1. Group Definition  A group is a collection of two or more people who work with one another regularly to achieve common goals.  Groups: Help organizations accomplish important tasks. Help to maintain a high-quality workforce by satisfying members’ needs.

2. What is the nature of groups in organizations?  Effective groups achieve high levels of: Task performance. Members attain performance goals regarding quantity, quality, and timeliness of work results. Members satisfaction. Members believe that their participation an experiences are positive and meet important personal needs. Team viability. Members are sufficiently satisfied to continue working together on an ongoing basis.

3. Benefits of Groups Good for people Improve productivity Sometimes make better decisions Increase commitment to decisions Have control over members Offset the negative effects of large organizational size

4. Groups and Task Performance Create the opportunity for synergy. In the absence of experts make better decisions More willing to make risky decisions Problem: Free riding, breakdown in dynamics

5. Types of Groups Formal: officially designated for specific organizational purpose. Informal: form spontaneously, based on personal relationships and special interests, can be found within formal groups

6. Stages of Group Development Forming: Everyone very polite, low productivity Primary concern entry into group. What does the group offer me? What will I be asked to do? What is acceptable behavior?

7. Stages of Group Development (Cont.) Storming: High emotionality and tension, low productivity. Expectations clarified and elaborated Begin to focus on performance Understanding increases Cliques may form

8. Stages of Group Development (Cont.) Norming: Rules and expectations set, higher productivity. Group comes together Differences recede Focus on maintaining group Standards are clear

9. Stages of Group Development (Cont.) Performing: Focus on productivity, highest productivity Total integration Mature state, organized and well functioning Adjourning or Reforming Task completed group breaks up Membership changes stages start over

10. Decision Making in Groups Lack of Response (Do nothing) By Authority Rule (Chair decides) Decision by Minority Decision my Majority (Voting) Decision by Consensus Decision by Unanimity

11. Advantages of Group Decisions Better information More Alternatives Generated Understanding and Acceptance better after decision. Commitment to decision stronger

12. Disadvantages Of Group Decisions Social Pressure to Conform--Group Think Minority Domination Time Demands

13. Team Work Characteristics of High Performing Teams Strong sense of core values Turn general sense of values into specific objectives Have the right mix of skills Possess Creativity

14. How to Create a High Performance Team Communicate High Performance Standards Set the tone in first meeting--primacy Make sure members have the right skills Establish clear rules for team behavior Find ways to create early success Make sure members spend time together Give positive feedback and reward high performance

15. Team Process: Task Activities Initiating: offering ideas, suggestions solutions Seeking Information: Clarifying suggestions, seeking functional accuracy, asking others. Giving Information: Providing relevant information.

16. Team Process: Task Activities (cont) Clarifying: clarifying relations among suggestions, coordinate members activities. Summarizing: assessing group function, raising questions about logic.

17. Group Maintenance Activities Encouraging: praising, accepting, agreeing, warmth. Harmonizing: mediating disagreements, seeking opportunities for compromise. Setting Standards: expressing standards for behavior and achievement. Following: going along, agreeing Gate keeping: encouraging participation, keeping some members from dominating.

18. Disruptive Behavior Overly Aggressive Withdrawing Using group for self-confession Talking about irrelevant matters Trying to compete for attention

19. Group Cohesiveness High Performing groups need cohesiveness Cohesiveness is high when: Groups are homogeneous Groups are small Have shared goals Members are Interdependent Increases when groups are physically isolated

20. Group Norms Rules and Expectations that are enforced Can be positive or negative, support goals or undermine them.

21. Relationship of Cohesion and Norms

22. Creating Cohesion Establish urgency and importance of task Goals: Get Agreement Membership: Increase Homogeneity Interactions: Increase within group Size: Small Groups Competition: Focus on other groups Rewards: Reward group results Location: Isolate group