INTRODUCTION GROUP BEHAVIOUR final n final

8/7/2019 INTRODUCTION GROUP BEHAVIOUR final n final

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ContentsDEFINING AND CLASSIFYING GROUPS ........................................................ 2

GROUP BEHAVIOUR ......................................................................................... 3THEORIES OF GROUP BEHAVIOUR FUNCTIONING .................................... 4

Why Do People Join Groups? ................................................................................ 6

STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT .............................................................. 6

GROUP BEHAVIOUR MODEL ........................................................................... 8

INFLUENCE OF GROUP BEHAVIOUR ON THE WORK ASSIGNED ............. 9

GROUP MEMBER RESOURCES .......................................................................10

GROUP PROPERTIES ........................................................................................10

GROUPS VS TEAMS ..........................................................................................15

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF A GROUP BEHAVIOR ...........20

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF GROUP DECISIONS ..............22

CASE STUDIES ...................................................................................................23


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DEFINING AND CLASSIFYINGGROUPS

A group is defined as two or more individuals, interacting and Interdependent, who have cometogether to achieve particular objectives. Groups can be either formal or informal. By formalgroups, we mean those defined by the organizations structure, with designated workassignments establishing task. If formal groups, the behaviors that one should engage in arestipulated by and directed toward organizational goals. The six members making up an airlineflight crew are an example of a normal group. In contrast, informal groups are alliances that areneither formally structured nor organizationally determined. These groups are natural formationsin the work environment that appear in response to the need for social contact three employeesfrom different departments who regularly eat together are an example of an informal group.

Its possible to further sub-classify groups as command, task, interest, or friendship groups.Command and task groups are dictated by the formal organization whereas interest andfriendship groups are formal alliances.

A command group is determined by the organization chart. It is composed of the individuals whoreport directly to manager. An elementary school principal and her 18 teachers form a commandgroup, as do the director of postal audits and his five inspectors.

Task groups, also organizationally determined represents those working together to complete ajob task. However, a task groups boundaries are limited to its immediate hierarchical superior. Itcan cross command relationships. For instance, if a college student is accused of a campus crime,it may require communication and coordination among the dean of academic affairs, the dean ofstudents, the registrar, the director of security, and the students advisor. Such a formation would

constitute a task group. It should be noted that all command groups are also task groups, butbecause task groups can cut across the organization, the reverse need not be true. People whomay or may not be aligned into common command or task groups may affiliate to attain aspecific objective with which each is concerned. This is an interest group. Employees who bondtogether to have their vacation schedules altered to support a peer who has been fired or to seekimproved working conditions represent a united body to further their common interest.

Groups often develop because the individual members have one or more common characteristics.We call these formations friendship groups. Social alliances, which frequently extend outside the

work situation can be based on similar age or ethnic heritage, support for Notre dame, Football,interest in the same alternative rock and, or the holding of similar political views, to name just afew such characteristics.

Informal groups a very important service by satisfying member needs. Because of interactionsthat result from the close proximity of workstations or task interactions we find workers often dothings together like play golf, commute to work, take lunch, and chat during coffee breaks. We


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must recognize that these types of interactions among individuals even though informal deeplyaffect their behavior and performance.

Here is no single reason why individuals join groups. Because most people belong to a numberof groups, its obvious that different groups provide different benefits to their member.

Working in groups requires a certain amount of trust. Are you a trusting a person? The SelfAssessment Feature will tell you.

GROUP BEHAVIOUR

Groupthink is defined as the deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moraljudgement in the interest of group solidarity.

Groupthinkis a type of thought within a deeply cohesive in-group whose members try tominimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing, and evaluating ideas.It is a second potential negative consequence of group cohesion. Individual creativity,uniqueness, and independent thinking are lost in the pursuit of group cohesiveness, as are theadvantages of reasonable balance in choice and thought that might normally be obtained bymaking decisions as a group. During groupthink, members of the group avoid promotingviewpoints outside the comfort zone of consensus thinking. A variety of motives for this mayexist such as a desire to avoid being seen as foolish, or a desire to avoid embarrassing orangering other members of the group. Groupthink may cause groups to make hasty, irrationaldecisions, where individual doubts are set aside, for fear of upsetting the groups balance. Theterm is frequently used pejoratively, in hindsight. Additionally, it is difficult to assess the qualityof decision making in terms of outcomes all the time, but one can almost always evaluate thequality of the decision-making process.

