Lecture Eleven Chapter Thirteen Group Dynamics and Meetings

WHY MEETINGS? COMMUNICATE INFORMATION FACT-FINDING PROBLEM-SOLVING DECISION-MAKING

GROUP DECISION-MAKING ADVANTAGES –Higher Quality Decisions –Greater Commitment –Reduced Chances of Communication Problems DISADVANTAGES –Cost (Over Used Meetings) –Low Quality Decisions Pressure to Conform Premature Decisions Hidden Agendas Extensive Conflict Disruption of Individuals Lack of Planning Shared Blame

GROUPTHINK Irving Janis INVULNERABILITY RATIONALIZATION MORALITY STEREOTYPES PRESSURE TO CONFORM SELF-CENSORSHIP ASSUMED CONSENSUS MINDGUARDS

GROUPTHINK REMEDIES APPOINT CRITICAL EVALUATOR LEADERSHIP REMAINS IMPARTIAL SEVERAL GROUPS WORK ON SAME PROBLEM GROUPS REPORT BACK TO HOME UNITS BRING IN OUTSIDE EXPERTS APPOINT DEVILS ADVOCATES SURVEY FOR EXTERNAL WARNINGS SPLIT GROUP HOLD SECOND CHANCE MEETINGS

STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS 1 SHOULD WE MEET? PREMEETING ARRANGEMENTS –Whom to Include Remember Rubber Meets the Road Folks Size 5 ideal Large Projects –What Material to Prepare and Circulate Limit amount of Information Explain Why Important Link to Agenda –What Topics Will Be Discussed –Why Are We Meeting - Goal –When - Time of Day, Day of Week –Physical Facilities- Size, Comfort, Visual Aids –Seating Arrangements - Eye Contact

STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS 2 APPROPRIATE LEADERSHIP STYLE –Leader Centered Less Mature Group Structured Problem –Group Centered Mature Group Abstract Problem Creativity Critical

STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS 3 Meeting Format –Traditional Determine Problem-Determine Cause-Determine Criteria to Eliminate Problem-Determine Possible Solutions-Determine Best Solution- Implementation –Postproblem and Consensus Obtain Group Consensus through polling –Brainstorming Generate As Many Ideas As Possible –All Ideas Accepted –No Criticism Allowed –Encourage Elaborations and Combinations

STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS 4 NOMINAL GROUP TECHNIQUES (NGT) –Individual Writes Out Ideas –Create Lists –Individually Rank –Post Rankings DELPHI –Remote Locations –Send out Questionnaire

STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS 5 DISRPUTIONS –Clowning, Dominating, Change topics, Making Accusations, Personalizing with Emotional Statements –Prevention Seek Prior Cooperation Assign Critical Task Resolve Prior To Meeting Agree on Process at Beginning of Meeting Take Dominator’s Item Off Agenda

STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS 6 ADDITIONAL CONTROL TECHNIQUES –Turn Questions into Statements –Ask Disrupter to Explain Joke –Ask Disrupter to Relate to Topic –Bring Emotion to The Surface –Allow Only One Person to Speak at Time –Move Items Forward –Ask Group to Write Down Responses –Reverse Questions –Relay Question to Entire Group

STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS 7 FOLLOW UP –Have Goals Been Meet –Have Assignments Been Made –Write Out Decisions –Summarize Discussions –Point Out Differences –Set Next Steps –Confirm in Writing –Minutes (Written, Audio –Survey