1. Listening in Groups

2. Listening - HURIER Hearing Understanding Remembering Interpreting Evaluating Responding

3. Paraphrasing Restating what you heard to check for understanding

4. Conflict in Groups

5. Inevitable Can increase effectiveness of group if handled appropriately – –Increased cohesiveness – –Increased knowledge – –Increased creativity – –Better solutions to help reach group’s goals

6. Group Conflict “Disagreement & disharmony that occurs in groups when members express differences regarding group goals, members ideas/behaviors/roles or group procedures/norms”

7. Types of Group Conflict Substantive Affective Procedural

8. Constructive & Destructive Group Conflict Constructive Conflict Focus on issuesFocus on issues Respect othersRespect others SupportivenessSupportiveness FlexibilityFlexibility CooperationCooperation Commitment to conflict managementCommitment to conflict management Destructive Conflict Focus on personalitiesFocus on personalities Insult othersInsult others DefensivenessDefensiveness InflexibleInflexible CompetitionCompetition Conflict avoidanceConflict avoidance

9. Conflict Styles Avoidance Accommodation Competition Compromise Collaboration

10. Choosing a Conflict Style How important is the issue to you? How important is the issue to other members? How important is it to maintain positive relationships with group members? How much time does the group have to address the issue? How fully do group members trust one another?

11. Cohesion in Groups

12. Cohesion Cohesion is the mutual attraction that holds members of a group together Cohesive groups have: High levels of interaction. A supportive communication climate. A desire to conform to group expectations. The use of creative and productive approaches. Satisfied members.

13. Enhancing Cohesion Establish a group identity and traditions. Emphasize teamwork. Recognize and reward contributions. Respect group members.

14. Groupthink The deterioration of group effectiveness that results from in-group pressure Three conditions that often lead to groupthink: Highly cohesive group Structural flaws Volatile situation

15. Symptoms of Groupthink Invulnerability Overly confident; takes big risksOverly confident; takes big risks Rationalization Makes excuses, ignores warningsMakes excuses, ignores warnings Morality Ignores ethical and moral issuesIgnores ethical and moral issues Stereotyping Outsiders Considers others too weak or stupid to cause troubleConsiders others too weak or stupid to cause trouble

16. Symptoms of Groupthink Self-Censorship Unwilling to disagree; doubts their own concernsUnwilling to disagree; doubts their own concerns Pressure on Dissenters Pressures members to agreePressures members to agree Illusion of Unanimity Believes everyone agreesBelieves everyone agrees Mindguarding Shields members from adverse information or oppositionShields members from adverse information or opposition

17. Strategies for Avoiding Groupthink Ask all members to serve as critical evaluators. Assign several members to work on the same problem independently. Discuss the group’s progress with someone outside the group. Invite an expert to join a meeting and encourage constructive criticism.

18. Strategies for Avoiding Groupthink Discuss potential negative consequences of any decision or action. Encourage disagreement & evaluation of ideas by following a formal decision-making process. Ask questions. Before finalizing a decision, give members a second chance to express doubts.