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Group Dyanamics
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- 2. Sub Topics • GroupStructures • Managing Group/Team Conflicts • The Individual and The Group • Enhancement of Self Esteem is Everyone’s Potential • Resources for Growth
- 3. GROUP STRUCTURES • Agroup structure is the internal framework that defines members' relations to one another over time.
- 4. 2 Types ofGroup Structure • Invisible Structure – a structure that emerges when there is no appointed leader, as in tutor less groups, the leadership may, therefore, move round different members of the group. • Visible Structure - exists when the group agrees a division of labor, roles, and responsibilities, in order to get essential tasks performed.
- 5. What defines aGroup Structure? • Roles • Norms • Values • Status • Group Size
- 6. • Roles areexpected behaviors for a given position.
- 7. Role Differentiation • Roledifferentiation is the degree to which different group members have specialized functions. • A group with a high level of role differentiation would be categorized as having many different roles that are specialized and narrowly defined. A key role in a group is the leader, but there are other important roles as well, including task roles, maintenance roles, and individual roles.
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- 11. NORMS • Norms arethe informal rules that groups adopt to regulate members' behavior. • They are shared attitudes, opinions, feelings, or actions that guide social behavior.
- 12. Types of Norms •Prescriptive Norms • Proscriptive Norms • Descriptive Norms • Injunctive Norms
- 13. VALUES • Values aregoals or ideas that serve as guiding principles for the group. Like norms, values may be communicated either explicitly or an ad hoc basis. Values can serve as a rallying point for the team.
- 14. STATUS • refers toan evaluation and ranking of each member’s position in the group relative to all other members
- 15. STATUS DIFFERENTIALS • Statusdifferentials are the relative differences in status among group members. When a group is first formed the members may all be on an equal level, but over time certain members may acquire status and authority within the group; this can create what is known as a pecking order within a group.
- 16. LEVELS OF STATUS •Low-status • Medium-status • High-status
- 17. GROUP SIZE • Anobvious but crucial consideration is the size of the group. Large groups function differently in a number of important respects to smaller groups. Size impacts on group communication, for example.
- 18. MANAGING GROUP/TEAM CONFLICTS •Conflict Defined According to businessdictionary.com, “Conflict is friction or opposition resulting from actual or perceived differences or incompatibilities”. The truth is, conflict arises out of personal values clashing -- people feel that what’s most important to them has been dishonored.
- 19. MANAGING GROUP/TEAM CONFLICTS Conflict mayarise from Competing interests Competition over resources Ambiguity about means and ends Different behavioral styles/preferences
- 20. RESOLVING CONFLICT • Thethree-stage process below is a form of mediation process, which helps team members to do this: Step 1: Prepare for Resolution Step 2: Understand the Situation Step 3: Reach Agreement
- 21. RESOLVING CONFLICT Step 1:Prepare for Resolution • Acknowledge the conflict • Discuss the impact • Agree to a cooperative process • Agree to communicate
- 22. RESOLVING CONFLICT Step 2:Understand the Situation • Clarify positions • Analyze in smaller groups • Convene back as a team
- 23. RESOLVING CONFLICT Step 3:Reach Agreement • If further analysis and evaluation is required, agree what needs to be done, by when and by whom, and so plan to reach agreement within a particular timescale. If appropriate, define which decision making and evaluation tools are to be employed. • If such additional work is required, the agreement at this stage is to the approach itself: Make sure the team is committed to work with the outcome of the proposed analysis and evaluation.
- 24. THE INDIVIDUAL ANDTHE GROUP • Membership into groups may be forced (family) or not (gangs). Our membership in small groups provides us with our first taste of social interaction. The first and most immediate social experience of mankind is small-group experience.
- 25. THE INDIVIDUAL ANDTHE GROUP Studies have produced several theories on why people join groups. • The interpersonal attraction theory – holds that proximity contact, interaction, physical attractiveness, and similarity are variables that encourage group membership. • The group activities theory – proposes that a person joins a group because he enjoys the things that the group members do.
