Styles of Leadership

• Authoritarian
• Authoritative, take charge
• Rely on legitimate, coercive, and reward power
• this is what to do and how to do it
• Best in stressful or time sensitive situations
• Democratic
• invite member involvement in decision making
• Suggestions anyone?
• Best when the situation is non-stressful
• This style is more highly correlated with success
• Laissez-faire
• Leaderless collection of individuals

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• Are there times when each of these styles may be
  effective?
• How do we decide which style to use?

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Situational Leadership Leadership style based on
circumstances

• If conditions are highly favorable or highly
  unfavorable use task oriented approach (Fiedler)
• Highly favorable
• Leader has high power
• Relationship with others is strong
• Group task is clear
• Use delegation
• Style Democratic/Laissez-faire
• Highly unfavorable
• Leader has low power
• Relationship with others is weak
• Provide specific instructions and closely
  supervise.
• Style Authoritarian

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Hersey and Blanchard Situational Model

• If a group is comprised of highly motivated,
  knowledgeable, experienced, and responsible
  individuals then they will need less direct task
  guidance and more social support.
• If a group is less experienced, motivated,
  knowledgeable, and responsible then a more
  task-oriented approach will work best.
• A well-seasoned group may need little supervision
  at all.
• Remember, each situation is different and
  leadership styles should vary as well.

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Decision Making in Groups
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Types of Decision-Making

• Majority Rule
• Most people happy some resentful
• Minority Rule
• Good for minor, relatively basic decisions
• Expert Rule
• Authority Rule
• Good for quick decision or routine matter
• Consensus
• Greatest group satisfaction

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Group Problem Solving
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Problem-Solving

• Reflective Thinking Process
• Organized pattern of problem solving
• Six steps
• Identify problem
• sometimes this isnt as clear as you think
• Analyze problem
• what criteria or guidelines should be followed in
  determining solutions
• Develop Creative Solutions
• do not evaluate at this step
• Evaluate Possible Solutions
• Implement the Plan
• Follow up on Solution

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Creative Solutions

• Brainstorming
• Ban Killer Looks or Phrases
• do not evaluated ideas during this process
• Encourage Freewheeling
• any ideas go, do not limit group creativity
• Use Kaleidoscope Thinking (Piggybacking)
• combine ideas and use one idea to build on
  another
• Write Ideas Down

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• Nominal Group Technique
• Each person
• Writes a list of ideas
• Offers one idea which is placed on board
• Privately ranks ideas on scale of 1-5
• Top Ideas are kept and critiqued