1. COMMUNICATION CONTEXT #2
GROUP Communication
COMMUNICATION CONTEXT #2

2. GROUP COMMUNICATION DEFINED
Small Group Communication- is the verbal and nonverbal message transactions that occur among three to about fifteen people who share a common goal, who feel a sense of belonging to the group, and who exert influence on one another.

3. TYPICAL SENTIMENTS ABOUT WORKING IN GROUPS
To be effective, a committee should be made up of three people. But to get anything done, one member should be sick and another absent
A committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing and who collectively decide nothing can be done
A group task force is a collection of the unfit chosen from unwilling by the incompetent to do the unnecessary
Question to ask oneself:
Do you like working with others in groups?
“We are raised and educated in groups and continue to communicate in groups and teams throughout our lives, so strengthening your group communication skills now will provide lasting benefits”
TYPICAL SENTIMENTS ABOUT WORKING IN GROUPS

4. COMMUNICATING IN SMALL GROUPS
Small Group Communication
A group consists of a small number of people
A group has a common purpose
Group members feel a sense of belonging
Group members exert influence on others in the group
COMMUNICATING IN SMALL GROUPS

5. COMMUNICATING IN TEAMS
Teams develop clearly defined responsibilities for team members by preforming duties or roles that are usually explicitly spelled out
Teams have clearly defined rules for team operation in which team members develop explicit rules for how the work should get done. A rule is a followable prescription for acceptable behavior
Teams develop clear goals by looking at the importance of team goals. These goals are usually measurable
Teams develop a way of coordinating their efforts by spending time discussing how to accomplish goals of the team. Coordination is key to avoid duplication of effort
A system has been developed rather than cross-purposes
COMMUNICATING IN TEAMS

6. Please Print (goes with slides 4 & 5)

7. COLLABORATION WITHIN GROUPS
When NOT to collaborate as a group or team:
When the group or team has limited time
When an expert already has the answer
When the information is available from other research sources
-use the Internet to gather helpful and useful information
When the group or team is entrenched in unmanageable conflict
-when group members can’t listen and thoughtfully respond, a break for deliberations need to take place

8. WORKING IN REAL GROUPS &TEAMS
BONA FIDE PERSPECTIVE
SUGGEST THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH YOU HAVE MULTIPLE ROLES AND JOBS.
REMEMBR THAT THE TEAMS YOU’RE WORKIN GWITH TODAY MAY NOT BE THE SAME TEAMS YOU’LL BE WORKING WITH TOMORROW. (Team membership changes)
WHEN SOME MEMBERS PARTICIPATE INA VIRTUAL TEAM VIA , VIDEO CONFERENCES OR PHONE, SPECIAL EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO INTEGRATE THESE LONG-DISTANCE GROUP MEMBERS INTO THE FABRIC OF THE TEAM
WHEN YOU WORK ON A GROUP OR TEAM TASK, YOU’RE BOUND BY THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE LARGER ORGANIZATION IN WHICH YOU WORK.

9. Please Read Classification of Roles Handout
Groups and teams are dynamic; their structure changes and involves:
Roles-the consistent way a person communicates with others in a group
Types of Roles:
Task roles-behaviors that help the group achieve its goal and accomplish its work
Social roles-focus on behavior that manages relationships and affects the group climate; these roles help resolve conflict and enhance the flow of communication
Individual roles-focus attention on the individual rather than the group. They do not help the group; they emphasize individual accomplishments and issues not those of the entire group
Leadership roles-the person who influences others in the group
Specific roles- helps to develop clear role expectations for you and other team members to enhance overall performance.
GROUP & TEAM DYNAMICS
Please Read Classification of Roles Handout

10. PRINCIPLES OF
GROUP
DYNAMICS

11. POWER WITHIN GROUPS

13. COHESIVENESS WITHIN GROUPS

14. GROUP & TEAM DEVELOPMENT

15. CONFLICTS WITHIN GROUPS
TASK CONFLICT-occurs because of differences about how to accomplish what the group is trying to achieve
PROCESS CONFLICT-disagreement about the procedures or methods for accomplishing the task
RELATIONAL CONFLICT-conflict that becomes personal because group members do not like, value, or respect one another
SECONDARY CONFLICT/TENSION-conflict that occurs, after the members of a group have become acquainted with one another, over group norms, roles, leadership, and differences among member opinion

17. CONCLUSION

18. VIDEO

19. HOMEWORK PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST REWARDING ABOUT WORKING IN GROUPS AND TEAMS? WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST CHALLENGING?
WHICH OF THE ROLES DESCRIBED IN TABLE 9.2 DO YOU FILL MOST OFTEN IN GROUPS? WHY DO YOU THINK YOU USUALLY TAKE THAT ROLE? WHICH ROLES WOULD YOU LIKE TO FILL MORE OFTEN?
DUE:
HOMEWORK