Whip Around Which course concept has been your favorite thus far? This can be a whole chapter or a specific concept we have discussed. Think about this question and be prepared to share aloud.

Chapter 16 Participating in Groups and Teams Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Think-pair-share Bill, a second semester senior biology major, signed up for an elective course in Speech Communication. He already has a job for the fall with a South Carolina Biological Supply House, depending upon his completion of the degree. He is an average student in his speech work. The final speech counts 1/3 of his grade in the course. He has a “C” going into the final speech. Earning an “A” on the speech will result in his getting a “B” in the course. In order to ensure a good grade on the final speech, he copied, word for word, a speech that appeared in an issue of Vital Speeches. The professor questions the originality of Bill’s speech and discovers the original speech after investigation in a copy of Vital Speeches. Assume that you are a group of students appointed by the Student Council as a special advisory board for such situations. What does your board recommend as the best course of action?

Setting Goals Determining Roles Team Building Goals need to be clear, specific, challenging, and worthwhile. Determining Roles Everyone in the group must be responsible for something. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Leadership Leadership is an influence process that includes any behavior that helps clarify a group’s purpose or guide the group to achieve its goals. A leader is a person who is assigned or selected to take the leadership role of a group or team. Key functions: Initiating Organizing Maintaining effective interaction Ensuring member satisfaction Facilitating understanding Stimulating creativity/critical thinking Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

What Determines a Leader’s Success or Failure? Task Needs Maintenance Needs Needs related to the content of the job to be done and all behaviors that lead to the completion of it. Related to organizing and developing a group, so that members can realize personal satisfaction from working together. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Leadership Leading a Group or Team Leaders must perform a number of functions: Initiating Organizing Maintaining effective interaction Ensuring membership satisfaction Facilitating understanding Stimulating creativity and critical thinking

Leadership Leadership Styles and Behavior Leadership and Task Orientation Initiating structure (task-oriented) leaders Consideration (relationship-oriented) leaders

Leadership Leadership Styles and Behavior Leadership and Power Distribution An autocratic leader has control and makes decisions with little or no consultation with others. A democratic leader shares control and makes decisions in consultation with others. A laissez-faire leader gives up control, is passive, and usually requires that others take over if the group is to succeed.

Figure 16.1: Leadership Styles: Task and Relationship Orientation

Table 16.1: Leadership Styles: A Comparison Autocratic Democratic Laissez-Faire Keeps complete control Shares control Gives up control Sets policy and makes all decisions for the group Involves members in setting policy and making decisions; does not make any decisions without consulting group members Gives total freedom to group members to make policies and decisions; gets involved only when called on Defines tasks and assigns them to members May guide task assignments to be sure work is accomplished, but allows members to divide work Completely avoids participation

Leadership Leadership and Gender Differences Differences between the leadership styles of men and women might exist because, as evidence suggests, women generally possess better interpersonal skills than men do. Further research must be done before a definitive conclusion can be drawn about gender differences in leadership style and whether those differences might be to a leader’s advantage or disadvantage.

Conducting a Meeting Planning and Managing a Meeting Identify a purpose, plan an agenda, and distribute the agenda in advance. Invite only people who need to be there. Establish start, break, and stop times, and stick to them. Assign a leader to keep the discussion on track. Decide what follow-up actions are needed after the meeting and set deadlines for their completion. Avoid holding unnecessary meetings. Don’t let people drone on, dominate, or avoid participation. Don’t allow conversations to wander. Follow up to make sure that members act on decisions made at the meeting. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Group Building and Maintenance Roles Member Participation Roles of Group Members Help the group accomplish its task or objective Group Task Roles Help define a group’s social atmosphere Group Building and Maintenance Roles Counterproductive or destructive to a group and hinder group process Each group member should be responsible for recognizing and handling counterproductive contributions Self-Centered Roles Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Member Participation Roles of Group Members Group task roles help the group accomplish its task or objective. Group building and maintenance roles help define a group’s social atmosphere. Some individuals may adopt self-centered roles.

