Chapter 7: Groups & Leaders

1. Chapter 7: Groups & Leaders Lecture by: Chris Ross

2. What Makes a Group? • Defining a Group • Common Purpose => people working toward the same goal or are collected as a group to achieve a particular result. • People in groups tend to: be organized, aware and communicate

3. What Makes a Group? • Defining a Group • Groups can communicate differently • Small groups are something we are used to (board meetings, friends going out, chore schedules)

4. What Makes a Group? • Communication & Transaction of Groups • See Table 7.1 on page 164 for the types of groups. • Formal • Advisory • Creative • Support • Networking

5. Formation of Groups • Tuckman’s Five Stages of Group Development • Forming • Storming • Norming • Performing • Adjourning

6. Formation of Groups • Forming => Group comes into existence and seeks direction from a leader about the nature of its task and procedures • Storming => Group gets creative. Focusing on its goals, it may become entangled in socioemotional and relationship storms and interpersonal conflict between individuals.

7. Formation of Groups • Norming => Group defines its purposes, roles and procedures, moving more formally toward a solution. • Performing => Having established how it will perform its task, the group now does so. Members seek solutions to their programs but are careful about another’s feelings.

8. Formation of Groups • Adjourning => The group reflects on its achievements underlines its per formative accomplishments, and closes itself down. A good leader will summarize what has been done, repeat who has been assigned tasks to be done before the next meeting and thank everyone and be the cheerleader.

9. Formation of Groups • Fisher’s Model of Group Progression • Orientation => Group members get to know each other and deal with problems they have convened to deal with • Conflict => Group argues about possible ways to handle the program and start to seek solutions. • Emergence => Occurs when some daylight of consensus beings to dawn. Group sees the emergence of possible agreement • Reinforcement => Group explicitly consolidates consensus to complete the task

10. Formation of Groups • Communication & Relationships in Groups • Some will only participate nonverbally to the leader

11. Formation of Groups • Speech Style Differences • Different groups have to use different styles. • Legislatures use (most of the time) formal language in the meetings. • Students in study groups use informal

12. Formation of Groups • Key Point About Groups & Communication • Groups are not structures but communicative related membership systems • Groups interact because of communicative relationships not because of their composition

13. Features of Groups • Togetherness: Cohesiveness & Relationships in Groups • Members of a group are first defined by their common motives and goals. • EX: We are going to be a group who works on our project for class together. Our goal is to get an A.

14. Features of Groups • Interdependence => everyone relies on everyone else to do his or her part of the job well. • Groups cannot function well if this does not exist. • This often is a division of jobs so that goals can be achieved.

15. Features of Groups • Commitment • By sharing common goals usually all members are committed to the desired outcome. • Group members show commitment by showing up for meetings; getting tasks accomplished; and care for each other’s well being.

16. Features of Groups • Cohesiveness => describes people working in union (teamwork). • Having some respect and cohesiveness make the group more effective

17. Features of Groups • Avoiding Out-Groups • Out-Groups => Those who feel undervalued, mistreated, disrespected, not included or overlooked. • Sometimes can be disruptive. If so they can prevent the group from completing tasks.

18. Features of Groups • Expectations About Performance • Small groups have specific expectations for members to behave. Engaging in them correctly usually has positive reinforcement.

19. Features of Groups • Group Norms => established status relationships, values and sanctions. • They are informal rules and procedures for the group

20. Features of Groups • Negative Norms • Works to break down defensiveness about egos. • Dismiss individuality • These tend to happen in military or specific therapies.

21. Features of Groups • Enforcing the Norms • Group Sanctions => punishments for stepping out of line.

22. Features of Groups • Member Roles • Some roles will have titles or special assignments to them

23. Features of Groups • Informal Roles • Groups that meet more often or interact more see patterns of interaction continue and reinforce roles.

24. Features of Groups • Roles & Traits • Sometimes people have the traits needed for a role. Other times the situation will shape what role a person will take or how they use their traits.

25. Features of Groups • Group Culture => How members talk to one another, the clothes they wear, the special terms/language/jokes used, etc.

26. Leadership • Leadership => the formal position where a specific person has power over the others in the group.

27. Task Leader Socioemotional Leaders • Stresses the activity of group • Keeps members on topic • Make sure decisions are made • Responsible for driving group’s intended accomplishment • Charged with Directing • Makes sure group reaches conclusion in time • Summarizes what got done • Sets next agenda. • Pays attention to everyone’s feelings • Ensures all are comfortable with decisions • Allows for turn taking • All are happy with Outcome • Even keeled personal relationships • Manages ‘face’ and handles feelings Leadership- Leadership Styles

28. Leadership • Formal Power => Power has been formally allocated by a system or group • Informal Power => Based on liking, relationships, and communication competence.

29. Leadership • French & Raven’s Five Types of Power • Legitimate • Expert • Referent • Reward • Coercive See page 157, Table 7.2

30. Leadership • Leadership is Transacted • Leadership is an interpersonal process, not a trait • Leadership is not a person but something between people

31. Group Decision Making • Group Goals & Function • It is easy to get off task if bored • Some want to save face of others • Formal groups work better when they have objectives clearly worked out beforehand and maybe an agenda to follow

32. Group Decision Making • Communication That Helps Group Decision Making • Promotive Communication • Disruptive Communication • Counteractive Communication See page 179; table 7.3

33. Leadership & Group Decision… • Bad Group Decisions • Making everyone happy and not make tough decisions only leads to conformity. • Groupthink=> members place a higher priority on keeping the process running smoothly and agreeably than they do on voicing opinions that contradict the majority.

34. Group Decision Making • Relationship Concepts in Group Decision Making • Group Culture • Group History • Group Future • Group Norms • Cohesiveness • Conformity • Group Thinks See page 180; table 7.4 for more information

35. Group Decision Making • Group Decision Making & Persuasion • Leaders do not always get their own way • Where you stand in the group influences whether or not people do what you want

36. Group Decision Making • Group Decisions are Influence by Outside Relationships & Interactions • Sometimes a motion passes on who made it, not what is behind it • Everyone can be influenced by our groups and social lives

37. Chapter Assignments • Discussions • What communicative and relational skills make a leader into a good leader? • How can a group promote its own decision-making capacities in more effective ways?

38. Chapter Assignments • Buddy/Group Work • Who do your friends think are a good leader? Why? • What group norms and rituals can you identify in the small groups and organizations to which you belong?

39. Chapter Assignments • Written Work • In any reality show you watch, how do groups form, what are their dynamics and transactions and what their weaknesses? • Some say leaders must use authority to mobilize people to face though decisions when the followers are struggling with change and personal growth. Other stress that leaders should take care of and nurture their followers. What do you think? • Share an experience of negative group work that you were a part of. What caused the group to be negative?