Group Dynamic

1. Group Dynamics

2. Group Dynamics
“Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead

3. Group Dynamics
 To identify and analyze the social
processes that impact on group
development and performance.
 To acquire the skills necessary to
intervene and improve individual and
group performance in an organizational
context.
Objectives:

4. Objectives (contd)
 To build more successful organizations by
applying techniques that provide positive
impact on goal achievement.

5. Group Dynamics
The social process by which people interact
in a group environment
The influences of personality, power and
behaviour on the group process

6. Reasons for group formation
 SECURITY
 SOCIAL
 ESTEEM
 PROXIMITY
 ATTRACTION
 ORDERED TO

7. Types of Groups
Formal - structured to perform specific
tasks.
Informal - emerge naturally in response
to organizational or member interests.

8. Group Size
 to express individual viewpoints;
 to develop social relationships;
 to ensure everyone participates;
 for individual recognition.
Issues to be considered include opportunities:

9. Group Structure
 ensure that all skill sets are included;
 examine the impact of a poor performer
on group achievement;
Issues considered include:

10. Group Structure (contd)
 ensure a combination of leaders and
followers;
 examine the potential for personality
conflicts;
 impacts of member diversity.

11. Stages of team development and
associated management challenges
FORMING
(Orientation)
STORMING
(Internal problem
solving)
NORMING
(Growth and
productivity)
PERFORMING
(Evaluation
and control)
1. Establish structure, rules, communication networks
2. Clarify relations and interdependencies among members
3. Identify leader roles, clarify responsibility and authority
4. Develop plans for goals accomplishment.
1. Identify and resolve interpersonal conflict.
2. Further clarify rules, goals, and structural relationships
3. Develop participate climate among group members
1. Direct group activity toward goal accomplishment.
2. Develop data-flow & feedback systems for task performance.
3. Promote more cohesion among group members
1. Leader role emphasis on facilitation, feedback, and evaluation.
2. Renewal, revision, and strengthening of roles and group
interdependencies.
3. Show of strong motivation toward goal accomplishment

12. Group Development (contd)
Norming - issue resolution, develop
social agreements, cohesion, establish
group norms (interdependence)
Performing - mutual assistance,
creativity, understanding goals and roles
(independence)
Adjourning - closure, symbolism,
ceremonies, and emotional support.

13. Forming
Getting to know
each other
Adjourning
Disbanding and
celebrating
accomplishments
Performing
Maturation in
relationships and
task performance
Storming
Dealing with tensions
and defining group
tasks
Norming
Building relationships
and working together
Five Stages of Group
Development

14. Forming
Storming
Norming
Adjourning
Task
Performing

15. Relationship of team maturity and
performance
FORM STORM NORM PERFORM ADJOURN
Immature
Inefficient
Ineffective
Mature
Efficient
Effective
Possible
Failure
Possible
Failure
Possible
Failure
PERFORMANCE

16. Group Functions
 Task behaviours;
 Maintenance behaviours;
 Self-interest behaviours.

17. Task Behaviours
 initiating;
 information seeking/giving;
 clarifying ideas;
 brining closure;
 consensus testing.

18. Maintenance Behaviours
 encouraging;
 improving group atmosphere;
 harmonizing;
 compromising;
 gate-keeping.

19. Self-interest Behaviours
 dominating/controlling;
 blocking;
 manipulating;
 belittling;
 splitting hairs.

20. Group Norms
 social standards and acceptable
behaviours;
 collectively held expectations of group
functioning;
 provide regularity and predictability to
group functioning.

21. Types of Norms
 conduct;
 work performance/attendance;
 rearranging personal space;
 assisting co-workers;
 loyalty;
 dress codes;
 rewards.
Standards related to:

22. Roles
Assigned roles - chair, secretary, manager,
treasurer, etc;
Emergent roles - confidant, group clown,
gossip, mentor, etc;

23. Factors That Impact Effectiveness
Role Ambiguity - worker is unclear of job
definition;
Role Conflict - worker experiences job
overlap.

24. Status
Symbolic - office, administrative support,
perks;
Impact - authority, hierarchy, decision-
making, rewards.

25. Affected by the ability of the group to:
Group Cohesion
Work as a unit, share tasks, recognize member
contributions;
-VS-
Conflict, role ambiguity, lack of motivation;
-Attracts-
High performers, opportunists, achievers;
-Affected by-
Group size, cliques, acts of protest, self-interest
behaviour

26. Support
 training;
 reward system;
 empowerment/self-management;
 organizational
representativeness/diversity.

27. Sources and Consequences of
Group Cohesiveness

28. Factors Leading to Group
Cohesiveness
Factor
Group Size Smaller groups allow for high cohesiveness;
Low cohesiveness groups with many
members can benefit from splitting into two
groups.
Managed Diversity Diverse groups often come up with better
solutions.
Group Identity Encouraging a group to adopt a unique
identity and engage in competition with
others can increase cohesiveness.
Success Cohesiveness increases with success;
finding ways for a group to have some small
successes increases cohesiveness.

