COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION GROUPS IN ORGANIZATIONS LECTURE 7a

Effective Groups (Teams) And Organizational Success IN TODAY’S ORGANIZATIONS EFFECTIVE WORK GROUP (TEAMS) ARE CRITICAL IN TODAY’S ORGANIZATIONS EFFECTIVE WORK GROUP (TEAMS) ARE CRITICAL QUALITY CIRCLES QUALITY CIRCLES SEMI-AUTONOMOUS WORK GROUPS SEMI-AUTONOMOUS WORK GROUPS Self-Managing Teams Self-Managing Teams TASK FORCES TASK FORCES CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS INTENDED TO OVERCOME THE LIMITATIONS OF BUREAUCRACIES INTENDED TO OVERCOME THE LIMITATIONS OF BUREAUCRACIES RETURN TO MUTUAL ADJUSTMENT- ADHOCRACY RETURN TO MUTUAL ADJUSTMENT- ADHOCRACY

Groups (Teams): Pros and Cons Groups can take many forms Can challenge and frustrate participants Painful experience has led many managers to conclude that groups are almost always inefficient, confused, and frustrating Groups have both assets and liabilities Assets Assets: They have more knowledge, diversity of perspective, time, and energy than individuals working alone They often improve communication and increase acceptance of decisions Liabilities: May over respond to social pressure or individual domination, Bog down in inefficiency, or let personal agendas get in the way of collective purposes Quality of group leadership is critical

Whether pleasurable, or painful, groups are indispensable in modern organizations Operate on two levels: an overt, conscious level focused on task, and a more implicit level of process, emphasizing group maintenance and interpersonal dynamics A few basic dimensions can change apparent chaos and confusion, to clarity and order Central issues in group process: formal roles, informal roles, informal norms, interpersonal conflict, and leadership and decision making Groups and Teams in Organizations

The Definition of a Group TWO OR MORE PERSONS WHO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER IN SUCH A MANNER THAT EACH INFLUENCES THE OTHER. USUALLY A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE More than 7, small group becomes “large” AWARE OF EACH OTHER WITH SHARED GOALS AND NORMS

Groups Operate on Two Levels : The Task Level

Formal Roles Group's formal role system is critical. The right set of task roles helps get the work done and makes optimal use of each member's resources But group works better if roles also fit needs of members

Task and Structure Simple tasks are best performed with simple structures (with clear roles). More complicated tasks require more complicated structures (with flexible roles). These two statements above should remind you of how we built up our theory or organizational structure (examples as Mintzberg’s types). Unless a group is able to work out a structure that fits its task, performance and morale will suffer.

COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION GROUPS IN ORGANIZATIONS LECTURE 7b

Groups Operate on Two Levels : The Process Level There are 4 central issues in group process: 1. Informal Roles 2. Informal Norms 3. Interpersonal Conflict 4. Leadership & Decision Making

Informal Roles Informal roles are taken by group members depending on their individual needs

Informal Role Taking During Group Talk THREE KINDS OF ROLES: (Kit p. 141) TASK ROLES (Attempted Answers and Questions) TASK ROLES (Attempted Answers and Questions) GROUP BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE ROLES (Socio-Emotional Positive Reactions) GROUP BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE ROLES (Socio-Emotional Positive Reactions) THESE TWO SHOULD BE IN ROUGH BALANCE AND TAKE UP MOST TALK THESE TWO SHOULD BE IN ROUGH BALANCE AND TAKE UP MOST TALK INDIVIDUAL ROLES (Socio-Emotional Negative Reactions) SHOULD REPRESENT LEAST AMOUNT OF TALK INDIVIDUAL ROLES (Socio-Emotional Negative Reactions) SHOULD REPRESENT LEAST AMOUNT OF TALK EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP HELPS TO MAINTAIN BALANCE EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP HELPS TO MAINTAIN BALANCE

Informal Norms Informal norms are implicit rules or ways of doing things within the group Climate and style: close, informal - distant, formal Commonly used modes of problem- solving talk