Unit 10 - Small Group Communication

Reasons to study small group comm:

fact of life (grouphate), enhanced college, career, and personal life

Advantages of Group Work:

more creative and higher quality decisions, more innovative, promotes critical thinking

Disadvantages of group work:

time consuming, too much closeness/agreement, premature decisions, silencing of divergent opinions, some members dominate/withdraw

Small Group:

3-7 ppl, common purpose, connection w/ each other, influence on each other

Virtual Small Group Challenges:

time zone, technology access, technology use choices

Virtual Small Group Attributes:

establishing group norms desireable, virtual problems present comm challenges, leads to misunderstanding and frustration

Types of comm roles in a small group:

group, task, relational, individual, disruptive or individual centered

Initiator-contributor:

proposes new ideas or approaches to group problem solving

Information seeker:

asks for information or clarification

Opinion seeker:

asks for opinions from others

Information giver:

provides facts, examples, and other evidence

Opinion giver:

offers beliefs or opinions

Elaborator:

explains ideas, offers examples to clarify ideas

Coordinator:

shows relationships among ideas presented

Orienter:

summarizes what has been discusses and keeps group focused

Evaluator-critic:

judges evidence and conclusions of group

Energizer:

motivates group members to greater productivity

Procedural technician:

performs logistical tasks

Recorder:

keeps a record of group activities and progress

Small Group Task Roles:

recorder, procedural technician, energizer, evaluator-critic, orienter, coordinator, elaborator, opinion giver, information giver, opinion seeker, info seeker, initiator-contributor

Encourager:

offers praise and acceptance of others ideas

Harmonizer:

mediates disagreement among group members

Compromiser:

attempts to resolve conflicts by trying to find an acceptable solution

Gatekeeper:

encourages less talkative group members to participate

Expediter:

tries to limit lengthy contributions of other group members

Standar setter:

helps set standards and goals for group

Group observer:

keeps records of groups process and uses info that is gathered to evaluate group procedures

Follower:

goes along with other members, serves as an audience in group discussion/ decision making

Small Group Relational Roles:

follower, group observer, standard setter, expediter, gatekeeper, compromiser, harmonizer, encourager

Aggressor:

attacks other members, tries to take credit

Blocker:

generally negative and stubborn for no apparent reason

Recognition seeker:

calls excessive attention to his/her personal achievements

Self-confessor:

uses group as audience to report non-group-related personal feelings

Joker:

lacks involvement in group process, distracts others with stories and jokes

Dominator:

asserts control by manipulating group members/ trying to take over, may use flattery or assertive behavior

Help seeker:

tries to gain unwarranted sympathy, often with insecurity or low self worth

Special interest pleader:

works to serve individual need rather than group interest

Small Group Individual Roles:

special-interest pleader, help seeker, dominator, joker, self-confessor, recognition seeker, blocker, aggressor

Leadership:

influence relationship, intention to change, outcomes reflect shared purpose, provess involves relationships between leaders and followers

Trait Theory:

leaders are born, associated with extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and intelligence, most experts reject

Functional (situational) Theory:

leadership behaviors are learned, flexible to group needs, shared leadership

Shared Leadership:

members equal partners, common purpose, work together in complex situations, share responsibility

Style Theory:

authoritarian, democratic, laissez-faire

Transformational Leadership Theory:

personalized relationships, high morale, ethical standards, challenge the status quo, encourage and inspire innovation

Charismatic Leadership:

confused with transformational leadership, self-confident, inspire dedication and loyalty, may be short lived (leaders may be autocratic and self-serving)

Transformational Attributes:

strong vision, high expectations for followers, builds relationships, creates loyalty to organization, enduring inspiration

Charismatic Attributes:

strong vision, high expectations for followers, relies on strong personality, creates loyalty to self, leadership may be short-lived

Servant Leadership Theory:

must excel at awareness, listening, empathizing, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, healing, commitment to growth of others, building community

Leadership in virtual groups:

set expectations, establish effective high quality relationships may be difficult, culture of communication

How is a culture of communication achieved in virtual groups?

regular communication, setting clear expectations, encouraging consensus and shared team cohesion

Achieving task effectiveness and group cohesion:

equal participation, consensus decision making style, cooperative conflict style, respectful comm style

Dewey Sequence of Problem Solving:

define and delineate the problem, analyze the problem (avoid analysis paralysis), identify alternative solutions (brainstorm), evaluate proposed solutions, choose best solution

Decision making phases:

orientation (primary tension), conflict (secondary tension), emergence, reinforcement

Groupthink:

high level of cohesion, members feel pressure to conform, illusion of invulnerability/unaminity

Preventing Groupthink:

be aware of symptoms, follow established procedure, play devils advocate, encourage critical evaluation

Power and group Comm:

influenced by politics, economics, history, identities, groups form power structure

Power Structures:

legitimate (facilitates group process), coercive (unproductive)

Innovation:

different perspectives yield variety of information

Performance (efficacy):

improved through focusing on common goal and commonalities

Group Processes:

collectivists yield more group satisfaction, diversity does not inhibit group

Group enjoyment:

diverse group (high enjoyment lower turnover), demographic diversity and deeper cultural differences in attitudes, cultural background can enhance group innovation performance and enjoyment

Ethical Guidlines in Small Groups:

strengthen group relationships, communicate, fair/responsible group decision

Strengthening group relationships:

committment, do your share, open comm

Communication Practices in Group:

truthfulness, accuracy, confidentiality, authenticity

Cultivating Interdependent Attitude:

we orientation, be cooperative, strive for trust and cohesion

How to strive for trust/cohesion:

recognize/acknowledge contributions and achievements, remind group of common interests and experiences, notice when someon may not feel appreiciated/involved