COMM 201 Final
task leader
who has a high group status because of his or her maturity, problem-solving abilities, knowledge, and/or leadership experience and skills and functions primarily to help the group complete its task
participate leaders
work to include group members in the decision-making process by soliciting and considering their opinions and suggestions
procedural conflict
emerges from disagreements or trouble with the mechanics of group operations
social decision maker
emphasizes the personal impact of a decision and sympathizes with those who may be affected by it
aggresor
exhibits negative behaviors such as putting others' ideas down, attacking others personally when they feel confronted or insecure, competing unnecessarily to "win" at the expense of others within the group, and being outspoken to the point of distraction
democratic leaders
facilitate group discussion and like to take input from all members before making a decision
religious decision maker
seeks to identify with a larger purpose, works to unify others under that goal, and commits to a viewpoint, often denying one side and being dedicated to the other
autocratic leaders
set policies and make decisions primarily on their own, taking advantage of the power present in their title or status to set the agenda for the group
fundamental flaw of brainstorming
people who talk the most get their ideas out
legitimate power
power that flows from the officially recognized position, status, or title of a group member
social cohesion
refers to the attraction and liking among group members
task cohesion
refers to the commitment of group members to the purpose and activities of the group
group cohesion
refers to the commitment of members to the purpose of the group and the degree of attraction among individuals within the group
group socialization
refers to the process of teaching and learning the norms, rules, and expectations associated with group interaction and group member behaviors. Group norms, rules, and cohesion can only be created and maintained through socialization
group climate
refers to the relatively enduring tone and quality of group interaction that is experienced similarly by group members
first stage of emerging leaders
(deciding who potential leaders are and who arnt) -covers a brief period, perhaps no longer than a portion of one meeting -about half of the group's members are eliminated from the possibility of being the group's leader -this is an informal and implicit process—not like people being picked for a kickball team or intentionally vetted
second stage of emerging leaders
(struggles for power-conflict) -where a more or less pronounced struggle for leadership begins like between two people -the two leader candidates don't overtly fight with each other or say, "I should be leader, not you!" they both take strong stances in regards to the group's purpose and try to influence the structure, procedures, and trajectory for the group
task factors
- what should we be doing -Contributing ideas Seeking ideas Evaluating ideas Seeking idea evaluation Visualizing abstract ideas Generalizing from specific ideas
four rules of brainstorming
1. evaluation of ideas is forbidden 2. wild and crazy ideas are encouraged 3. quantity of ideas, not quality, is the goal 4. new combinations of ideas presented are encouraged
procedural factors
-agenda/rules of how to accomplish -Goal setting Agenda making Clarifying Summarizing Verbalizing consensus Generalizing from specific ideas
decision making in groups
-an appear fair and democratic but really only be a gesture that covers up the fact that certain group members or the group leader have already decided -also takes more time than individual decisions and can be burdensome if some group members do not do their assigned work, divert the group with self-centered or unproductive role behaviors, or miss meetings
what kinds of traits make a leader?
-being taller -first born -physical appearance -communication abilities -moderately more intelligent -extroverted -males (women are skewed)
dominant versus submissive
-dominant; act more independently and directly, initiate conversations, take up more space -submissive; reserved, contribute only when asked to
friendly versus unfriendly
-friendly; find a balance between talking and listening -unfriendly; disagreeable, indifferent, withdrawn, and selfish
maintainence roles and behavior
-function to create and maintain social cohesion and fulfill the interpersonal needs of group members -require strong and sensitive interpersonal skills -the maintenance roles include social-emotional leader, supporter, tension releaser, harmonizer, and interpreter
instrumental versus emotional
-instrumental; emotionally neutral, objective, analytical, task-oriented -emotional; creative, playful, independent, unpredictable, and expressive
relation factors
-make sure everyone gets along, they listen and give feedback -Regulating participation Climate making Instigating group self-analysis Resolving conflict Instigating productive conflict
group problem-solving process
1. define the problem 2. understand and analyze the problem 3. establish criteria and a good solution 4. generate possible solutions 5. implement and assess the solution
problems of all sorts have three common components:
1. an undesirable situation 2. a desired situation 3. obstacles between undesirable and desirable situation
five common and important characteristics to consider:
1. task difficulty 2. number of possible solutions 3. group member interest in problem 4. group familiarity with problem 5. need for solution acceptance
symbolic convergence
refers to the sense of community or group consciousness that develops in a group through non-task-related communication such as stories and jokes
information speaker
asks for more information, elaboration, or clarification on items relevant to the group's task
interpersonal conflict
emerges from conflict between individual members of the group
majority rule
a commonly used decision-making technique in which a majority (one-half plus one) must agree before a decision is made
minority rule
a decision-making technique in which a designated authority or expert has final say over a decision and may or may not consider the input of other group members
consensus rule
a decision-making technique in which all members of the group must agree on the same decision
monopolizer
a group member who makes excessive verbal contributions, preventing equal participation by other group members
self-confesser
a group member who tries to use group meetings as therapy sessions for issues not related to the group's task
the joker
a person who consistently uses sarcasm, plays pranks, or tells jokes, which distracts from the overall functioning of the group
doormat
a person who is chronically submissive to the point that it hurts the group's progress
social-emotional leader
a reflective thinker who has good perception skills that he or she uses to analyze the group dynamics and climate and then initiate the appropriate role behaviors to maintain a positive climate
designated leaders
are officially recognized in their leadership role and may be appointed or elected by people inside or outside the group
central negative
argues against most of the ideas and proposals discussed in the group and often emerges as a result of a leadership challenge during group formation
print age
began, which extended from 1450 to 1850 and marked the birth and rise of the first mass medium
the silent generation
born between 1925 and 1942, currently in their midsixties to mideighties, this is the smallest generation in the workforce right now, as many have retired or left for other reasons
baby boomers
born between 1946 and 1964, currently in their late forties to midsixties, this is the largest generation in the workforce right now