Group decision making is a situation faced when people are brought together to solve problemsin the anticipation that they are more effective than individuals under the idea of synergy. Butcohesive groups display risky behavior in decision making situations that led to the devotion ofmuch effort, especially in the area of applied social sciences and other relevant fields ofspecialization.

There are several aspects of group cohesion which have a negative effect on group decisionmaking and hence on group effectiveness. Risky-shift phenomenon, group polarisation, andgroup-think are negative aspects of group decision making which have drawn attention.

Group-think is one of the most dangerous traps in our decision making. It's particularly becauseit taps into our deep social identification mechanisms - everyone likes to feel part of a group -and our avoidance of social challenges. But consensus without conflict almost always means thatother viewpoints are being ignored, and the consequences of group-think can be disastrous.


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Collective intelligence is a shared or group intelligence that emerges from the collaboration andcompetition of many individuals and appears in consensus decision making in bacteria, animals,humans and computer networks.

Crowd psychology is a branch of social psychology. Ordinary people can typically gain direct

power by acting collectively. Historically, because large groups of people have been able tobring about dramatic and sudden social change in a manner that bypasses established dueprocess, they have also provoked controversy.

Group conflicts, also called group intrigues, is where social behaviour causes groups ofindividuals to conflict with each other. It can also refer to a conflict within these groups. Thisconflict is often caused by differences in social norms, values, and religion.

Both constructive and destructive conflict occurs in most small groups. It is very important toaccentuate the constructive conflict and minimize the destructive conflict. Conflict is bound tohappen, but if we use it constructively then it need not be a bad thing.

Herd behavior describes how individuals in a group can act together without planned direction.The term pertains to the behavior of animals in herds, flocks and schools, and to human conductduring activities such as stock market bubbles and crashes, street demonstrations, sportingevents, religious gatherings, episodes of mob violence and even everyday decision making,judgment and opinion forming.

A moral panic is the intensity of feeling expressed in a population about an issue that appears tothreaten the social order. A moral panic occurs when "[a] condition, episode, person or group ofpersons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests.

Peer pressure refers to the influence exerted by a peer group in encouraging a person to changehis or her attitudes, values, or behavior in order to conform to group norms. Social groupsaffected include membership groups, when the individual is "formally" a member (for example,political party, trade union), or a social clique. A person affected by peer pressure may or maynot want to belong to these groups. They may also recognize dissociative groups with which theywould notwish to associate, and thus they behave adversely concerning that group's behaviors.

As groups function and interact with other groups, they develop their own unique set of

characteristics including structure, cohesiveness, roles, norms and processes. As a result, groupsmay cooperate or compete with other groups, and intergroup competition can lead to conflict.


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WhyDo People Join Groups?

Security : By joining a group, individuals can reduce the insecurity of standing alone peoplefeel stronger, have fewer self doubts, and are resistant to threats when they are part of a group.

Status: Inclusion in a group that is viewed as important provides recognition and status for itsmembers.

Self esteem: Groups can provide people with feelings of self worth. That is, in addition toconveying status to those outside the group, membership can also give increased feelings ofworth to the group members themselves.

Affiliation: Groups can fulfill social needs. People enjoy the regular penetration that comes withgroup membership. For many people, these on-the-job interactions are their primary source for

fulfilling their needs for affiliation.

Power: What cannot be achieved individually often becomes possible through group action.There is power in numbers.

Goal Achievement: There are times when it takes more than one person to accomplish aparticular task there is a need to pool talents, knowledge, or power in order to complete a job.In such instances, management will rely on the use of a formal group.

STAGES OFGROUPDEVELOPMENT

STAGE 1: Forming

In the Formingstage, personal relations are characterized by dependence. Group members relyon safe, patterned behavior and look to the group leader for guidance and direction. Groupmembers have a desire for acceptance by the group and a need to be know that the group is safe.They set about gathering impressions and data about the similarities and differences among them

and forming preferences for future subgrouping. Rules of behavior seem to be to keep thingssimple and to avoid controversy. Serious topics and feelings are avoided.

The major task functions also concern orientation. Members attempt to become oriented to thetasks as well as to one another. Discussion centers around defining the scope of the task, how toapproach it, and similar concerns. To grow from this stage to the next, each member mustrelinquish the comfort of non-threatening topics and risk the possibility of conflict.