- 26. THE INDIVIDUAL ANDTHE GROUP Studies have produced several theories on why people join groups. • The group goals theory – which holds that an individual joins a group because apart from enjoying its activities, he also values its goals and purposes. • The membership theory – process that membership in a group is in itself already satisfying to an individual; some call it affiliation want.
- 27. ENHANCEMENTOF SELF-ESTEEM IS EVERYONE’SPOTENTIAL I am happy. I am sick. I am good. I am beautiful. I’m a loser. I’m a winner. I’m dumb. I’m fine. I’m okay. I am bad. I am clumsy. I’m a gossip monger. I’m neurotic. I am a bore. I’m a mess. I’m cool. I am successful. I’m a failure. I’m lovable. I’m sexy. I am sad. I’m smart. I am a good teacher. I am a good person. I’m a slow learner. I’m not okay.
- 28. On the Valueof Self-Esteem • Self-esteem refers to one’s own worth; how you feel and how you evaluate yourself and others. It gives you empowerment to be accountable and responsible for your decision and judgment. • Self-efficacy is the belief that you can achieve what you set out to do in life. • Self-respect is what you think and feel about yourself. Self- efficacy Self- respect Self- esteem
- 29. RESOURCES FORGROWTH • Groupshelp their members define and confirm their values, beliefs, and identities. When individuals are beset by problems and uncertainties, groups offer reassurance, security, support, and assistance.
- 30. RESOURCES FORGROWTH • Groupsare places where people can learn new social skills and discover things about themselves and others.
- 31. RESOURCES FORGROWTH • Groupmembers can also benefit from the increased self-confidence produced by helping others and by gaining insight about their personal qualities from other group members.
- 32. RESOURCES FORGROWTH • Groups,too, can produce changes in members when other approaches have failed.
- 33. RESOURCES FORGROWTH Personal growthgroups are: • Opportunities to learn more about yourself • A safe and supportive group environment to learn more about the patterns of ways you relate to others and to experiment with new ways of making contact with others • Opportunities to develop supportive relationships • Facilitated by mental health professionals who attend to the process dynamics of the individuals, sub-groups and the total group • Dependent upon committed members who consistently attend sessions.
Editor's Notes
- #4 When a group comes together for the first time and begins to interact, various differences between the members begin to appear: differences in status, influence, role, ability, and so on. The pattern of relationships that is thus established is known as the group structure. The pattern will, of course, change according to the nature of the task or the stage of discussion and the most influential person for one purpose may not be so for another.
- #5 You could for instance distribute a set of roles to the group: initiating, giving and asking for information, giving and asking for reactions, restating and giving examples, confronting and reality testing, clarifying, synthesising and summarising, gatekeeping and expediting, timekeeping, evaluating and diagnosing, standard setting, sponsoring and encouraging.
- #6 (before ALL) Group structure has also been defined as the underlying pattern of roles, norms, values, communication patterns, group size and networks of relations among members that define and organize the group. Through interaction, individuals begin to develop group norms, roles, and attitudes which define the group, and are internalized to influence behavior.
- #7 Roles can be defined as a tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way. Roles may be assigned formally, but more often are defined through the process of role differentiation
- #9 Initiator suggests new goals or ideas. Information seeker/giver clarifies key issues. Opinion seeker/giver clarifies pertinent values. Elaborator promotes greater understanding through examples or explorations of implications. Coordinator pulls together ideas and suggestions. Orienteer keeps group headed toward its states goals. Evaluator tests group’s accomplishments with various criteria. Energizer prods group. Procedural technician performs routine duties. Recorder performs a “group memory” function by documenting discussions and outcomes.
- #10 Encourager fosters group solidarity by accepting and praising various points of view Harmonizer mediates conflict through reconciliation or humor Compromiser helps resolve conflict by meeting others “half way” Gatekeeper encourages all group members to participate Standard setter evaluates the quality of group processes Commentator records and comments on group processes/dynamics Follower serves as a passive audience
- #11 Avoider remains apart from others Blocker resists stubbornly; negative Clown continuously jokes and attempts to distract group Dominator manipulates group; interrupts others Recognition Seeker calls attention to self by boasting, bragging, acting superior
- #12 Here the norm is not referring to what is likely to occur, but what we think should occur. For example, we can expect a certain level of violence in town centres as the bars and clubs close, but most people would probably say that it shouldn’t be happening. Socially established ‘and shared beliefs regarding what is normal, correct, true, moral and good generally have powerful effects on the thoughts and actions of group members’ Norms are said to be emergent, as they develop gradually throughout interactions between group members. While many norms are widespread throughout society, groups may develop their own norms that members must learn when they join the group.
