Leadership through Group Dynamics

1. A brief overview of theory and application Leadership through Group Dynamics

2. Group dynamics? I thought this was a leadership course? • Awareness • Expectations/Commitment • Knowledge

3. Why are you teaching this? • Academic interest • Adjunct for Central Community College - LIS program • BSA • NLLI, ARL/OLMS, etc.

4. I’m not a leader….. • Leaders aren’t always who we think they are. • Groups/Teams/Committees • Defining leadership broadly

5. Leadership v. Management • Opposing fields/Opposing terminology • Mostly semantics

6. A possible definition • Leadership v. management • Inspiring people • You can be either or both!

7. No, really, you can be a leader! • Formal and informal leadership roles. • Defined Roles • “Ad Hoc” Roles

8. Situational Leadership • No single "best" style of leadership. • Telling • Selling • Participating • Delegating Hersey, P. and Blanchard, K. H. (1969). Life cycle theory of leadership. Training and Development Journal, 23 (5), 26–34.

9. Tuckman’s Stages • First published in 1965 • Forming • Norming • Storming • Performing • Adjourning/Mourning Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Development sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384-399 Tuckman, B.W. & Jensen, M.A.C. (1977) Stages of small group development revisited. Group and Organizational Studies, 2, 419-427

10. Cog’s Ladder • Five Steps of Group Development • Polite • Why we’re here • Bids for Power • Cooperation/Constructive • Esprit Charrier, G. O. (1972). Cog's ladder: a model of group development. Advanced Management Journal, 37(1), 30–37.

11. Tubbs/Fisher Tubbs • Orientation • Conflict • Consensus • Closure Tubbs, Stewart. (1995). A systems approach to small group interaction. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995. Fisher • Orientation • Conflict • Emergence • Reinforcement Fisher, B. Aubrey. (1970). Decision emergence: Phases in group decision making. Speech Monographs, 37, 53-66.

12. Which one should we choose? • Tuckman • Forming • Norming • Storming • Performing • Why?

13. Forming(or Orientation, or Familiarity etc.) • The Immature Group • High enthusiasm and motivation • Low in Skills • “Honeymoon Period”

14. Forming – Expectations What to expect • Responsibilities • Lots of questions • Processes or lack thereof • Testing

15. How to Participate during Forming Specific Group Member Responsibilities • Accepting the new team identity • Learn the group's mission • Commitment to group goals • Getting to know one another • Friendliness and concern about others. • Participate in goal setting

16. Forming – Leadership Style Leader Directed • High task • Low relationship

17. Forming - Specific Actions • Listen • Introduce • Communicate Forming requires Explaining

18. Storming(or Confrontive, or Power etc.) • The Fractionated Group • Low enthusiasm AND still low in skills • Decisions don't come easily within group

19. Storming – Expectations What to expect • Establishment • Challenges • Uncertainties • Cliques and factions

20. How to Participate during Storming Specific Group Member Responsibilities • Focus on commonalities, not the differences • Listen actively and attentively • Support environment for expression of ideas • Manage disagreements

21. Storming – Leadership Style Directed Coaching • High task • High relationship

22. Storming- Specific Actions Specific Leader Actions • Provide • Restate • Create Storming requires Demonstrating

23. Norming(or Constructive, or Resolution or Supporting etc.) • The Sharing Group • Rising enthusiasm/growing skills • Sense of identity • Cooperation and integration

24. Norming – Expectations What to expect • Agreement and consensus • Delegation • Commitment • Shared Leadership

25. How to Participate during Norming Specific Group Member Responsibilities • Appreciation of differences • Recognition of group success • Use feedback • Greater involvement

26. Norming – Leadership Style Follower Directed/Motivating • Low Task • Low Relationship

27. Norming - Specific Actions Specific Leader Actions • Solicit • Encourage • Provide Normingrequires Guiding

28. Performing(or Production, or Synergy etc.) • The Effective Team • High enthusiasm and high skills • Commitment within the group • Energized

29. Performing – Expectations What to expect • Shared vision • Focus • Autonomy • Changing needs

30. How to Participate during Performing Specific Group Member Responsibilities • Take on more of the team's business • Letting the team leader operate at the boundaries of the team • Share in group accomplishments and productivity

31. Performing – Leadership Style Directed Mentoring • Low Task • Low Relationship

32. Performing - Specific Actions Specific Leader Actions • Providing • Rewarding • Celebrating Performingusually requires Enabling

33. Adjourning? • A closure of the group/team process. • Personal relations may be disengaged • Job tasks might be terminated

34. But not always! • High-performing • Deforming • Reforming • Mourning

35. Conclusion • Many theories, many similarities • Limitations • Strengths

36. Questions?

37. Sources Charrier, G. O. (1972). Cog's ladder: a model of group development. Advanced Management Journal, 37(1), 30–37. Chodash, S. & Ryan, R. (2012) The Leading EDGE/The Teaching EDGE. http://www.neic-woodbadge.org/ Accessed May 2012. Hersey, P. and Blanchard, K. H. (1969). Life cycle theory of leadership. Training and Development Journal, 23 (5), 26–34. Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Development sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384-399 Tuckman, B.W. & Jensen, M.A.C. (1977) Stages of small group development revisited. Group and Organizational Studies, 2, 419-427 University of Kentucky Office of Student Activities, Leadership, & Involvement (n.d.) Group Dynamics. www.uky.edu/GetInvolved/Leadership/pdf/Group%20Dynamics.pdf. Accessed May 2012.