Member Participation Contributions of Group Members Both the leader and all group members must recognize and handle counterproductive contributions. Each group participant should study the agenda in advance to be ready to discuss. Reaching Group Members’ Consensus The goal of most groups is to arrive at decisions or solutions that are agreed on and acceptable to at least most, if not all, of the group members.

Group Task Roles Initiator-contributor Coordinator Information seeker Information giver Opinion seeker Opinion giver Elaborator Coordinator Orienter Evaluator/critic Energizer Recorder Tester of agreements Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

Group Building and Maintenance Roles Encourager Harmonizer Compromiser Gatekeeper Standard setter Follower Feeling expresser Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

Self-Centered Roles Aggressor Blocker Recognition seeker Self-confessor Dominator Help seeker Withdrawer Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

Problem Solving and Decision Making Determining and Stating the Problem Discussing the Problem and Its Solution Brainstorming Brainstorming via Technology Reaching Group Consensus Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Determining and Stating the Problem Select a topic State the topic in the form of a question Determining and Stating the Problem Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Discussing the Problem and Its Solution—Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Clearly identify the problem you are trying to solve. Do not start suggesting solutions until you have analyzed the problem. In the definition and analysis steps of reflective thinking, do not confuse the causes of the problem with its symptoms. Phrase the problem as a question. Appoint at least one member of the group to remind others to follow the reflective thinking steps. Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Gouran’s and Hirokawa’s Functional Theory The first factor pertains to the task. The third factor pertains to the participants’ willingness to review and reconsider their decisions. The second factor pertains to how group members see communication to overcome any obstacles they may confront. Focuses on how communication can help or hinder a group. Group’s success depends on these three factors: Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Problem Solving and Decision Making Discuss the Problem and Its Solution Gouran’s and Hirokawa’s Functional Theory Functional theory assumes that groups want to make good decisions and focuses on ways to improve a group’s functional communication. The first factor pertains to the task. The second factor pertains to how group members use communication to overcome any obstacles they may confront. The third factor pertains to the participant’s willingness to review and consider his or her decisions.

Managing Group Conflict Conflict and Group Communication In collaboration, negotiating and problem solving are used to find a solution that meets the needs of all parties involved in the group. Principled negotiation helps group members negotiate consensus by collaboration. Conflict Online Online group interactions are more likely to display relational and task conflict over procedures than face-to- face interactions are. Conflict is often over the technology itself.

Managing Group Conflict Ethical Behavior and Conflict Express disagreements openly and honestly. Stick to the issues. Use rhetorical sensitivity. Criticize the idea, not the person. Base disagreements on evidence and reasoning. Remain calm even if someone attacks you. Look for ways to integrate ideas and negotiate differences.

Brainstorming Brainstorming via Technology Reaching Group Consensus Technique used to generate as many ideas as possible within a limited amount of time. Brainstorming via Technology Sharing information and ideas via electronic brainstorming. Reaching Group Consensus Assumes that all group members have been able to express how they feel and think about alternatives. Three recommendations for reaching consensus according to Beebe and Masterson. Groups have a tendency to change topics and to get off track. Members should be other oriented and sensitive to all ideas. Promote group member interaction and dialogue. Photo from chapter 9 page 214 Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Evaluating Small Group Performance Are we using our time efficiently? Does everyone have an opportunity to participate? Do some people dominate the discussion? Does each person bring adequate information and research to the discussion? Is the atmosphere free from personal conflict? Does the group communication stay within the agenda? Are members happy with the direction of the discussion? Chapter 14, p 428 © Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Think-Pair-share Imagine you are part of a group on campus that has been assigned by the dean of student affairs to determine ways to make your campus greener. The group is made up a variety of students all selected by the dean. Everything seems perfect except for one member who recently had a personal crisis and is very distracted and is constantly looking at his text messages, which has affected the group’s ability to focus on the problem at hand. How would you deal with the situation? What would you say to the group member who is going through the crisis? What would you say to the other group members?