29. Transactional Analysis
Social transactions between individuals:
Parent - protective, nurturing,
controlling, critical, guiding.
Adult - rational, calculating, factual,
unemotional.
Child - rebellious, spontaneous,
dependant, creative, emotional.

30. Reactions
 I’m OK - You’re OK
 I’m OK - You’re not OK
 I’m not OK - You’re OK
 I’m not OK - You’re not OK

31. Individual Behaviour
Passive - easily “pushed around”,
compliant, submissive, non-resistant.
Aggressive - pushy, hostile, forceful,
creates conflict, shows disregard for
others.
Assertive - self-assured, confident,
positive, protects own rights, respects
others.

32. Effective Teams
 high skills, high motivation;
 have a clear picture of group goals;
 high performance;
 success attracts others;
 opportunity for individual recognition;
 recognition of professionalism.
Are a result of:

33. Effective Groups
 Focus on the task
 Have a clear understanding of task
 All members contribute
 Decisions are written down
 Feedback is task focussed
 Failures are explored
 Deadlock is debated ? by opposite groups
 Sign posting = reminding of larger task
 Avoid single solutions (or first solutions)
 Active communication

34. How do groups make decisions?
 Potential advantages of group decision making.
 More knowledge and expertise is applied to solve the
problem.
 A greater number of alternatives are examined.
 The final decision is better understood and accepted
by all group members.
 More commitment among all group members to make
the final decision work.

35. How do groups make decisions?
Potential disadvantages of group decision
making.
Individuals may feel compelled to conform to
the apparent wishes of the group.
The group’s decision may be dominated by
one individual or a small coalition.
Group decisions usually take longer to make.

36. How do groups make decisions?
 Groupthink.
 The tendency for members of highly cohesive groups
to lose their critical evaluation capabilities.
 Groupthink can lead the group to make poor decisions.
 Group members and leaders should:
– Be sensitive to the occurrence of groupthink.
– Take actions to prevent the occurrence of groupthink.

37. How do groups make decisions?
How to improve group decision making.
Brainstorming.
Nominal group technique.
Delphi technique.
Computer-mediated decision making.

38. How do groups make decisions?
Brainstorming.
Group members actively generate as many
ideas and alternatives as possible, and they do
so relatively quickly and without inhibitions.
 Brainstorming rules.
– All criticism is ruled out.
– Free-wheeling is welcomed.
– Quantity is wanted.
– Piggy-backing is good.

39. How do groups make decisions?
Nominal group technique.
A form of structured group decision making
that enables everyone to participate and have
his/her ideas heard without hostile criticism or
distortions.
A structured voting procedure is used to
prioritize responses to the nominal question.

40. How do groups make decisions?
 Delphi technique.
 Used in situations where group members are unable to
meet face to face.
 The process.
– A series of questions is distributed to a panel.
– Panel members submit their responses to a decision
coordinator.
– The decision coordinator summarizes the responses, and
sends the summary along with a follow-up questionnaire to
the panel.
– Panel members send in their responses.
– The process is repeated until a consensus is reached.

41. How do groups make decisions?
Computer-mediated decision making.
Electronic brainstorming through the use of
special software and personal computers..
The nominal group and Delphi techniques lend
themselves to computer mediation.

42. TEN CRITERIA FOR MEASURING THE
MATURITY OF A GROUP
1. Feedback mechanisms
2. Decision-making methods
3. Group loyalty/cohesion
4. Operating procedures
5. Use of member resources
6. Communications
7. Goals
8. Authority relations
9. Participation in leadership
10. Acceptance of minority views
Immature group
Poor
Dysfunctional
Low
Inflexible
Poor
Unclear
Not accepted
Independent
Low
Low
Mature group
Excellent
Functional
High
Flexible
Excellent
Clear
Accepted
Interdependent
High
High

43. Group Problem # 1
 Lack of Interaction
You are the TA for a group project
& your group is not interacting
1) think of 2 possible reasons why
2) come up with 2 possible solutions
for each reason

44. Group Problem # 2
 Unequal Participation
You are the TA for a group project
& you notice very unequal
participation
1) think of 2 possible reasons why
2) come up with 2 possible solutions
for each reason

45. Dynamics of Inter-group
competition (prevent the emergence of unhealthy
competition before it occurs)
 reward groups for making further contributions
 avoid win-lose competitions for rewards
 reward groups for giving help to one another
 stimulate frequent interactions between members
of different groups
 prevent groups from withdrawing and becoming
isolated from one another
 rotating members among different groups