GEACM01X Communicaton and Leadership

Members’ Roles

• Task-based Role

• Self-Centered Role

• Maintenance Role

Task-based Role

Require specific patterns of behavior that directly help the group accomplish its goals. Task roles include

• Initiator

• Information/Opinion Giver

• Information/Opinion Seeker

• Analyzer

• Orienter

Initiator

Your comment gets the discussion started or moves it in a new direction

Information/Opinion Giver

You provide content for the discussion

Information/Opinion Seeker

You ask questions that probe others for their ideas and opinions

Analyzer

You probe the content, reasoning, and evidence of members during discussion

Orienter

Indicates to the group that it is off track, and summarizes points of agreement and disagreement among members

Maintenance Role

Require specific patterns of behavior that help the group develop and maintain good member relationships, good cohesiveness, and effective levels of conflict.

• Gatekeeper

• Encourager

• Harmonizer

Gatekeeper

You ensure that everyone has an opportunity to speak and be heard

Encourager

Your message provide support for the contributions of other team members

Harmonizer

You help the group relieve tension and manae conflict

Self-Centered Role

Reflect specific patterns of behavior that focus attention on individual’s needs and goals at the expenses of the group.

• Aggressors

• Jokers

• Withdrawers

• Blockers

Aggressors

Seek to enhance their own status by criticizing almost everything or blaming others when things get rough and by deflating the ego or status of others

Jokers

Attempt to draw attention to themselves by clowning, mimicking, or generally making a joke of everything

Withdrawers

Seek to meet their own goals at the expenses of group goals by not participating in the discussion of the work of the group

Blockers

Routinely reject others’ views and stubbornly disagree with emerging group discussions

Types of Conflicts in Group Communication

• Cultural Conflict

• Personality Conflict

• Pseudo-Conflict

• Issue-Related Conflict

Methods in Decision Making

• The Expert Opinion Method

• The Average Group Opinion Method

• The Majority Rule Method

• The Unanimous Decision Method

• The Consensus Method

The Expert Opinion Method

Once the group has eliminated alternatives that do not meet the criteria, the group ask the member with the most expertise to select the final choice

The Average Group Opinion Method

When using this approach, each member of the group ranks the alternatives that meet all the criteria. These ranking are then averaged, and the alternative receiving the highest average ranking becomes the choice

The Majority Rule Method

The group votes on each alternative, and one that receives the majority of votes (50% + 1) is selected. Although, this method is democratic, it can create problems for implementation.

The Unanimous Decision Method

In this method, the group must continue deliberation until every member of the group believes the same solution is the best.

The Consensus Method

This method is an alternative to the unanimous decision method. In consensus, the group find an acceptable variation- one they can support and are committed to helping implement. Members of the consensus group may believe that there is a better solution than the one that has been chosen, but they feel they can support and help implement the one they have agreed to.

Member Responsibilities in Group Meetings

• Listen Actively

• Stay Focused

• Ask Questions

• Take Notes

• Play Devil’s Advocate

• Monitor your contributions

Listen Actively

Concentrate on what others are saying so that you can use your material to complement, supplement, or counter what has been presented

Stay Focused

Keep your comments focused on the specific agenda item under discussion. If others have gotten off the subject, do what you can to get people back on track.

Ask Questions

“Honest” questions that have answers you do not already know to stimulate discussion and build ideas

Take Notes

Even if someone else is responsible for providing the official minutes, you will need notes that help you follow the line of development

Play Devil’s Advocate

When you think an idea has not been fully discussed or tested, be willing to voice disagreement or encourage further discussion.

Monitor Your Contributions

Make sure you are neither dominating nor abdicating your responsibility to share insights and opinions