Understanding Small Group Communication and Team Dynamics

Team

A coordinated group of individuals organized to work together to achieve a specific, common goal

Advantages of Teams

Wider range of expertise and information, creativity and probem-solving, increased learning and reflection, and sociaal facilitation.

Disadvantages of Teams

Conformity pressures, individual domination, uneven work distribution, and time.

Theory

A set of interrelated facts, observations, and ideas that explains or predicts something

What should Effective Teams do?

1.) Establish early norms of deliberation; Formal roles of dissent; allow sufficient time

2.) Early agreements and practices to equalize participation; explicit role assignments (organizer, team builder, challenger, innovator, doer, and connector); proactive gateopening; explicit intervention

3.) Proactive gateopening for "quiet" or "disengaged" members; explicit roe assignments; proactive intervention

4.) Meet early, meet often, used structured meeting techniques

Systems Theory

A group is an open system of interdependent elements, composed of input, process, and output

Systems Theory Key Concepts

1.) Input variables= Memberships, resources, prior relationships, and environment

2.) Process variables= Procedures used to meet a goal

3.) Output variables= Solutions, decisions, and satisfaction

Structuration Theory

Groups must continually negotiate a paradox of attempting to exert free will (agency) while being constrained by social structure (pre-existing rules and resources that guide and constrain group acitivites)

Structuration theory key explanations

Appropriation= The specific way that a group uses existing rules and resources during their group

Faithful=reproduce existing structures

Ironic= Challenge/alter existing structures

Functional Approach

Focuses on the key activities necessary for effective problem solving and decision-making

Functional Theory Key concepts

1.) Tasks/Behaviors: Specific communication acts that can be enacted during a process of group interaction.

2.) Functions: The effects or consequences of a given behavior within a group system

Symbolic Convergence Theory

Focuses on how communication shapes a group's identity and culture which, in turn, affects group dynamics

Symbolic Convergence Key Concepts

Reality= What actually happens in the world.

Fantasy= A shared interpretation of group events that fulfills sense-making (e.g. shared stories, interpretive conversations)

Social Exchange Theory

Considers group members being as motivated to continue engagements that are profitable

Tuckman's Stages

Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing.

Forming Stage

characterized by anxiety, uncertainty, and caution

Storming Stage

characterized by competition, conflict, and focus on individual needs

Norming Stage

characterized by negotiation, clear rules and guidelines, and resolution of conflict

Performing Stage

Characterized by cooperation and productivity.

What is Active Empathic Listening

Sensing= Active involvement by paying close attention to what is being said.

Processing= Synthesizing conversational info to construct a narrative whole.

Responding= Asking clarifying questions and using nonverbal cues to indicate attention.

Communication

The process of making sense out of the world and sharing that sense with others by creating meaning by using verbal and nonverbal messages

Small Group Communication

3-12 members that share common purpose, who feel a sense of belonging to the group, and who exert influence on one another

Transmission Model

A source (a person) sends a message via a medium (voice, phone), which is received by an audience (listener, friend)

Sensemaking Model

A process of mutual interpretation informed by many things:
Past experiences

Roles, norms, and
structures

Multiple potential understandings

Interpretations in the current moment

Ongoing reflection via dialog

Compositional Theories

Concepts= presence and distribution of traits among group members, outcomes of interest

Mechanisms= traits directly influence outcomes (innovation and conflict)

Process Theories

Focus on communication dynamics over time.

What are group goals?

General terms

What are group roles/ responsibilities?

Not always explicitly defined or developed

What are group rules?

Evolve according to needs of group

What are group methods?

Divided among group members

Systems theory key explanations

1.) Interdependence= components influence each other in complex ways.

2.) Openness= membership & boundaries may changeover time.

3.)Synergy= the whole can be greater than the sum ofits parts.

4.) Entropy= complexity means systems tend to decay over time.

5.)Equifinality= there's usually more than 1 way to reach a goal or outcome

Functional theory key explanations

1.) Satisfaction of task requirements= Group activities have requirements that must be met (e.g. specifying goals, problem solving).

2.) Overcoming constraints= Group contexts naturally creates impediments, challenges (e.g. deadlines,scarce resources, interpersonal conflicts).

Reflecting on process= Analyzing behavior allows conscious choices of new behaviors (e.g. reviewing past decisions, assessing meeting procedures)

Symbolic Convergence Key Explanations

Fantasy themes= Groups assemble fantasies into themes and chains around common understandings

Production of norms, roles, culture= As themes emerge, they guide a group's expectations and self-understandings

Influences on behavior and decision making= When facing a new experience, groups often turn to their fantasies to guide their actions

Social Exchange Key Concepts

Rewards=The perceived benefits an individual receives from engaging in a group (e.g.friendship, satisfaction, achievement).

Costs= The perceived losses an individual receives from engaging in a group (e.g.deadlines, stress, conflict, time commitment).

Profit= Reward - Costs

Social Exchange key Explanations

Anticipated Outcomes= Individuals' assessment comparing their perceived rewards and costs during group activities (What am I getting out of this?)

Comparison Level= Individuals perception of their desired profit from group engagement(What should I be getting out of this?)

Comparison Level of Alternatives= Individuals perception of potential profit from other options(What could I get by doing something else?)

Example of forming and how to solve it

Ex= Who are these people? Will our group work well together? Will we fight a lot?

Fix it= Reduce uncertainty and anxiety by getting to know your group members

Example of storming and how to solve it

Ex= Are other people pulling their weight? I am putting a lot into this, am I getting back what I want? Multiple people want to take charge including me, what should I do?

Manage it= Communicate about your individual needs early on and build a clear structure (roles and responsibilities are clear and do check ins) into your group to make it effective

Example of Norming and how to solve it

Ex= I think we're figuring it out! Business as usual. Will our structures hold?

Maintain it= Check in with the team to make sure the structure is working. Make changes as necessary

Example of performing and how to solve it

Ex= Everyone has their place and is doing their part. We are getting work done efficiently

Achieve it= Push your group outside of its comfort zone to exceed expectations

What to do before a meeting?

Establish roles

Establish goals

What to do during the meeting?

GIve your meetings structure (Important things first, controversial things second, quick things last)

Be mindful of your own engagement

What to do after the meetings?

Follow-up with summary email

Store meeting notes in a collectively accessible space

Build opportunities for any absent individuals to reconnect

How can you empathic listen?

Imblanced convo= 80/20 rule

Empathetic agreement=
-Seeing the other's point of view.
-How did you arrive to that conclusion?
-What are your thoughts?

No barriers
-No phone, headphones, sunglasses

Respect the silence

Factors of small group communication

Common purpose= Members posess a shared objective.

Sense of belonging= Members identify as part of a collective unit

Mutual influence= Members can influence each other in meaningful ways

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (bottom to top)

physiological needs, safety, belongingness, esteem, self-actualization

Shutz's Model

Affection, control, inclusion

What is a Primary Group?

A small group based largely on long-term face-to-face interaction, and typically based on affiliation, such as a family or a friendship

What is a Secondary Group

Based on shared goals or interests in which the members are rarely if ever in face-to-face contact with each other, such as a political party or trade union

What are the specific roles in a group?

Organizer, Team Builder, Challenger, Innovator, Doer, Connector

Difference between virtual small group com and virtual collaboration?

Virtual small group communication consists of three or more people who collaborate from different physical locations, perform interdependent tasks, have shared responsibility for the outcome of the work, and rely on some form of technology to communicate with one another.

Methods of virtual collaboration include the telephone, e-mail, video, and the use of electronic meeting systems.

Know graph in Meeting Agenda Pitfalls and Strategies appendix A