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Stage 2: Storming

The next stage, called Storming, is characterized by competition and conflict in the personal-

relations dimension an organization in the task-functions dimension. As the group membersattempt to organize for the task, conflict inevitably results in their personal relations. Individualshave to bend and mold their feelings, ideas, attitudes, and beliefs to suit the group organization.Because of "fear of exposure" or "fear of failure," there will be an increased desire for structuralclarification and commitment. Although conflicts may or may not surface as group issues, theydo exist. Questions will arise about who is going to be responsible for what, what the rules are,what the reward system is, and what criteria for evaluation are. These reflect conflicts overleadership, structure, power, and authority. There may be wide swings in members behaviorbased on emerging issues of competition and hostilities. Because of the discomfort generated

during this stage, some members may remain completely silent while others attempt to dominate.In order to progress to the next stage, group members must move from a "testing and proving"mentality to a problem-solving mentality. The most important trait in helping groups to move onto the next stage seems to be the ability to listen.

Stage 3: Norming

In the Norming stage, interpersonal relations are characterized by cohesion. Group members are

engaged in active acknowledgment of all members contributions, community building and

maintenance, and solving of group issues. Members are willing to change theirpreconceived ideas or

opinions on the basis of facts presented by other members, and they actively ask questions of one

another. Leadership is shared, and cliques dissolve. When members begin to know-and identify with-

one another, the level of trust in their personal relations contributes to the development of group

cohesion.It is during this stage of development (assuming the group gets this far) that people begin to

experience a sense of group belonging and a feeling of relief as a result of resolving interpersonal

conflicts.

The major task function of stage three is the data flow between group members: They sharefeelings and ideas, solicit and give feedback to one another, and explore actions related to thetask. Creativity is high. If this stage of data flow and cohesion is attained by the group members,

their interactions are characterized by openness and sharing of information on both a personaland task level. They feel good about being part of an effective group.

The major drawback of the norming stage is that members may begin to fear the inevitable futurebreakup of the group; they may resist change of any sort.

Stage 4: Performing


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The Performingstage is not reached by all groups. If group members are able to evolve to stagefour, their capacity, range, and depth of personal relations expand to true interdependence. In thisstage, people can work independently, in subgroups, or as a total unit with equal facility. Theirroles and authorities dynamically adjust to the changing needs of the group and individuals.Stage four is marked by interdependence in personal relations and problem solving in the realm

of task functions. By now, the group should be most productive. Individual members havebecome self-assuring, and the need for group approval is past. Members are both highly taskoriented and highly people oriented. There is unity: group identity is complete, group morale ishigh, and group loyalty is intense. The task function becomes genuine problem solving, leadingtoward optimal solutions and optimum group development. There is support for experimentationin solving problems and an emphasis on achievement. The overall goal is productivity throughproblem solving and work.

Stage 5: Adjourning

The final stage, Adjourning,involves the termination of task behaviors and disengagement fromrelationships. A planned conclusion usually includes recognition for participation andachievement and an opportunity for members to say personal goodbyes. Concluding a group cancreate some apprehension - in effect, a minor crisis. The termination of the group is a regressivemovement from giving up control to giving up inclusion in the group. The most effectiveinterventions in this stage are those that facilitate task termination and the disengagementprocess.

GROUPBEH

AVIOUR

MODE

L

Group

External

conditions

imposed

on the

group

Group

member

resources

Group

Structure

Group process

Group

task

Performance

and

satisfaction


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INFLUENCEOFGROUP BEHAVIOURONTHEWORKASSIGNED

Group affective tone represents the consistent or homogeneous affective reactions within agroup. Group affective tone is an aggregate of the moods of the individual members of the group

and refers to mood at the group level of analysis. If the moods of the individual group membersare consistent, then group affective tone can be treated as a group property. If, for example,members of a group tend to be excited, energetic and enthusiastic, then the group itself can bedescribed as being excited, energetic and enthusiastic. If the group members tend to bedistressed, mistrustful and nervous, then the group can also be described in these terms. Not allgroups possess an affective tone; members of some groups do not experience similar moods.Even so, past research indicates that a majority of groups possess an affective tone.

Two dimensions of group affective tone have been identified: positive affective tone andnegative affective tone. Research shows that the two dimensions of affect emerge as independent

factors

and display independent patterns of relationships with other variables.Group members tend to experience similar moods based on several theoretical mechanisms,including the selection and composition of group members, the socialization of group members,and exposure of group members to the same affective events, such as task demands andoutcomes.

