Group dynamics, leadership and communications

◦ Two or more interacting persons, ◦ Influence others and influenced by others, ◦ Share common goals ◦ Have a stable relationship ◦ Somehow interdependent ◦ Perceive that they are part of a group  Baron and Byrne(1991) criteria of a group : (Interact, interdependent,stable, shared goals, structure, perception )

 Is a process which indicates that changes take place at both personal and group level. ◦ Change of attitude or general way of behavior(at a personal level). ◦ Changes of roles, relationships or leadership(at a group level)  Even if one or two criteria missed it can be still called a group.

 Schutz perspective(1958): (fundamental interpersonal relations orientation): People behave according to their orientation to other people and this is based on three fundamental needs of every group member : - Inclusion (in - out dimension, human preference e.g. over social, undersocial) - Control ( human preferences vary from autocratic to abdicratic) - Affection (is the area of intimacy, human preference vary from over personal to under personal)

 Groups are formed for different reasons.  Once the group is formed it follows a set of successive stages.  ( Tuckman1965)perspective: ◦ Forming ◦ Storming ◦ Norming ◦ Performing ◦ Adjourning

 Yalom (1985)perspectives :  Orientation : ◦ initial stages ◦ members need to establish a way to accomplish the task ◦ members work towards comfort, meaning and pleasure of being in the group.  Conflict : centred around preoccupation with dominance, control and power. Emerges between members or members and leaders.(tuckman storming stage )  Cohesiveness : ◦ Shows elements of greater trust, high morale, more disclosure and members are more committed to one another

 Bion perspectives :  Suggest that the emotional states of the group dictates its dynamics.there are three types of emotional states called basic assumption cultures: ◦ Aggressiveness,hostility and fear. ◦ Optimism and hopeful anticipation. ◦ Hopelessness.  Members share some beliefs which generate these emotions and they will behave according to it so there are three Basic assumption groups : - Aggressiveness=basic assumption fight-flight. -optimism=basic assumption pairing. -helplessness=basic assumption=dependency.  the role of the leader is extremely important, each assumption group will search for a specific type of leader to fulfil its needs.

 Factors affecting group effectiveness :  Atmosphere.  Discussion ( focused and every one participates )  Objectives.  Listening.  Disagreement.  Decisions.  Criticism.  Feelings.  Action.  Leadership.  Self conscious.

 Role functions : a set of behaviours that is expected and /or displayed by the individual who occupies a particular position in the group structure. Four different criteria for roles :  Prescribed roles.  Subjective roles.  Enacted roles.  Functionally requisite role.  For the group to survive the role must be fulfilled.  How to sabotage the group ?

 Penland and Fine broad categories of the roles :  Group task roles.  Group building and maintaining roles.  Individual roles.

 It is the tasks which the group has to undertake, any of the following roles may be played by various members of the group: - initiator. -information seeker. -opinion seeker. -information giver. -opinion giver. -elaborator. -co-ordinator -orienteer,evaluater. -energiser. -technician,recorder.

 Centered on the functioning of the group as a group. - encourager. -harmonizer. -compromiser. -Gate keeper. -Observer. -Follower.

 It focus on members individual needs,group needs take second place. it could lead to conflicts. -aggressor. -Blocker. -Recognition seeker. -Self-confessor. -Dominator. -Help seeker -Special-intrest-pleader.

 Leader is in a central position.he is the focus of group processes and instrument of goal achievement,(bass1981)  Leader is a primary agent for determining group structure, atmosphere, goals, ideology, and activities.  Leader needs significant traits in order to be effective in his central position : ◦ Charisma. ◦ Social boldness. ◦ Highly dominant in times of crisis. ◦ Empathic understanding.

◦ Munson(1921), leadership is the art of inducing compliance,he is able to deal with group members to achieve the most with the least friction and greatest co- operation. ◦ Bass (1981): leadership as a power relation, the leader is the one with the power to influence group members into action. ◦ Hollander (1978);sees leaderchip as an instrument of goal achievement. Shaw(1981) a leader exerts positive Influence over group members, towards achievement of a certain goal.

 who chose the leader and which is better ?  Factors that contribute to who become a leader: -Personal characteristics. -Individual behaviors. - skills, knowledge and attitudes. -Characteristics of task. -Environment. -Group needs.

 Are leaders born? or does one acquire the skills of leadership?  Great leaders do possess certain key traits that distinguish them from other people.  No research evidence to support this belief.

 Some leaders give orders,make all decisions without consulting the group and demand obedience.  Others ask for members opinion,cooperation and consult them before making a decisions.  Lewin styles of leadership : ◦ Authoritarian. ◦ Democratic. ◦ Laissez-fair.

 The leader doing every thing without consulting the rest of the group.  Task oriented.  Not interested in members needs.  Aloof,and personal in praise.

 Share the decision making with the members of the team.  Concerned about members needs.  Socially close to members of the team.

 The leader allow the members to do as they wish.  The team dos not receive any feed back from hem.  Have no confidence in his own ability.  Do not make decisions.

 In a study conducted by lewin(1939),four comparable groups of 10-years old boys were observed as they performed a task for 3 weeks trail under the three leadership styles, the results showed significant differences in behavior in response to the deferent styles. -hostility and aggression were higher under authoritarian style -scapegoating occurred more frequently in authoritarian style. -the product was superior in the democratic group. -morale was higher in the democratic group.