1. Cohesion and Development
Chapter 2

2. Group Cohesion


The concept of cohesion has been an
important factor in the study of group
behavior and its significance is often a
source of motivation for group leaders.
Cliches such as "Together We Stand,
Divided We Fall", "There is No I in Team",
or "Players Play, Teams Win" are often
used to show individuals the importance
of team cohesion.

3. Definitions of Group Cohesion

“a dynamic process that is reflected in the
tendency of a group to stick together and
remain united in the pursuit of its
instrumental objectives and/or for the
satisfaction of member needs”

4. What is Group Cohesion?

Group cohesion has been conceptualized in
many ways
 Cohesion = Attraction: (Festinger)
Members of cohesive groups tend to like
their fellow members
 Hogg: social attraction (depersonalized
liking for others in our group) vs. personal
attraction (liking for specific individuals)

5. Cohesion = Attraction, Liking
Attraction
between
members
Attraction
Attraction
to the
group-asa-whole
Cohesion

6. 

1.
2.
3.
4.
Cohesion
Carron’s general conceptual model of
cohesion offered four general
antecedents of cohesion
Environmental
Personal
Leadership
Team Factors

7. 



Cohesion = Unity
Cohesive groups stick together as
members “cohere” to one another &the
group
The group is unified; solidarity is high in
the group.
Members report feeling a sense of
belonging to the group

8. 
Cohesion = Unity
Group
Unity
Unity
Belonging
(part of
the group)
Cohesion

9. Cohesion = Teamwork



The combined activities of two of more
individuals who coordinate their efforts to
achieve goals
Collective efficacy: a high level of
confidence about success at the tasks the
group accepts
Esprit de corps: feeling of unity commitment,
confidence, and enthusiasm for the group
shared by most of all of the members

10. Cohesion = Teamwork
Task
Collective
Efficacy
Teamwork
Motivation
Group
morale,
Cohesio
n

11. Does Cohesion Develop Over Time?

Cohesion develops over time in a relatively
predictable pattern

Tuckman's five-stage model of group
development





Orientation (forming) stage
Conflict (storming) stage
Structure development (norming) stage
Work (performing) stage
Dissolution (adjourning) stage (planned and
unplanned)

12. Performing
Task
Norming
Storming
Adjourning
Forming

13. Forming



First moments of a newly formed
group’s life
Often marked by tension, guarded
interchanges, and low levels of
interaction
People monitor their behaviour and
are tentative when expression
opinions

14. Storming



Tension increases in the storming
phase – over goals, procedures,
authority etc.
Conflict often causes fight or flight
responses
Conflict is a required element for
creating team cohesion

15. Norming




Group becomes more unified and
organized
Mutual trust and support increases
Rules, roles, and goals are established
Communication increases

16. Performing



Productivity is usually not instantaneous,
thus productivity must wait until the group
matures
Many groups get sidetracked by the
storming or norming phases
More mature groups spend less time
socializing, less time in conflict and need
less guidance than less mature teams

17. Adjourning



Either planned or spontaneous
Can be stressful for team members
If dissolution is unplanned, the final
group sessions may be filled with
animosity and apathy

18. What are the Consequences of Cohesion?

Cohesion tends to lead to:
 Increased member satisfaction
 Decreased employee turnover and stress

Cohesive groups can intensify emotional and social
processes. Such groups can:
 Be more emotionally demanding (e.g, the old
sergeant syndrome)
 Exert more conformity pressure on members
 Suffer from groupthink
 Respond with more hostility

19. Positive & Negative Consequences (cont’d)

The cohesion-performance relationship is bi-directional:
success increases a group’s cohesion and cohesive
groups tend to outperform less cohesive groups.
o The cohesion-performance relationship is strongest
when members are committed to the group's tasks.

20. Does Cohesion Develop Over Time?

Types of group development models

Successive-stage theories

21. Should Organizations Rely on Teams to
Enhance Productivity?

What is a team?
A specialized, relatively organized, task focused group
Features (same as any group):
 Interaction
 Interdependence
 Structure
 Goals
 Cohesion

22. Goal Setting


In order for employees to achieve their
true potential they must set themselves
targets
These targets are called “goals”

23. SMARTER GOALS…







S – specific to the event or the skill
M – measurable targets to aid
comparison
A – attainable
R – realistic, challenging but possible
T – timed
E – exciting to ensure interest in the
target
R - recorded “ink it, don’t just think it”