2 Team Dynamics

How Groups Work

Presented by:MARY ANNE A. PORTUGUEZ, MP, RPm

Group • a collection of two or more people who work with one

another regularly to achieve common goals •Members are mutually dependent on one another to

achieve common goals•Members interact with one another to pursue those

goals

Effective Groupone that achieves high levels of task performance, member satisfaction, and team viability• Effective groups achieve high levels of:Task performance•Members attain performance goals regarding quantity, quality,

and timeliness of work resultsMembers satisfaction•Members believe that their participation and experiences are

positive and meet important personal needsTeam viability

Synergy • the creation of a whole that is greater than the sum of

its parts•GROUP SYNERGY is the goal

Why groups are good for organizations

•Groups are good for people•Groups can improve creativity•Groups can make better decisions•Groups can increase commitments to action•Groups help control their members•Groups help offset large organization size

Situations in which groups are superior to individuals

•When there is no clear expert in a particular problem or task•When problem solving can be handled by a division of labor and the sharing of information•When creativity and innovation are needed

POTENTIAL BENEFITS FOR GROUP MEMBERS•People learn from each other and share job skills and knowledge•Groups are important sources of need satisfaction for their members

Social loafing• The tendency of people to work less hard in a group

than they would individually.

REASONS FOR SOCIAL LOAFING

• Individual contributions are less noticeable in the group context• Some prefer to see others carry the workload

Ways of preventing social loafing• Define roles and tasks to maximize individual interests • Raise accountability by making individuals’ performance

expectations clear and identifiable• Tie individual rewards to performance contributions to the group

SOCIAL FACILITATION• The tendency for a person’s behavior to be influenced by

the presence of others•What is the nature of groups in organizations?

SOCIAL FACILITATION THEORY

• It indicates that working in the presence of others creates an emotional arousal or excitement that stimulates behavior and therefore affects performance

FORMAL GROUPS

• Officially designated to serve a specific organizational purpose•May be permanent or temporary

• Permanent work groups are command groups• Temporary work groups are task groups

TYPES OF FORMAL GROUPS

• Cross-functional teams or task forcesEngage in special problem-solving efforts drawing on input of the functional areas• Project teamsFormed to complete a specific task with a well-defined end point• Virtual groupMembers work together via computers

INFORMAL GROUPS• Emerge without being officially designated by the

organization• Types of informal groups• Friendship groups• Interest groups

BRUCE TUCKMAN’S GROUP DEVELOPMENT

Forming StormingNormingPerformingAdjourning

What are the foundations of group performance?

Technical demands of a taskRoutineness, difficulty, and information requirementsSocial demands of a taskRelations, ego involvement, and controversies over ends and means

What are the foundations of group performance?

• Goals, rewards, and resourcesLong-term performance relies on:Appropriate goalsWell-designed reward systemsAdequate resources • TechnologyProvides the means to get work accomplishedThe right technology must be available for the task at handWorkflow technology can affect the way group members interact

How do groups make decisions?• Decision by lack of responseOne idea after another is suggested without any discussion-taking place• Decision by authority ruleThe chairperson, manager, or leader makes a decision for the group• Decision by minority ruleTwo or three people are able to dominate or “railroad” the group into making a decision to which they agree • Decision by majority ruleFormal voting may take place, or members may be polled to find the majority viewpoint

HOW DO GROUPS MAKE DECISIONS?• Decision by consensusDiscussion leads to one alternative being favored by most members and the other members agree to support it • Decision by unanimityAll group members agree totally on the course of action to be taken• Delphi techniqueInvolves generating decision-making alternatives through a series of survey questionnaires• Computer-mediated decision makingGroup decision making takes place across great distances with the aid of group decision support systems

GROUPTHINK

• the tendency of members in highly cohesive groups to lose their critical evaluative capabilities