Week 4 PBL Group Development and Dynamics

Advantages of virtual teams

Flexibility and access to diverse expertise

Disadvantages of virtual teams

Miscommunication, lack of nonverbal cues, slower trust building

Advantages of working in groups

Better decisions, enhanced learning, creativity, shared resources, member satisfaction

Disadvantages of working in groups

Time-consuming, conflict, social loafing, dominating members, poor communication

Types of norms

Interaction, procedural, status, achievement

Constructive nonconformity

Challenging norms appropriately to improve group decisions

Deconstructive nonconformity

Disruptive behaviour that harms group effectiveness

what do ethical groups do?

Encourage dissent (disagreement), avoid pressure to conform, value fairness and inclusion

Types of motivation

Sense of meaningfulness, choice (autonomy in decision making), competence, progress

Schutz’s inclusion need

States that groups function best when three needs are balanced: inclusion, control, affection

Belbin’s team role theory

• Teams need different strengths

• Weaknesses in one role are balanced by others

Group development stages

Forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning

Forming

Polite interactions and getting familiar

Storming

Conflict and expression of ideas

Norming

Establishment of norms and cohesion

Performing

Working toward goals

Adjourning

Group disbands after completing goals

Task cohesion

The degree of commitment of group members to the purpose and activities of the group

Group climate

The tone and quality of group interaction that is experienced similar by group members

Internal confomity pressures

An internal drive to be seen as part of the group

External conformity pressures

• Group policies

• Potential for reward or punishment

Groupthink

The lack of critical evaluation of ideas, high level of agreement and a fear of argument

Procedural conflict

Conflict about how things should be done

Resolutions for procedural conflict

• Clarifying procedures

• Change existing procedures

• Invite proposals from members

Substantive conflict

• Conflict over ideas and content

• Involves differences in beliefs, attitudes, values, opinions

Management Strategies of Substantive Conflict

• Avoid shutting down discussion too early

• Encourage all viewpoints to be heard

• Aim to find common ground

Interpersonal conflict

• Conflict rooted in personal issues between members

• Focuses on personality clashes, emotional tensions and relationship problems

Management Strategies for Interpersonal Conflict

• Address the root cause not just symptoms

• Mediation may involve group leaders, neutral group members, outside third parties

Designated Leadership

• Leaders are officially recognized or appointed/elected

• Authority is tied to position and role within group

Emergent leadership

• Leaders gain status through participation and engagement

• Are resources rather than formal authorities

Trait approach to Leadership

• Where leadership is explained by personal traits

• Common traits studied include physical appearance, communication ability, intelligence, personality

Limitations to trait approach

• Useful for understanding how people imagine “ideal” leaders

• Limited usefulness because it offers little insight into how leadership develops

Situational approach to leadership

Where leadership depends on group structure, context and interaction patterns

Communication-Based Leadership Approach

• Where leadership emerges through communication behaviours

• Leadership is viewed as learnable, adaptable and developable

Directive leadership Style

• Help provide psychological structure for their group members by clearly communicating expectation

• Provide guidance as group members towards the completion of their task

Participative leadership style

• Work to include group members in the decision making process

• Consider others opinions and suggestions

Supportive leadership style

Show concern for their followers’ needs and emotions

Achievement-oriented leadership style

• Strive for excellence and set challenging goals

• Have confidence that group members can meet their high expectations

Legitimate power in group leadership

Comes from the officially recognized power, status, title of group member

Expert power

Comes from knowledge, skill, expertise that a group member possesses and other group members do not

Referent power

Comes from the attractiveness, likeability and charisma of the group member

Information power

Comes from a person’s ability to access information that comes through informal networks and social and professional connections

Reward power

Comes from the ability of a group member to provide a positive incentive (reward) as a compliance-gaining strategy

Coercive power

Comes from the ability of a group member to provide a negative incentive (punishment)