- #13 Prescriptive Norms: are the “Do this” norms; the socially appropriate way to respond in a social situation, or what group members are supposed to do (e.g. saying thank you after someone does a favour for you); are embedded in the laws and policies such as traffic law, labor law, tax law, policies and guidelines in colleges and universities and social institutions. Some examples of prescriptive mores are: “Respect the properties of others”, “Love your neighbor”, “Pay your taxes and bills on time”, “Pay your school fees on time”, “Park your car in designated area” Proscriptive Norms: are the “Don’t do this” norms; actions that group members should not do; prohibitive (e.g. : “Do not kill”, “Do not commit adultery”, “Do not steal”, “Do not escape from monetary responsibility (fees) in schools”, “Don’t smoke in the campus (at Delta College)”, among others. Descriptive Norms: describe what people usually do (e.g. clapping after a speech); your perception of the behavior or the people around you Injunctive Norms: describe behaviours that people ought to do; what is approved and disapproved by others; automatically lower your voice to a whisper as you ask the librarian for directions to a particular section. Why? Because that's what you're supposed to do in a library
- #14 You use these deeply held principles to choose between right and wrong ways of working, and they help you make important decisions and career choices. Examples: Employee Code of Conduct Integrity Honesty Respect Accountability
- #15 A person’s status within a group is partially determined by his or her prestige, position, and recognized expertise outside the group. To some extent, however, status is also dependent on the situation. In one group, status may be determined by a member’s position in the agency sponsoring the group. In another group, status may be determined by how well a member is liked by other group members, how much the group relies on the member’s expertise or how much responsibility the member has in the group.
- #17 Low-status members are the least likely to conform to group norms because they have little to lose by deviating. For this reason, low-status members have the potential to be disruptive of productive group processes. Disruptive behavior is less likely if low-status members have hopes of gaining a higher status. Medium-status group members tend to conform to group norms so that they can retain their status and perhaps gain a higher status. Therefore, workers should provide opportunities for low-status members to contribute to the group so that they can become more socially integrated and achieve a higher status. High-status members perform many valued services for the group and generally conform to valued group norms when they are establishing their position. However, because of their position, high-status members have more freedom to deviate from accepted norms. They are often expected to do something special and creative when the group is in a crisis situation (Nixon, 1979).
- #18 In smaller groups a higher proportion of people are likely to participate – there is potential more time for each, and the smaller number of people involved means that speaking may not be as anxiety-making as in a large group. In addition, large groups are more likely to include people with a range of skills and this can allow for more specialization of labour. In addition, larger groups can also allow us to feel more anonymous. ‘As a result, we may exhibit less social responsibility…, which in turn will often lead to less task involvement and lower morale on the part of many group members as size increases’.
- #19 Notice the word “perceived.” As coaches, we know that people’s perception IS their reality. If your team’s perception of a person or situation is negative, their outlook will be negative, and their ability to find resolution together will be hampered.
- #20 Conflict between team members comes from several sources. Some conflicts have their basis in how people behave, while others come from disagreements about the nature of the team's work and how it is being accomplished. 1. Competing interests: Conflict can arise when people have mutually incompatible desires or needs. For example, two team members with similar skills may both want a certain 2. Different behavioral styles or preferences: Individuals may clash over their respective work habits, attention to detail, communication practices, or tone of expression. While these can affect coordination of interdependent tasks, they can especially inhibit direct collaboration.Competition over resources: Members 3. Competition over resources: Members may fight over the limited resources available to accomplish the team's tasks. For example, if two people both rely on the action of a third person to meet identical deadlines, disagreements might arise over whose work should receive that person's attention first. 4. Ambiguity about means and ends: Lack of clarity about tasks, strategies, and/or goals can lead people to make assumptions that others do not share or agree with, which can result in conflict.
