COM 259 Module 6: Small Group Communication Definitions

Agenda

guide or overview of topics to be covered during a meeting

Tuckman’s 5 Stages of Team Development

1. Forming

2. Storming

3. Norming

4. Performing

5. Adjourning

Von Oech’s Innovative Problem-Solving Roles

• Explorer - seeks out new information.

• Artist - puts ideas together in new ways.

• Judge - evaluates possible solutions and chooses which to implement.

• Warrior - develops and carries out the plan.

Dewey’s Reflective Thinking - Five step model for problem-solving

1. Describe and analyze the problem.

2. Generate possible solutions.

3. Evaluate all solutions.

4. Decide on a solution.

5. Plan how to implement the solution.

Types of Team Roles

• Task Roles - helps the team achieve goals, e.g. initiator, opinion-seeker, coordinator.

• Relationship Roles - helps to maintain positive relationships between team members, e.g. supporter, harmonizer, gatekeeper .

• Self-Centered Roles - interferes with the team's ability to complete tasks, e.g. dominator, clown.

Devil’s Advocate

functional team role that ensures dissenting points of view are discussed.

Groupthink

tendency of highly cohesive groups to suspend critical thinking and make faulty decisions.

False Empowerment

when a leader acts as though they plan to involve the entire group in making a decision, but will ultimately act independent of group member inputs. This leads to suspension of critical thinking in meetings, or meetingthink.

Unite Approach

A means of handling conflict where team members describe not just their positions—or what they want—but also their interests—why they want something and the needs and concerns underlying a proposed solution.

Team Dynamics

characteristics that influence how well a group of people works together. These include individual characteristics as well as how a team chooses to interact and complete its work together.

Shared Mindset

when team members see themselves as having a collective identity and understanding of what they are doing.

Difference-Driven Inquiry

a means of emphasizing diversity within a team to focus on communication rather than tools when brainstorming how to solve a problem or approach a collective task. 

Systems Theory

all of the interrelated parts of a system work together to maintain itself. Aspects of a system include:

• Synergy

• Interdependence

• Equilibrium

• Adaptation

• Homeostasis

Social Loafer

someone in a group who is not making an equitable contribution.

Virtuality

the use of mediated technologies to interact with others.

Competence Trust

perception of team members as capable and dependable.

Relational Trust

perception of team members as being willing to stand up for one another in conflict situations