Moods tend to be shared among group members through processes such as mood contagion andimpression management. Group affective tone is associated with various organizationaloutcomes such as group prosocial behavior

George's (1990) demonstration that characteristic levels of the personality traits of PA and NA,within work groups, are positively associated with their corresponding (positive and negative)affective tones. Group affective tone is influenced by characteristic levels of personalitytraits within groups. These characteristic levels of personality have been theorized to be broughtabout by member similarity resulting from attraction-selection-attrition processes described bySchneider (1987). Beyond personality, a number of other factors have been posited to explainwhy work group members tend to share moods and emotions, for example: (a)common socialization experiences and common social influences; (b) similarity of tasks and hightask interdependence (c) membership stability; (d) mood regulation norms and rules; and(e) emotional contagion

George believes that a group's affective tone will determine how innovative (and effective) thegroup will be. An evidence to this belief is that when individuals feel positive they tend toconnect and integrate divergent stimulus materialsthey are more creative.

George suggests that if all or most individuals in a work group tend to feel positive at work (thegroup has a "high positive affective tone"), then their cognitive flexibility will be amplified as aresult of social influence and other group processes. As a result of these individual and group


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level processes, the group will develop shared (and flexible) mental models. In effect, groupswith a high positive affective tone will be creative.

Analyses suggested that positive group affective tone fully mediated, and negative groupaffective tone partially mediated, the association between leader mood and group coordination.

Successful leaders must efficiently regulate the affective tones of their groups. Leaders who areeffective at managing the group's affective tone should have more impact on group processesthan will their counterparts.

GROUP MEMBER RESOURCES

A groups potential level of performance is, to a large extent, dependent on the resourcesthat its members individually bring to the group.

y Abilities Set the parameters for what members can do and how effectively they willperform in a group

y Personality Characteristics The magnitude of the effect of any single Characteristic is small, but

taking personality characteristics together, the consequences for groupbehaviour are of major significance.

GROUPPROPERTIES

1. ROLES2. NORMS3. STATUS4. SIZE5. COHESIVENESS

ROLES - A role is a set of expected behaviour patterns attributed to someone occupying a givenposition in a social unit.-Role Identity: Certain attitudes and behaviours consistent with a role-Role Perception: An individuals view of how he or she is supposed to act in a given situation-Role Expectations: How others believe a person should act in a given situation-Role Conflict: A situation in which an individual is confronted by divergent role expectations


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ROLES IN GROUPS-Task-oriented roles Roles performed by group members to ensure that the tasks of the group areaccomplished-Maintenance roles Roles performed by group members to maintain good relations within thegroup

-Individual roles Roles performed by group members that are not productive for keeping thegroup on task

NORMSAcceptable standards of behavior within a group that are shared by the groups members

Classes of Norms

Performance norms - level of acceptable work

Appearance norms - what to wear

Social arrangement norms - friendships and the likeAllocation of resources norms - distribution and assignments of jobs and material

Norms and Behavior

ConformityGaining acceptance by adjusting ones behavior to align with the norms of the groupReference GroupsImportant groups to which individuals belong or hope to belong and with whose normsindividuals are likely to conformAsch Studies

Demonstrated the power of conformanceCulture-based and declining in importance

Deviant Workplace Behavior

Also called antisocial behavior or work place incivilityVoluntary behavior that violates significant organizational norms and, in doing so, threatens thewell-being of the organizationTypology:

Production working speed

Property damage and stealing

Political favoritism and gossipPersonal Aggression sexual harassment

Group Influence on DeviantBehaviorGroup norms can influence the presence of deviant behaviorSimply belonging to a group increases the likelihood of deviance


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Being in a group allows individuals to hide creates a false sense of confidence that they wontbe caught

STATUSA socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others it differentiatesgroup membersImportant factor in understanding behaviorSignificant motivatorStatus Characteristics TheoryStatus derived from one of three sources:

Power a person has over others

Ability to contribute to group goals

Personal characteristics

EffectsOn Norms and ConformityHigh-status members are less restrained by norms and pressure to conformSome level of deviance is allowed to high-status members so long as it doesnt affect groupgoal achievementOn Group InteractionHigh-status members are more assertiveLarge status differences limit diversity of ideas and creativityOn EquityIf status is perceived to be inequitable, it will result in various forms of corrective behavior

SIZEGroup size affects behaviorSize:Twelve or more members is a large groupSeven or fewer is a small group

Issues with Group SizeSocial LoafingThe tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than whenworking individuallyRingelmanns Rope Pull: greater levels of productivity but with diminishing returns as groupsize increasesCaused by either equity concerns or a diffusion of responsibility (free riders)Managerial ImplicationsBuild in individual accountabilityPrevent social loafing by:Set group goalsIncrease intergroup competition-Use peer evaluation


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Distribute group rewards based on individual effort

COHESIVENESSDegree to which group members areattracted to each other and are motivatedto stay in the groupManagerial ImplicationTo increase cohesiveness:

Make the group smaller.

