Group Dynamics

1. Leadership Skills Development Group Dynamics

2. What is a GROUP? • 2 or more individuals interacting with each other in order to accomplish tasks

3. FOUR REQUIREMENTS FOR A GROUP • Purpose – common GOALS are what motivates the group • Leadership – structured so that responsibilities are shared • Communication – connects members and provides for exchange of ideas • Acceptance – members must not discriminate within the group

4. STAGE 1: Forming (Polite But Untrusting) • High dependence on leader • Safe behavior & guidance • Simple, avoid controversy • To progress, members must be able to risk conflict

5. STAGE 2: Storming (Testing Others) • Competition & conflict over leadership, power, & authority • Cliques may sometimes form • Who is responsible for what?

6. STAGE 3: Norming Valuing Other Types • Having had their arguments, group members now understand each other better • Contributions, community building, feeling of belonging • Resist change and fear the break-up of the group

7. STAGE 4: Performing (Flexibility From Trust) • Group identity, loyalty, and morale are all high • High degree of comfort – energy is directed towards tasks • No longer a need for group approval

8. ****STAGE 5: Adjourning • Termination of the group/team • Recognition for participation and achievement • “Goodbye” in effect is a minor crisis – a movement from giving up control to moving on

9. Traffic Jam Objectives: The student will engage in an activity that tests his or her ability to work as a member of a group. The student will participate in a group problem solving activity in order to apply his to her knowledge of group dynamics. Materials: Spot Markers Activity: Form the dots into a horseshoe shape. Group members stand on the spot markers with an empty spot as the dividing point. Group A must go over to group B’s side in the same order and group B must do the same. Following the rules below: Only one person can move at a time. Participants can only move toward their new spot, never backward. Participants can only move to a vacant spot next to them, or jump one person from the opposite side into a vacant spot next to them. If no more moves are possible or a rule is broken, the leader honks the horn and the group’s starts over from their original spots. Once the team has solved the problem, have them set a time goal for completing it. Next see if they can complete the moves while no one speaks.

10. Conclusion: Process the activity focusing on the application of the Covey Quadrants: • Did group members notice win-win, win-lose, lose-win, or lose-lose thinking at work? • What quadrant did people feel like they were during the activity? Did they feel like they were in multiple quadrants as the activity progressed? • Did win-lose thinking arise? Did individuals feel frustrated at not being able to move themselves and fail to focus on the progress of the group? • Did lose-win thinking arise? Did individuals completely abandon their own role and focus entirely on the group? • Did a case of “too many leaders, not enough followers” emerge? How does this relate to the Covey quadrant? • How did the delegates ultimately complete the activity? What was the difference in group process from the beginning to the conclusion of the activity?

11. What is Group Dynamics? • The term “group dynamics” refers to the complex forces that are acting upon every group and causes it to behave the way it does. • Some things don’t change (static) – name, constitution, and purpose • Groups themselves are changing due to the various forces that are acting upon them

12. Intrapersonal Forces • The forces within a person: • Self-concept • Personality characteristics • Basic needs: food, water, shelter • Physical and emotional conditions • The need to feel as though they are contributing • Objectives or plans that have nothing to do with the group (hidden agenda)

13. Interpersonal Forces • The forces acting among the group members. • Degree to which members know each other, like or dislike each other, understand each other • Status of individuals – real or assumed • Assumptions regarding others, ideas, or attitudes • Communication among members • Behavior patterns of individuals

14. Environmental Forces • The external forces surrounding the group. • Total environment: the physical setting and arrangement of a meeting place, including noise, temperature, comfort, time, conditions, etc… • Forces generated by the way other members act: voice, mannerisms, attitudes, speech, patterns, vocabulary, etc…

15. Functional Roles Examples • Initiator – Proposes or goals; Suggests a procedure or idea for problem solving; Motivates the group to a higher activity level or higher quality • The Gate-Keeper– Attempts to keep the lines of communication open; Encourages ideas and participation; Proposes regulations to allow communication to flow • The Compromiser– Yields to another person to keep harmony in the group; Compromises his/her own position for the effectiveness of the group • The Information Seeker– Requests facts; Seeks relevant information about group concerns; Asks for suggestions and ideas • The Information Giver– Offers facts providing relevant information about group concerns; States beliefs and gives suggestions • The Harmonizer– Mediates differences among other members; Attempts to reconcile disagreements; Relieves tension in conflict situations • The Encourager– Agrees with and accepts the contributions of others; Indicates warmth and solidarity in his/her attitude of group members; Offers commendation and praise • The Follower– Goes along with the movement of the group; Accepts the ideas of others; Serves as an audience in group discussion and decision • The Recorder– Writes down suggestion; makes a record of group decisions

