Small Group Communication

Josh Emington

emington@msu.edu

Understanding & Managing

Cohesiveness & Conflict

Agenda

Cohesiveness Ch 9Group Think

Conflict Ch 10Substantive and AffectiveResolution vs. ManagementStrategy

Determinants of Group Cohesivness

Similar Attitudes Successful Goal Achievement Sense of How to Achieve Goals Progress in Goal Achievement Perceived freedom to Participate Status Consensus Well-Managed Conflict Mutual Reinforcement

Benefits

Productivity

▪ To the White Board

Satisfaction Enhanced Agreement

Promoting Cohesivness

Leadership Style Effective Participation

Individual Commitments Group Identification/Symbolic

Convergence

Goals

“Any job is simple if it is broken into small enough parts.”

- Henry Ford.

Group Think The Dark Side

Conditions that Promote Group Think

High Cohesiveness Insulation – Isolation Lack of Tradition to Inhibit

Leadership Bias Lack of procedural norms or rules.

Type 1 - Overestimation of Group Power or Morality

Type 2 – Closed Mindedness

Type 3 – Pressures Toward Uniformity

Mindguards

Symptoms of Group Think Syndrome

Incomplete survey of alternatives Incomplete survey of objectives Failure to examine the risks of preferred

choices Failure to reappraise initially rejected

alternatives Poor information search Selective bias in processing information

at hand Failure to work out contingency plans

Consequences

Diagnostic Dash 2 Team Comp Points

Diagnostic Dash 2 Team Comp Points

Collect primary data from someone nearby regarding either the conflict or the cohesiveness of their group.

Capturing this interview on video and uploading it will prove very useful. [You have 20 minutes to return with all data]

Take notes on anything you can without taking more than 5 minutes of the respondent’s time.

Create a short 1 to 3 minute video describing your recommendations for managing the conflict or cohesiveness (pick 1) in the group.

Post this video to YouTube and the Facebook Group.

The video registered with the most YouTube views at the beginning of next class period wins the points.

Conflict

A struggle involving opposing ideas, values, and/or limited resources. - Morton

Deutsch 1973

Conflict Management

Stressors (Variables that increase

the intensity of conflict)

Important personal goals

Multiple relatively equivalent options Approach-approach conflict

Solutions have both negative and positive results Approach-avoidance conflict

Many Ideas Exist

Functional

Dysfunctional

Types of Conflict

Substantive = Ideational Affective

Ideas or issues. = Thoughts or concepts. Emotions or relations.

The Utility of Conflict

Outlet for Hostility (release stressors)

Promote Cohesiveness Focus Attention Increased Productivity (Especially Substantive)

Increase Chance for Genuine Commitment

Extra credit 2pts

Read an academic article related to leadership an post your thoughts along with the APA citation of that article. Shoot for a short paragraph. The post must be on the Facebook page before the final presentation class period.

How Not to Manage Conflict

Say obvious but difficult things like: “Communicate more” “Cooperate more” “Its _____’s

fault”

Attack others personally Make weak general statements

Run from conflictHold a filibuster

Conflict Discussion

Real live conflict!

A Warning about Compromise

Questions

Study for that Final!

emington@msu.edu

Thank You !