Encourage agreement with group goals.

Increase time members spend together.

Increase group status and admission difficulty.

Stimulate competition with other groups.

Give rewards to the group, not to individuals.

Physically isolate the group.

Group Decision Making v/s IndividualChoiceGroup Strengths:

Generate more complete information and knowledge

Offer increased diversity of views and greater creativity

Increased acceptance of decisions

Generally more accurate (but not as accurate as themost accurate group member)Group Weaknesses:

Time-consuming activity

Conformity pressures in the group

Discussions can be dominated by a few members

A situation of ambiguous responsibility

GROUP COHESIVENESS, PRODUCTIVITY Vs PERFORMANCE

Group cohesiveness" is the force bringing group members closer together. Cohesiveness hastwo dimensions: emotional (or personal) and task-related. The emotional aspect of cohesiveness,which was studied more often, is derived from the connection that members feel to other groupmembers and to their group as a whole.


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The forces that push group members together can be positive (group-based rewards) or negative(things lost upon leaving the group). The main factors that influence group cohesiveness are:members similarity, group size, entry difficulty, group success and external competition andthreats. Often, these factors work through enhancing the identification of the individual with thegroup she/he belongs to as well as their beliefs of how the group can fulfill their personal needs.

Since it is easier for fewer people to agree on goals and to co-ordinate their work smaller groupsare more cohesive than larger groups. Task cohesiveness may suffer, though, if the group lacksenough members to perform its tasks well enough.


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SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO ENCOURAGE GROUP COHESIVENESS

Make the group smaller. Encourage agreement with group goals. Increase the time members spend together. Increase the status of the group and the perceived difficulty of attaining membership in

the group. Stimulate competition with other groups. Give rewards to the group rather than to individual members. Physically isolate the group.

GROUPS VS TEAMS

Groups v/sT

eamsA

re thereesse

ntialdifferences? What are they? What are theimplications for leaders?

As a leader, it's important to make this 'Groups v Teams' distinction. Your approach to leadingeach will be completely different.

For managers to make better decisions about whether, when, or how to encourage and use

teams, it is important to be more precise about what a team is and what it isn't.

Groups v/s Teams: Why bring people together to work?

Some organizational or business functions are too large for individuals to carry out.

Work groups are created when scalable tasks need to be carried out. Growing sales inquiriesoutstrip the time one person has available. Solution? Sign up another sales person to carryout essentially the same tasks. Group leadership can frequently focus on individual members -who usually need to hear the same message at the same time.

Teams are created to create a 'super-being' whose collective experience and competence isbroader, deeper, longer than any one individual can embody. Team tasks are usually not scalablein any simple sense. Individuals and sub-teams are likely to perform tasks that are qualitativelydifferent from/than each other. Team leadership is more complex, needing to focus onfacilitating the web of relationships between individuals and sub-teams. Leaders also focus onthe relationship between the team/super-being and its output(s).For these reasons, co-ordinationand communication difficulties increase.


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The following two sections,

y contrasting group and team culturey summarizing different approaches to leading groups v teams

Will help to focus on key issues for the leadership development of groups v teams.

Groups v/s Teams - contrasting cultures

As a team leader or group leader, your first key task is to assess operational ororganizational needs. Next, work out what set of working norms provides the best solution tomeet those needs. Finally, gather individuals together and establish working practice. Verydifferent working cultures, values and norms impact on the working life of groups v teams.The following ideas will help you identify leadership issues arising from these differences.

Groups v/s teams: variations in alliances, diversity and levels of ownership

The ownership of products and processes looks quite different in groups v teams.

Working alliances:

Groups believe that their main reason for existing is administrative: it's easier to tell tenmembers of the sales staff targets, changes in offers - and so on - at the same time. Workingalliances are not well developed within a group. Individuals meetresponsibilities independently of each other.

Teams - on the other hand - are very interdependent. Working alliances are strong. Individualand collective goals are met through mutually supportive activities.

