Transcript Working as a Group

Working as a Group
Small Groups
Small Groups

Small Group = 3 to 9 people.
To what groups do you belong?
 Think of two groups (outside of your
family).
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Sports Teams
 Organizations
 “Cliques”
 Etc.
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Small Groups
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What made these experiences good?
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What made these experiences bad?
Small Groups
With your neighbors…
Solve this riddle.
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There is a house with four walls. Each wall
faces south. There is a window in each wall.
A bear walks by one of the windows. What
kind of bear was it?
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A Polar bear. If all the walls face south, the
house must be at the North pole and the bear, a
polar bear.
…Too easy?
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What do each of these have in common?
Doughnut, notebook, golf course
 Turtle, peanut, oyster
 Brown, Polar, Kodiak
 Cough, Tear, Rain
 Soap, Granola, Candy
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…Too easy?
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Doughnut, notebook, golf course
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Turtle, peanut, oyster
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They are all kinds of bears.
Cough, Tear, Rain
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They all have shells.
Brown, Polar, Kodiak
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They all have holes.
They are all kinds of drops.
Soap, Granola, Candy
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They are all kinds of bars.
Small Groups
You probably worked with more than two
people (yourself included).
 You tried to solve a problem (goal).
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Small Group Process
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The interaction among three to nine people
who are working together to achieve an
interdependent goal.
Small Groups
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Why do you think people always end up
being in a group of some sort?
Small Groups
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Inclusion
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The state of being involved with others.
Small Groups
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Affection
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Being valued
Control
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The ability to influence
your environment.
Dynamics of Small Groups
DIFFERENT TYPES OF GROUPS:
1) Task oriented group
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Groups that form to solve a task or problem.
Dynamics of Small Groups
2) Relationship-oriented groups.
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Groups that make us feel a sense of worth.
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Long-term. Satisfy inclusion & affection
Dynamics of Small Groups
3) Assigned groups.
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Develop out of hierarchy. Groups are
assigned.
Dynamics of Small Groups
4) Emergent groups.
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From environmental conditions. By choice.
Group Leaders
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Second-half of worksheet.
Leadership in Groups
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Leader
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A person who influences the behavior and
attitudes of others through communication.
Leadership
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A process using communication to
influence behaviors and attitudes of
others to meet group goals.
Group Leaders
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Types of Small Group Leaders
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Designated leaders
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Those that you elect to lead.
Emergent leaders
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Temporary leaders that help guide the group for
a while.
Dynamics of Small Groups
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What does it mean to be “a leader” in a
group?
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A process using communication to influence
behaviors and attitudes of others to meet
group goals.
Group Leader Power
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Leader Power:
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Interpersonal influence that forms the basis
for group leadership.
Group Leader Power
1) Reward
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The ability to give something of value.
Group Leader Power
2) Punishment
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The ability to withhold something of value to
another.
Group Leader Power
3) Legitimate
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Your role/title.
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Assigned leader, title
Group Leader Power
4) Referent
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Power based on respect or loyalty.
Group Leader Power
5) Expert
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One’s experience/knowledge is valued by
other members.
Roles
Formal roles – assigned role
 Informal roles – develop out of the
interactions of group members
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COMM FUNCTIONS:
Task – moves group towards goal
Relational – “harmonizes” members
Self-centered – own needs over group’s
Group Climate
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Climate
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Emotional tone or atmosphere members
create within the group.
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Trust, support, cohesion
Group Climate
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King of Cars example
Group Culture
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Groupthink
The desire for cohesion and agreement
takes priority over critical analysis and
discussion.
 “Blindly doing what you’re supposed to do.”
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The best decision/outcome is not reached.
NASA – space shuttle disaster.
 Monty Python Example
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Questions???
ACTIVITY
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Build a straw bridge.
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When were task, maintenance, and selfcenter communication functions
apparent?
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Who took on the leadership role?
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How did you know?
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS
1) How did your group work together?
2) What task/relational/self-centered
functions did you use?
3) Who was the leader? How do you
know?