This document discusses key concepts relating to group dynamics and team effectiveness. It covers common concerns people have when entering new groups, such as establishing their identity, influence, needs and acceptance. It also outlines stages of group development and conditions necessary for team success, including interdependence, leadership, joint decision making and equal influence. The document contrasts task and process dimensions in groups and how cohesiveness and productivity are interrelated. It provides strategies for promoting cohesiveness and lists characteristics of an effective team.

1. Group Dynamics for the Capstone Course in Action Learning Based on Process Consultation by Edgar Schein, 1998 and Productive Workplaces by Marvin Weisbord, 2004

2. Problems in Entering a New Group Identity - Who am I to be? Control & Influence - Will I be able to control and influence others? Needs & Goals - Will the group goals include my own needs? Acceptance & Intimacy - Will I be liked and accepted by the group?

3. Self-Oriented Coping Responses “ Tough” responses: fighting, controlling, and resisting authority “ Tender” responses: supporting, helping, forming alliances, dependency Withdrawal or denial responses: passivity, indifference, overuse of “logic and reason”

4. Group Development First, a period of self-oriented behavior As self-oriented concerns are addressed, people pay more attention to each other and the task at hand The work of “building” the group occurs simultaneously with task accomplishment

5. Weisbord’s Conditions for Team Success Interdependence - people are working on problems in which each person has a stake Leadership - the boss wants to improve team performance and is willing to take some risks Joint decision - all members agree to participate Equal influence - each person has a chance to influence the agenda

6. Questions Asked by Team Members Am I in or out? Do I have any power or control? Can I use, develop, and be appreciated for my skills and resources?

7. Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development Forming Storming Norming Performing Adjourning

8. Task Dimensions T he relationship between group members and the task they are to perform. Task refers to the job they have to do and how they go about doing it.

9. Process dimensions The relationships of group members with one another -- how they feel toward one another and how they feel about their membership in the group.

10. Task and Process Dimensions Highly interdependent in practice; without both dimensions, group process does not exist Task output is productivity Process output is cohesiveness

11. Relationship Between Cohesiveness and Productivity Productivity Cohesiveness

12. Promoting Cohesiveness in Groups Encourage interpersonal attraction through attitudinal similarity Increase contact time Build perceptions of others as likeable Create opportunities for self-disclosure Promote group identification

13. Cohesiveness in Groups, con’t Create history Accomplish something Develop relationships and shared norms Promote acceptance of all members Encourage external threats

14. An Effective Team Possesses... Adequate mechanisms for getting feedback Optimal cohesion Flexible organization and procedures Maximum use of member resources Clear communications Clear goals accepted by all members Feelings of interdependence Shared participation in leadership functions, including decision making Acceptance of minority views and persons