Group Definition A group is a collection of

Group Definition ØA group is a collection of two or more people who work with one another regularly to achieve common goals. Ø Groups: l Help organizations accomplish important tasks. l Help to maintain a high-quality workforce by satisfying members’ needs.

What is the nature of groups in organizations? Ø Effective groups achieve high levels of: l Task performance. l Members attain performance goals regarding quantity, quality, and timeliness of work results. l Members satisfaction. l Members believe that their participation an experiences are positive and meet important personal needs. l Team viability. l Members are sufficiently satisfied to continue working together on an ongoing basis.

Benefits of Groups l Good for people l Improve productivity l Sometimes make better decisions l Increase commitment to decisions l Have control over members l Offset the negative effects of large organizational size

Groups and Task Performance l Create the opportunity for synergy. l In the absence of experts make better decisions l More willing to make risky decisions l Problem: Free riding, breakdown in dynamics

Types of Groups l Formal: officially designated for specific organizational purpose. l Informal: form spontaneously, l based on personal relationships and special interests, l can be found within formal groups l

Stages of Group Development l Forming: Everyone very polite, low productivity Primary concern entry into group. l What does the group offer me? l What will I be asked to do? l What is acceptable behavior? l

Stages of Group Development (Cont. ) l Storming: High emotionality and tension, low productivity. Expectations clarified and elaborated l Begin to focus on performance l Understanding increases l Cliques may form l

Stages of Group Development (Cont. ) l Norming: Rules and expectations set, higher productivity. Group comes together l Differences recede l Focus on maintaining group l Standards are clear l

Stages of Group Development (Cont. ) l Performing: Focus on productivity, highest productivity Total integration l Mature state, organized and well functioning l l Adjourning or Reforming Task completed group breaks up l Membership changes start over l

Decision Making in Groups l Lack of Response (Do nothing) l By Authority Rule (Chair decides) l Decision by Minority l Decision my Majority (Voting) l Decision by Consensus l Decision by Unanimity

Advantages of Group Decisions l Better information l More Alternatives Generated l Understanding and Acceptance better after decision. l Commitment to decision stronger

Disadvantages Of Group Decisions l Social Pressure to Conform--Group Think l Minority Domination l Time Demands

Team Work l Characteristics of High Performing Teams Strong sense of core values l Turn general sense of values into specific objectives l Have the right mix of skills l Possess Creativity l

How to Create a High Performance Team l Communicate High Performance Standards l Set the tone in first meeting--primacy l Make sure members have the right skills l Establish clear rules for team behavior l Find ways to create early success l Make sure members spend time together l Give positive feedback and reward high performance

Team Process: Task Activities l Initiating: offering ideas, suggestions solutions l Seeking Information: Clarifying suggestions, seeking functional accuracy, asking others. l Giving Information: Providing relevant information.

Team Process: Task Activities (cont) l Clarifying: clarifying relations among suggestions, coordinate members activities. l Summarizing: assessing group function, raising questions about logic.

Group Maintenance Activities l l l Encouraging: praising, accepting, agreeing, warmth. Harmonizing: mediating disagreements, seeking opportunities for compromise. Setting Standards: expressing standards for behavior and achievement. Following: going along, agreeing Gate keeping: encouraging participation, keeping some members from dominating.

Disruptive Behavior l Overly Aggressive l Withdrawing l Using group for self-confession l Talking about irrelevant matters l Trying to compete for attention

Group Cohesiveness l High Performing groups need cohesiveness l Cohesiveness is high when: Groups are homogeneous l Groups are small l Have shared goals l Members are Interdependent l Increases when groups are physically isolated l

Group Norms l Rules and Expectations that are enforced l Can be positive or negative, support goals or undermine them.

Relationship of Cohesion and Norms

Creating Cohesion l l l l Establish urgency and importance of task Goals: Get Agreement Membership: Increase Homogeneity Interactions: Increase within group Size: Small Groups Competition: Focus on other groups Rewards: Reward group results Location: Isolate group