16. Non-Functional Roles Examples • The Aggressor– Deflates the status of others; Attacks the group of the problem it is working on; Jokes aggressively; Tries to take credit for another member’s contribution • The Blocker– Tends to be negative and stubbornly resistant; Disagrees and opposes without reason; Attempts to maintain or bring back an issue after the group has rejected or by-passed it • The Recognition Seeker– Works in various ways to call attention to him or herself; boasts and reports on personal achievements; Acts in unusual ways; Struggles to prevent being placed in an inferior position • The Playboy– Makes a display of his//her lack o f involvement; Is cynical an nonchalant; Goofs off and cracks inappropriate jokes • The Dominator– Asserts authority or superiority in manipulating the group; Asserts superior status or right to attention; Gives directions authoritatively; Interrupts the contributions of others • The Deserter– Shows little or no interest in group activities; Withdraws from any active participation in accomplishing the groups tasks; Daydreams

17. Conflict Resolution What is conflict? A problematic situation where the concerns or interests of two or more parties appear incompatible.

18. Why does conflict exist in organizations? Because group members see the needs of the organization differently due to different values, goals and/or prior experiences

19. When conflict is ignored, or approached on a win/lose basis: • Communication breaks down • Animosities develop • The ability of the group to function is impaired Conflict can be healthy if it is handled and resolved amicably.

20. How can conflict be a positive force in an organization? • Can enhance a group or organization by exploring differences that are created by the conflict. If it is dealt with openly, people can be stimulated to creativity, alternatives are considered, better ideas are generated, a better course of action results, and more positive relationships develop. Most problems are caused by the waypeople choose to handle conflict.

21. Ways of Dealing with Organizational Conflict • Competition – “I win. You lose.” I getall my needs met; you get nothing • Accommodation – “I lose. You Win.” I give in; you get everything. • Avoidance – “I lose. You lose.” Neither of us gets anything. • Compromise – “We both win. We both lose.” Each of us gets a little and gives a little. • Collaboration – “No win – no lose.” We redefine the problem and find a creative solution that satisfies both of our needs.

22. Conflict Intervention and Prevention • Behavior Management – You are responsible for your own behavior. Your behavior and the behavior of the other members greatly influences the effectiveness of each session. • Showing you Care–Be welcoming, greet members by nameand with a smile, be interested in them, laugh with others but not at them or their mistakes, be aware of accomplishments and take time to compliment them on their involvement and efforts • Using the Right Words– Ask “What doyou understand?” vs. “What don’t you understand?” People don’t like to admit when they are confused. Use encouragement to motivate, give praise and recognition when needed. • Gaining and Maintaining Control– As a leader, you might be tested as group members may see how far they can push the rules. Three keys that will work with control: be firm – establish limits of behavior, be fair- people accept rules that are fairly set and applied, be consistent, difficult to follow a rule that keeps changing or is sporadically applied.

23. Types of Behavior • Passive Behavior– allow others to choose for you, lose in win-lose situations. Others achieve their goals at your expense. • Aggressive Behavior– choose for others, win-lose situations you must win. Self-enhancing, direct, • Assertive Behavior– choose for self, convert win-lose situations into win-win, appropriately honest, self-respecting, direct, straight forward

24. Constructive Criticism • “I” vs. “You” Statements: • You take control over your feelings and thoughts, instead of trying to take power from others. • Ex: “I don’t like the way you treat people” VS “You shouldn’t say that” • Problem vs. Person: • Focus on the problem you wish to resolve, not the person involved in the problem • Specific vs. Vague: • Know exactly what problem you are addressing. Vagueness will not pinpoint the problem but may in fact hinder the resolution of that problem • Timely vs. Untimely: • Give your feedback as soon as a problem arises. You do not want to dredge up the past. Focus on what is going on here and now.

25. Constructive Criticism Cont’d • Brief vs. Lengthy: • Avoid drowning the receiver in criticism. Make it short and to the point. • Sometimes/Often vs. Always Never: • Use “sometimes” or “often.” Very few situations in this world “always” or “never” happen, although we are tempted to say they do. • Effect vs. Cause: • Explain the effect of the problem rather than the cause. By examining the effect, the basis for criticism is clear. Identifying the cause once again places blame. • Changeable vs. Non-changeable: • Be critical of problems that can be changed. Effective, constructive criticism forces on changeable matters. Non-changeable situations can only be hindered by criticism. • The Final Statement: • Always try to finish the conversation on a positive note. Pick out something that will encourage the person to improve and motivate them.