The following represents a composite of information about groups and teams that can be shared with students to help increase their understanding of group dynamics and thus improve their performance on group assignments.
STRUCTURE: Groups develop a structure to accomplish their tasks. Duality of structure: structure guides interactions; interactions produce/re-produce structure.
1. Groups are systems. Actions of each person affects the overall group.
2. Member characteristics: The combination of the members' qualities determines the "team personality."
3. Roles: Each member plays a role in the group. The role is dependent upon what other roles are being enacted. Roles change. Some are assigned, most emerge.
4. Leadership Role: Certain leadership functions must be performed for groups to accomplish their tasks. The functions can be centralized or shared.
5. Norms are rules that govern behavior that may be either explicit or implicit. Groups start with socially prescribed norms and then add their own. When norms aren't enforced they cease to exist.
6. Task: The nature of the task affects the type of structure. LACK OF A CLEAR TASK AND PURPOSE CREATES FRUSTRATION AND OFTEN FAILURE.
7. Decision Making/Problem Solving: Groups should establish a procedure for addressing the issue. If it's a problem-solution task, they should adapt an appropriate problem-solution procedure. If it's decision making, they should decide what issues need to be addressed. They also need to evaluate what information they have and need.
PROCESS: Groups are not static and a number of factors influence
1. Social and task process. Groups meet social needs but groups can become too social. Groups must attend both aspects.
2. Groups are networks of interpersonal relationships. Approach groups from an interpersonal perspective. Members like some members more than others. Results in coalitions, alliances, and cliques.
3. Ultimately, power is a key issue in group processing. Members give each other influence. Most group conflicts are power struggles; attempting to assert one position over another's.
PROCESS (Continued)
4. Groups go through stages: Orientation-Conflict over rules and roles-Creation of structure (plan)-Performance/Enactment. May cycle through the states repeatedly.
5. Groups must balance creativity against conforming; and individual rights versus the collective will. GROUPS ARE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS. No "I" in TEAM.
CLIMATE: Groups create an atmosphere that either enhances or undermines goal attainment.
1. Primary tension exists during meeting new members. Secondary tension is created by interpersonal dynamics, task issues, etc.
2. Cohesion is the sum of members' desire to be a member of the team.
3. Conformity-members agree for the purpose of acceptance or ease. Deviance is when members refuse to agree or accept rules or roles.
4. Groupmind/groupthink: groups fool themselves into believing they are being more successful than the really are. Fail to be objective and critical. Can occur when time runs out.
5. Conflicts occur when roles, rules, and expectations are unclear or being challenged. "Ego conflicts" involve attacks on members' self-concepts. Simple conflicts focus on issues.
6. Where the group meets and when the group meets affects the interaction. Meeting at a member's house may make that member the host or hostess and create distractions.
7. Synergy is the notion that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts; the interaction among group members produces an energy.
PRODUCT:
1. Each member has something to contribute; groups failing to tap every member are less than completely successful.
2. The best decision, solution, or outcome have taken advantage of the diversity represented in a collaborative and collective manner.
3. All members need to be held accountable. All members share equal responsibility for the successes and failures of the group.
Redmond: Group Workshop