Diversity:

It is more valuable to a team. Differing points of view of a problem lead to lateral thinking. Avariety of criticisms of current practice may lead to new insights and innovations. Barriers toprogress may be overcome by negotiating new understandings through discussion. In this wayteams tend to celebrate difference and respond positively to the uniqueness of individualcontributions.

A group has little need for diversity of opinion or perspective. Roles are largely channeled andpre-determined by leaders or managers. Diversity of approaches may be counter-productive andlead to difficulties in evaluating changes in practice. There is little scope for uniquecontributions.


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Ownership:

Negotiating the whole approach to a project by team members creates a strong senseof ownership by team members. They are likely to have had a major influence in the approachthe team will take, possibly modifying global goals and aims. They will almost certainly have

made important decisions about how to operationalize the global aim of the team. Thus,participative decision-making is a key-feature of team activity.

In contrast, for groups ownership of global aims and targets is located outside the individualmembers. The clearest sense of the aims of the group is likely to be held by those in executive ormanagerial roles who instruct the group.

Groups v/s teams: differing emphasis on creativity, trust and shared values

Teams and groups score differently forcreativity too. Diversity plus ownership together create astrong sense of shared responsibility for the product of the team's efforts and the process they use

to develop that product. This all rests on a shared creative effort.

Trust:

In a group individual members need to trust that the roles and responsibilities that they havebeen delegated are appropriate to meet stated objectives. They need to trust that any incentives -for example - will be applied fairly by managers and group leaders. Groups can functionperfectly well with little formal trust between group members themselves.

In a team, greater levels of trust are required between team members themselves. They need totrust that comments and criticisms will be respected by other team members, for example. Trustbetween team mates grows as it is tested by open discussion, debate, argument and criticism.

Values:

Team members may come to realize that they share deeply held valueswith their team mates. Ifvalues are not shared between all, then team mates usually know - and respect - the differentvalues that shape their colleagues' contributions. Establishing shared and/ordiverse values between team members is often an important team leadership task as the teamforms and starts to work together. It is easier to have a constructive argument with a team matewhen you are clear about the values that motivate a contribution that you disagree with.

It's easier to respect a disagreement when you know the values that underpin it, particularly ifyou share some of them! Explicit values create a basis for common understanding between teammembers. Shared and interlocking responsibilities make this an important feature of good teamworking.

Work groups need to be clear about the roles and responsibilities of individuals. Commonunderstandings are seldom a feature of group working.


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Game-playing: groups v/s teams... they differ

In a team or group situation - in any relationship, in fact - people can get 'stuck' in conflict thatbecomes self-serving. That is, it perpetuates itself and does not lead to constructive resolution.This is referred to as 'game-playing'.

Some writers take the view that groups - with less to lose between individuals - are more open tothis kind of point scoring. We take the view that most work groups are unlikely to have a strongenough vested-interest in other group members to make game-playing likely. We agree withthose who characterize group communication as "polite." It's tempting to call it "bland" ... thereis insufficient commitment to arouse real passion.

However, malfunctioning teams (possibly stuck in an extended 'storming' stage) are very likelyto engage in some serious game-playing! A strong foundation of shared (or, if not shared ... thenexplicitly stated) values will often help team members respond constructively to negativefeedback and criticism from team mates.

Groups v/s Teams: communication and professional development

Work groupcommunication tends to be straightforward and unidirectional. Content ofcommunications tends to be direct and unambiguous. Emails are relatively useful for passingsimple messages to and fro. Salesperson to customer; purchaser to supplier; group leader togroup member; group member to group member.

Team communication tends to be much more complex and multi directional. Meanings arenegotiated through active sharing and debate. The common understandings (referred to before)

that teams create arise from exchanges between individuals and sub teams who are likelycommitted to their own points of view. The best teams are cauldron-like at times! Yet theapparent conflict is not taken personally. It is acknowledged as an essential part of sharedresponsibility.

Constructive team members become skilled in many areas of communication, they...

y routinely demonstrate all the skills of active listening;y will actively seek feedback;y provide constructive feedback (positive and negative);y facilitate discussion;y listen for unspoken assumptions;y listen for and respond to underlying feelings;


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y help others to express themselves; andy Clarify nuances in meaning.

We also believe that skilled team members are much more self-aware. Communication skills are

really a misnomer. We've seen and heard skills deployed insincerely. Formally 'correct' wordsand phrases may be uttered. In the absence of a mature self-awareness, these can simply soundhollow.