- #21 When a team oversteps the mark of healthy difference of opinion, resolving conflict requires respect and patience. The human experience of conflict involves our emotions, perceptions, and actions; we experience it on all three levels, and we need to address all three levels to resolve it. We must replace the negative experiences with positive ones.
- #22 Acknowledge the conflict – The conflict has to be acknowledged before it can be managed and resolved. If you are concerned about the conflict in your team, discuss it with other members. Once the team recognizes the issue, it can start the process of resolution. Discuss the impact – As a team, discuss the impact the conflict is having on team dynamics and performance. Agree to a cooperative process – Everyone involved must agree to cooperate in to resolve the conflict. This means putting the team first, and may involve setting aside your opinion or ideas for the time being. If someone wants to win more than he or she wants to resolve the conflict, you may find yourself at a stalemate. Agree to communicate – The most important thing throughout the resolution process is for everyone to keep communications open. The people involved need to talk about the issue and discuss their strong feelings. Active listening is essential here, because to move on you need to really understand where the other person is coming from.
- #23 --Before All-- Once the team is ready to resolve the conflict, the next stage is to understand the situation, and each team member's point of view. Take time to make sure that each person's position is heard and understood. Remember that strong emotions are at work here so you have to get through the emotion and reveal the true nature of the conflict. Do the following: Clarify positions – Whatever the conflict or disagreement, it's important to clarify people's positions. Whether there are obvious factions within the team who support a particular option, approach or idea, or each team member holds their own unique view, each position needs to be clearly identified and articulated by those involved. Example: Sally and Tom believe the best way to market the new product is through a TV campaign. Mary and Beth are adamant that internet advertising is the way to go; whilst Josh supports a store-lead campaign. List Facts, Assumptions, and Beliefs underlying each position hat does each group or person believe? What do they value? What information are they using as a basis for these beliefs? What decision-making criteria and processes have they employed? Example:Sally and Tom believe that TV advertising is best because it has worked very well in the past. They are motivated by the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Mary and Beth are very tuned-in to the latest in technology and believe that to stay ahead in the market, the company has to continue to try new things. They seek challenges and find change exhilarating and motivating. Josh believes a store-lead campaign is the most cost-effective. He's cautious, and feels this is the best way to test the market at launch, before committing the marketing spend. Analyze in smaller groups – Break the team into smaller groups, separating people who are in alliance. In these smaller groups, analyze and dissect each position, and the associated facts, assumptions and beliefs. Convene back as a team – After the group dialogue, each side is likely to be much closer to reaching agreement. The process of uncovering facts and assumptions allows people to step away from their emotional attachments and see the issue more objectively. When you separate alliances, the fire of conflict can burn out quickly, and it is much easier to see the issue and facts laid bare.
- #24 Now that all parties understand the others' positions, the team must decide what decision or course of action to take. With the facts and assumptions considered, it's easier to see the best of action and reach agreement. Example: In our example, the team agrees that TV advertising is the best approach. It has had undeniably great results in the past and there is no data to show that will change. The message of the advertising will promote the website and direct consumers there. This meets Mary and Beth's concern about using the website for promotions: they assumed that TV advertising would disregard it. ---- When conflict is resolved take time to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions everyone made toward reaching a solution. This can build team cohesion and confidence in their problem solving skills, and can help avert further conflict. This three-step process can help solve team conflict efficiently and effectively. The basis of the approach is gaining understanding of the different perspectives and using that understanding to expand your own thoughts and beliefs about the issue.
- #25 What really is a group? A sufficient definition is given by Shaw: a group is two or more persons who are interacting with one another in such a manner that each person influences and is influenced by the other(s).
- #27 Sharing makes it possible for people to get to know one another in a friendly and open atmosphere. Through group dynamics, people learn about themselves and others. When people see how similar they are in their weaknesses, it becomes easy for them to trust and therefore to communicate. Group Dynamics then is the fastest and least painful way of bringing about real changes in a community.
- #28 Your self-concept is composed of all the beliefs and attitudes you have about yourself.
- #34 Both researchers and mental health professionals who understand groups recognize their healing power, for groups help their members change for the better.