1. Managing Business and Professional Communication
Chapter Eight: Managing Group Communication
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What Is A Small Group?
Purpose
Interdependency
Interaction among all members
Task outcomes to produce or manage
Feeling satisfaction being in the group
Structure and leadership in the group
Groups generally contain three to fifteen members.
A group is only a a group if it has all four of these qualities.
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3. Is this a group? What are some contexts in which it could become one?
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Group Outcomes
Task outcomes
Definition: fulfillment of the group’s purpose or goal
Groups outperform individuals in quantity and quality for complex tasks
Groups learn better than individuals alone
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Group Outcomes
Satisfaction outcomes
Definition: morale or satisfaction experienced
Groups increase satisfaction in organizations
Informal groups can meet needs of individuals
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6. Communication Networks
Centralized Networks – communication occurs through a central person or persons
The chain
Communication Networks in small groups: refers to the links or available channels through which members of the small group have access to one another.
Chain: People can only communicate with people on either side of them
Wheel: Communicate through a central individual, with no other interaction
Centralized networks:
Advantages: increased task efficiency in simple tasks, high group satisfaction for those in the middle
Disadvantages: central positions experience overload, low group satisfaction among outside members
The Wheel
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7. Communication Networks
Decentralized Networks – information passes randomly through the group
Circle
Circle: Allows people on either side to interact, but limits contact from people directly across
All channel: All participants have access to one another
Decentralized networks:
Advantages: Greater overall group satisfaction, less information overload
Disadvantages: Take more time with simple tasks
All Channel
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8. Communication Networks
Virtual Networks – new structures for networking
Virtual networks include: global communication, instant messaging, virtual meetings, instantaneous dialoging and feedback
The principles of centralized and decentralized networks still apply.
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Leadership Styles
Highly directive
Efficient task outcomes
Members can feel as though they are not heard or lack input
Leaders can appear:
Paternalistic and defensive
Rules oriented rather than people oriented
Use one-way communication and give little or no feedback
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Leadership Styles
Participatory
Leader offers guidance, suggestions, listening, and concern for members
Produces moderate task efficiency
Leaders are:
We-oriented and tolerant
Objective rather than subjective
Encouraging with use of honest praise and criticism
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Leadership Styles
Negligent
Offers little guidance or direction
Close to a non-leader situation
Usually generates negative effects in task productivity and morale
Leaders use:
No comments, feedback, or encouragement
You-orientation
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12. When would each style of leadership be used most appropriately?
No leader should use the same leadership style all of the time. Different situations and contexts can call for different types of leadership.
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13. Communicating for Group Decisions
Communicating for group task outcomes:
Providing information and ideas
Clarifying ideas and information
Asking for ideas and information
Critique of information
Analyzing information
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14. Communicating for Group Decisions
Communicating for group satisfaction outcomes - behaviors that maintain satisfaction:
Showing solidarity
Showing agreement
Providing emotional support for group members
Managing conflict among members
Providing tension release
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15. Communicating for Group Decisions
Communicating over group barriers - negative group communication:
Hidden agenda
Rigid communication
Groupthink: Over-conformity communication
Special pleading
Pulling rank
Interrupting
Defensive communication
Hidden agenda: Having self interests and an ulterior motive.
Rigid: Closed-minded and rigid communication. Individuals tend to show negative attitudes and avoid risky decisions.
Over-conformity: Group think – conforming before all ideas and plans were heard. Groupthink occurs for a variety of reasons:
Competent members avoiding communication
Group cohesion is high = conformity
Presence of high status leader or person
Feeling of invincibility
Special pleading: A person advocates a position on behalf of constituents outside the team.
Pulling rank: Using one’s status or position to make a point or convince the team of some plan.
Interrupting: Allowing a dominate individual to block team performance.
Defensive: Negative blocking behaviors such as reacting angrily or withdrawing.
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16. Conducting Group Discussions
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17. Conducting Group Discussions
Initiating the group discussion
Prepare and send an early agenda
Express the purpose of the meeting
Frame the decision-making with key questions
Word the question
Clarify leadership
Frame the decision making with key questions:
Question of fact: the conditions and definition (what, why, when)
Question of conjecture: focuses on the future (what if, future, scenarios)
Question of value: argues the worth of something (should, value, ought, worth)
Question of policy: what recommendations or actions should be taken? (how, methods, steps)
Wording the question:
Questions should be specific.
Questions should be simple
Questions should be avoided that unnecessarily limit your alternatives
Questions should avoid biased wording
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18. Conducting Group Discussions
Developing group problem-solving
Step One: Recognize a felt difficulty
Step Two: Ventilate feelings
Step Three: Describe the problem
Step Four: Develop solutions
Step Three - Describe the problem:
Define the problem
Word the problem or offer a question
Limit the problem
Research the problem
Analyze the problem
Reformulate the problem
Step Four - Develop Solutions:
Set up criteria
List solutions
Evaluate solutions
Choose one solution
Implement the solution
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19. Conducting Group Discussions
Concluding group discussions
Consensus
Suspend discussion
Minority or majority report
Mediation or arbitration
Majority vote
Consensus: continued discussion to the point that the group reaches agreement
Suspend discussion: when a decision cannot be easily reached, it is sometimes best to hold off until a later meeting
Minority report: submit a report outlining the differences between the two groups
Mediation: an objective person outside the group attempts to help the group reach consensus
Arbitration: an outside objective person listens to both sides and hands down a decision
Majority vote: good with large groups – bad with small groups because it creates a win-lose situation.
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20. Strategies for Group Communication
Rules of procedure
Conducting a formal meeting
Motions to make formal decisions
Brainstorming techniques
Delphi technique
Computer-mediated group communication
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