Group Development Member Roles Dysfunctional Members Resolving Conflict

Group Development Member Roles Dysfunctional Members Resolving Conflict

Group Development n n n Dimensions of an Effective Group: (Bales, 1953) Task Dimension: the content and purpose of the group meeting.

Group Development n n Person Dimension: interpersonal process and satisfaction participants derive from working with each other. Both must be in place for effectiveness.

Group Development n n Group Member Roles: Benne and Sheats (1948): Initiator-contributor: proposes original ideas, changes, launches discussion, moves group into new areas of discussion.

Group Development n Information seeker: asks for clarification in terms of factual adequacy. Seeks expert information and relevant facts.

Group Development: Task Roles n n Opinion seeker: asks for clarification of values, checks on others' attitudes and feelings surrounding the issues. Information giver: provides factual, authoritative information on own experience relevant to the problem, emphasis what the group should do.

Group Development: Task Roles n n Elaborator: picks up on others' suggestions and amplifies with examples. Coordinator: shows link between ideas and suggestions, connects diverse ideas Orienter: clarifies the groups' position, reviews, reminds group of goal Evaluator-critic: evaluates proposals of the group against criteria of effectiveness.

Group Development: Task Roles n n n Energizer: focuses the group to move toward decisions. Challenges and prods the group into further action. Procedural technician: takes care of logistics, materials, etc. Recorder: writes down group's suggestions and decisions. Keeps on ongoing record of what transpires.

Case Study 1: Task Roles + Dysfunctional Roles n Task: You have been selected as the district committee who will work together to design a proposal for school boundary changes. There are three community groups who could be affected. Because of the school populations, your team has to decide which of the two communities will make the change and which group will not have to make the change.

Case Study #1: Task Roles + Dysfunctional Roles n n n Community 1: High View: Blocker, Dominator, and Initiator. Contributor Community 2: Forest Lake: Principal, Aggressor, Recorder/Energizer Community 3: Pristine Meadow: Recognition Seeker, Elaborator, Opinion. Giver

Group Development: Person Roles n n n Person Roles: Encourager: affirms, supports, accepts contributions of others, shows warm and positive attitude. Harmonizer: conciliates differences between individuals. Looks for ways to reduce tension using explanations and humor.

Group Development: Person Roles n n Gatekeeper or expediter: regulates flow of communication by seeing that all members have a chance to talk. Encourages quiet members to speak. Proposes regulations when participation becomes unbalanced. Standard setter/ego ideal: appeals to group's pride. Doesn't let group give up.

Group Development: Person Roles n n Observer and commentator: monitors the works of the group, records who speaks to where and where roadblocks occur. Provides feedback when group wishes to evaluate processes. Follower: is willing to accept the decisions of the group and follow them whether or not he/she has influenced decision.

Group Development: Dysfunctional Roles n n n Dysfunctional Roles: Aggressor: personally attacks worth of other members, belittles, deflates status, verbal attacks. "That's a crazy idea!" Blocker: sees all opinions and suggestions as negative. Opposes decisions. Refuses to proposal alternatives. "It's futile to do anything. "

Group Development: Dysfunctional Roles n n n Recognition-seeker: uses group setting to receive personal attention. Scatters books, falls, asleep, etc. Self-confessor: uses group to vent personal feelings not related to group task Playboy or playgirl: Lacks interest and involvement, uses group setting to have fun. Distracts. Tells private jokes, etc.

Group Development: Dysfunctional Roles n n n Dominator: asserts superiority in controlling group discussion and dictates what members should do. Help-seeker: tires to gain group's sympathy by expressing feelings of inadequacy or personal confusion. Special-interest pleader: cloaks own bias by using outside group. "The parents won't like that. . "

Case Study 2: Budget Cuts n The State Legislature has met and has passed down a $2 million cut to your university. Your task is to decide which programs are cut and by how much. Your university has won the last three state regional championships in football, your math/science department had planned a new building, and you have a mediocre music/art department.

Case Study 2: n n n Head Football Coach: Dominator Arts/Music Department Chair: Playboy/Playgirl Math /Science Department Chair: Special. Interest Pleader University Advisory Board: Self-Confessor University President: Compromiser

Group Development n n n n Changing Group Leadership Style: 'Situational Leadership': Hersey & Blanchard (1969, 1988) Style 1: High task, low relationship Style 2: High task, high relationship Style 3: High relationship, low task Style 4: Low relationship, low task Look at readiness level of group. (p. 248)

Group Development n n n Developmental Supervision / Groups Directive Control: used when group functions at low developmental level, lacking expertise need to solve problem, without commitment or resolution or in an emergency. Supervisor tells. Directive Informational: group functions at low level. Supervisor presents.

Group Development n n Collaborative Behaviors: group functions at moderate or mixed level, supervisor and group have same degree of expertise. Supervisor clarifies and listens. Nondirective Behaviors: used when group functions at high level, possess extensive expertise and is highly committed to solving problem. Supervisor listens and reflects.

Group Development n n Dealing w/ Dysfunctional Members: Observe the Member: Who does the dysfunctional behavior? How does the group react? Try to Understand the Member: Why does the member persist with behavior? Communicate w/ the Member: "I've noticed. . . " Describe the situation.

Group Development n n Establish Rules for Future Behavior: ask or suggest rules for dysfunctional member. "If we're not on the right course, tell us only once. . " Redirect Unfavorable Behavior: pick up on dysfunctional behavior and try to make it functional. Ex: dominator could be 'recorder', playboy/girl -- intro w/ a joke.

Group Development n n Resolving Conflict: 1. Ask each member to state his or her conflicting position. 2. Ask each member to restate the other's position. 3. Ask each member of the conflict still exists.

Group Development n n 4. Ask for underlying value positions: Why do they still stick to their positions? 5. Ask other members of the group if there is a third position that synthesizes compromises or transcends the conflict. If not, re-clarify various positions. Acknowledge that there is no apparent reconciliation and move discussion to other concerns.

Group Development n n Preparing for Group Meetings: Agendas: Set clear task and purpose Establish Group Rules: Make expected behaviors clear: participation expected, interpersonal expectations, decisionmaking process, follow-up, etc. Guided Discussion: What questions should be asked. Open-ended, formal?