Professional development:

Participation in a team experience contributes to professional developmentand the growth ofprofessional self-awareness in striking and diverse ways. The learning curve is longer, steeperand richer than in a group.

Contrast groups, where training tends to be clearly focused on relatively narrow goals, and

opportunities to learn through consistent supportive challenge are restricted.

Conflicts:

In groups the absence of a framework to understand and manage conflictmeans that - when itdoes arise - it is likely to be personal (rather than professional). It may test a leader who is likelyto be unaware of its foundation, or who may have avoided confronting issues (perhaps hopingthey would 'blow over').

Conflict in teams is more likely to focus on how the product is to be delivered andthe processes the team engages in to deliver it. Team members may legitimately argue about thebest routes to progressing the team's aims, for example. Team leaders won't want to becomecomplacent, however: even the most focused team can become side-tracked into game-playingand point-scoring.

Groups v/s teams - leadership and summary

Sometimes discussion about team leaders and group leaders focuses on issues of "strength."It's our view that this is relative - the strong leader only appears so because the members of hisgroup are weak, relative to the leader. It may appear that their will dominates: "What I say goes!"

One of the risks is disintegration of the function of the group in the leader's absence. A second isthe "dumbing-down" of group members' potential. Neither offer a positive way of holding - letalone developing your organizations current pool of talent.

Team leadership is much more of an art. One of the most important aspects of this particular artform is to know when to let individual team members - or sub-sections of the team - step up tothe plate.


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This distributed leadership is a wonderful way of nurturing talented people, deepening theirtechnical knowledge and developing the soft skills that will enable them to adapt to changingorganizational needs. Lastly, effective team leadership should focus on ensuring that its outputsare significantly superior to the individual outputs that members can achieve workingindependently.

The collective output of a strong team will always be greater than the sum of its parts. If this istrue the team is likely to repay the extra investment of time that teams require. If it is not - areyou sure you need a team?

ADVANTAGES ANDDISADVANTAGES OF A GROUP BEHAVIOR

The disadvantages of group can include:-

Competition

Most people working in a group unconsciously perceive the situation as competitive. Thisgenerates behavior which is destructive and drains the creative energy of the group. For example,we often perceive disagreement with our ideas as a put-down. The natural reaction is to regainour self-esteem, often by trying to sabotage the ideas of those who disagreed with us. Instead oflooking for ways to improve on their ideas we choose to destroy them.

Eager to express our own ideas, we may totally ignore what others are suggesting. Power-seekersmay use ploys such as highlighting flaws in others' arguments, barbed questions and displays of

expertise to show their supremacy. These types of behavior create an atmosphere which isincompatible with effective problem solving.

Conformity.

There is a strong tendency for individuals in a group to want to conform to the consensus. Thiscan be for a variety of reasons, including the need to feel liked, valued or respected, and tends tomake people censor their ideas accordingly. The comparative status of the individuals presentalso has an important influence. Senior members often want to maintain their image of beingknowledgeable, while junior members want to avoid appearing the inexperienced 'upstart'.Because agreement on ideas can be gained quickly in a group setting, groups tend to select andapprove solutions quickly, without exploring all the possibilities.

Lackofobjectivedirection

Most traditional meetings and group discussions convened to solve problems are ineffectivelydirected. Sometimes there is no effective leader to give direction to the discussion, with the resultthat it wanders aimlessly. Even when there is strong leadership, the group leader or chairman


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often exerts undue pressure on the direction and content of the discussion. In addition, the ideasaired during a meeting are not usually recorded, apart from the minutes and individual note-taking, with the result that many ideas are forgotten and cannot act as a constant stimulus to thediscussion.

Time constraints

Group problem solving is a relatively slow process compared with working alone. It requiresindividuals to come together at an agreed time, usually for about one hour, and this can causeorganizational problems as well as impatience amongst participants to 'get it over with' asquickly as possible.

The advantages of group can include:

Greater output.

Simply because of the number of people involved, each with differing experience, knowledge,points of view and values, a larger number and variety of ideas for solving a problem can beproduced.

Cross fertilization:

The exchange of ideas can act as a stimulus to the imagination, encouraging individuals toexplore ideas they would not otherwise consider.

ReducedbiasThe shared responsibility of a group in arriving at decisions can. encourage individuals toexplore seemingly unrealistic ideas and to challenge accepted ways of doing things. Individualbiases and prejudices can be challenged by the, group, forcing the individual to recognize them.Group pressure can also encourage individuals to accept that change is needed.

