Group Communication

How many people do you think make up a small group? What are some advantages to group work? What are some disadvantages? Types of groups? (Formal v. Informal)

Group Norms What does this mean? What are some examples of general norms? Communication norms?

Group Problem Solving The Group Work Life Cycle: 1.Forming – group comes together, see how everyone fits together 2.Storming – differences begin to surface, try to gain a sense of order 3.Norming – develop a sense of group identity, establish acceptable norms 4.Performing – group work is accomplished, group is productive

Important Group Terms Interdependence: each member of the group depends on one another - you either all “sink” or all “swim” Synergy: group is stronger than any individual alone Leadership: competent communicators who speak and listen responsibly and keep the group on task and do their best work Groupthink: making poor decisions due to pressure from the group

More on Leadership How to become a leader: 1.Appointed 2.Elected 3.Emergent (likely what will happen for your group) Leadership responsibilities: 1.Begin the discussion 2.Act as a moderator – keep the discussion moving and make sure everyone’s ideas are heard 3.Guide – don’t dominate – the discussion 4.Close the meeting – set a plan for the next steps

Reflective Thinking Identify Problem Analyze Problem Establish Guidelines for Evaluating Solutions Generating Solutions Selecting Best Solution Evaluating Solution

Being an Effective Group Member Be committed – what is the goal? Respect & Listen Attend all meetings Complete individual assignments Be mindful of other’s needs

Group Roles Task Leader – responsible for getting task completed, talks more and usually does more work, mature with good problem-solving skills Socio-Emotional Leader – well liked, supports task leader, speaks frequently, responsible for group satisfaction Information Provider – often a shared role by group members, contributes and evaluates ideas, researches and provides information Central Negative – the “devil’s advocate,” challenges the task leader, evaluates and critiques ideas, helps group avoid groupthink Tension Releaser – provides humor, resolves conflict with humor, works best when members are more dependent