Increasedrisktaking

Shared responsibility makes individuals more willing to take risks. The discussion of differentpoints of view also helps the group to be more realistic in assessing the risks associated with

particular courses of action.

Higher commitment

When goals are agreed it gives a common purpose to the group, within which individuals cangain a feeling of self-determination and recognition through their contribution. Individuals whohave contributed to finding a solution feel a greater commitment to its successfulimplementation.


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Improvedcommunication

When .people who are affected by a problem or who will be involved in implementation are

involved in finding a solution, they will know how and why that particular solution was chosen.Also, people with knowledge relevant to the problem can communicate that knowledge directlyif they participate in solving the problem.

Bettersolutions

Groups of individuals can bring a broad range of ideas, knowledge and skills to bear on aproblem. This creates a stimulating interaction of diverse ideas which results in a wider rangeand better quality of solutions.

ADVANTAGES ANDDISADVANTAGES OFGROUPDECISIONS

Like any other process, the process of taking group decisions has its own sets of advantagesand disadvantages. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of group decisions:

Advantages of Group Decisions:

y Group decisions help to combine individual strengths of the group members and hencehas a set of varied skill sets applied in the decision making process.

y Individual opinions can be biased or affected with pre-conceives notions are restrictedperspectives, group decision help to get a broader perspective owing to differences ofperception between individual in the group.

y A group decision always means enhanced collective understanding of the course of actionto be taken after the decision is taken.

y A group decision gains greater group commitment since everyone has his/her share in thedecision making.

y Group decisions imbibe a strong sense of team spirit amongst the group members andhelp the group to think together in terms of success as well as failure.

Disadvantages of Group Decisions:

y One of the major disadvantages of group decision making is that it is more timeconsuming than the process of individual decision making.


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y Group decisions take longer to be finalized since there are many opinions to beconsidered and valued.

y In case of authoritarian or minority group decision making, the people whose opinionsare not considered tend to be left out from the decision making process and hence the

team spirit ceases to grow.

y The responsibility and accountability of the decisions are not equally shared in somecases which leads to a split in the group and hence hamper the overall efficiency of thegroup.

While involved in a group decision making process it is always better to study the advantagesand disadvantages of group decisions and hence formulate a group-decision making process thatsuits your group and gives you the optimum results.

CASE STUDIES

The Stanford prison experiment was a study of the psychological effects of becoming aprisoner or prison guard. The experiment was conducted from Aug. 14-20, 1971 by a team ofresearchers led by Psychology professor Philip Zimbardo at Stanford University. Twenty-fourstudents were selected out of 75 to play the prisoners and live in a mock prison in the basementof the Stanford psychology building. Roles were assigned randomly.

The participants adapted to their roles well beyond what even Zimbardo himself expected,leading the "Officers" to display authoritarian measures and ultimately to subject some of theprisoners to torture. In turn, many of the prisoners developed passive attitudes and acceptedphysical abuse, and, at the request of the guards, readily inflicted punishment on other prisonerswho attempted to stop it. The experiment even affected Zimbardo himself, who, in his capacityas "Prison Superintendent," lost sight of his role as psychologist and permitted the abuse tocontinue as though it were a real prison. Five of the prisoners were upset enough by the processto quit the experiment early, and the entire experiment was abruptly stopped after only six days.The experimental process and the results remain controversial. The entire experiment wasfilmed, with excerpts soon made publicly available, leaving some disturbed by the resulting film.Over 30 years later, Zimbardo found renewed interest in the experiment when the Abu Ghraibtorture and prisoner abuse scandal occurred

The Hawthorne effect is a form of reactivity whereby subjects improve or modify an aspect oftheir behavior being experimentally measured simply in response to the fact that they are beingstudied, not in response to any particular experimental manipulation.

The term was coined in 1950 by Henry A. Landsberger when analysing older experiments from1924-1932 at the Hawthorne Works (a Western Electric factory outside Chicago). HawthorneWorks had commissioned a study to see if its workers would become more productive in higher


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or lower levels of light. The workers' productivity seemed to improve when changes were madeand slumped when the study was concluded. It was suggested that the productivity gain was dueto the motivational effect of the interest being shown in them. Although illumination research ofworkplace lighting formed the basis of the Hawthorne effect, other changes such as maintainingclean work stations, clearing floors of obstacles, and even relocating workstations resulted in

increased productivity for short periods. Thus the term is used to identify any type of short-livedincrease in productivity.

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