generation x
born between 1965 and 1981, currently in their early thirties to midforties, this generation was the first to see technology like cell phones and the Internet make its way into classrooms and our daily lives
generation y
born between 1982 and 2000, "Millennials" as they are also called are currently in their late teens up to about thirty years old
supporter
characterized by communication behaviors that encourage other group members and provide emotional support as needed
information power
comes from a person's ability to access information that comes through informal channels and well-established social and professional networks
expert power
comes from knowledge, skill, or expertise that a group member possesses and other group members do not
coercive power
comes from the ability of a group member to provide a negative incentive (using threats)
reward power
comes from the ability of a group member to provide a positive incentive as a compliance-gaining strategy
referent power
comes from the attractiveness, likeability, and charisma of the group member. As we learned earlier, more physically attractive people and more outgoing people are often chosen as leaders
group conflict
conflict can lead to lower group productivity due to strain on the task and social dimensions of a group -three different conflicts: procedural, substantive, and interpersonal
storming stage
conflict emerges as people begin to perform their various roles, have their ideas heard, and negotiate where they fit in the group's structure
international context and decision making
cultural value orientations such as individualism/collectivism, power distance, and high-/low-context communication styles all manifest on a continuum of communication behaviors and can influence group decision making
self-centered roles
divert attention from the task to the group member exhibiting the behavior
substantive conflict
focuses on group members' differing beliefs, attitudes, values, or ideas related to the purpose or task of the group
emergent leaders
gain status and respect through engagement with the group and its task and are turned to by others as a resource when leadership is needed
domestic context and decision making
gender stereotypes sometimes influence the roles that people play within a group -for example, the stereotype that women are more nurturing than men may lead group members (both male and female) to expect that women will play the role of supporters or harmonizers within the group
forming stage
group members begin to reduce uncertainty associated with new relationships and/or new tasks through initial interactions that lay the foundation for later group dynamics
performing stage
group members work relatively smoothly toward the completion of a task or achievement of a purpose (synergy)
nominal group technique
guides decision making through a four-step process that includes idea generation and evaluation and seeks to elicit equal contributions from all group members 1.Silently and individually list ideas. 2.Create a master list of ideas. 3.Clarify ideas as needed. 4.Take a secret vote to rank group members' acceptance of ideas.
directive leaders
help provide psychological structure for their group members by clearly communicating expectations, keeping a schedule and agenda, providing specific guidance as group members work toward the completion of their task, and taking the lead on setting and communicating group rules and procedures
interpreter
helps manage the diversity within a group by mediating intercultural conflict, articulating common ground between different people, and generally creating a climate where difference is seen as an opportunity rather than as something to be feared
information provider
includes behaviors that are more evenly shared than in other roles, as ideally, all group members present new ideas, initiate discussions of new topics, and contribute their own relevant knowledge and experiences
blocker
intentionally or unintentionally keeps things from getting done in the group
political decision maker
interested in power and influence and views people and/or property as divided into groups that have different value
Johannes Gutenberg
inventor of the printing press
expediter
is a task-related role that functions to keep the group on track toward completing its task by managing the agenda and setting and assessing goals in order to monitor the group's progress
harmonizer
is played by group members who help manage the various types of group conflict that emerge during group communication
unproductive roles
just prevent or make it more difficult for the group to make progress. These roles include the blocker, withdrawer, aggressor, and doormat
aesthetic decision maker
makes decisions based on form and harmony, desiring a solution that is elegant and in sync with the surroundings
economic decision maker
makes decisions based on what is practical and useful
gatekeeper
manages the flow of conversation in a group in order to achieve an appropriate balance so that all group members get to participate in a meaningful way
group leader
may be formally designated by someone inside or outside the group or may emerge naturally during early group meetings
withdrawer
mentally and/or physically removes herself or himself from group activities and only participates when forced to
secondary tensions
merges after groups have passed the forming stage of group development and begin to have conflict over member roles, differing ideas, and personality conflicts
the "egghead"
monopolizes the discussion with excessive contributions that are based in actual knowledge but that exceed the level of understanding of other group members or the needs of the group
relational-orientated leaders
more likely to emerge in semistructured contexts that are less formal and in groups composed of people who have specific knowledge and are therefore be trusted to do much of their work independently
group pressures
motivating force present within groups in order for the rules and norms to help govern and guide a group
adjourning stage
occurs when a group dissolves because it has completed its purpose or goal, membership is declining and support for the group no longer exists, or it is dissolved because of some other internal or external cause
supportive leaders
show concern for their followers' needs and emotions
influences of decision making
situational, personality, and cultural influences
airhead
skirts his or her responsibilities by claiming ignorance when he or she actually understands or intentionally performs poorly on a task so the other group members question his or her intellectual abilities to handle other tasks
managing conflict in small groups
some common ways to manage conflict include clear decision-making procedures, third-party mediation, and leader facilitation -working together or bringing someone else in to talk about conflict
tension releaser
someone who is naturally funny and sensitive to the personalities of the group and the dynamics of any given situation and who uses these qualities to manage the frustration level of the group
achievement leaders
strive for excellence and set challenging goals, constantly seeking improvement and exhibiting confidence that group members can meet their high expectations
laissez-faire
take a "hands-off" approach, preferring to give group members freedom to reach and implement their own decisions
recorder
takes notes on the discussion and activities that occur during a group meeting
personal influences
the economic, the aesthetic, the theoretical, the social, the political, and the religious
manuscript age
the period in human history that immediately predated the advent of mass media and began around 3500 BCE with the introduction of written texts and lasted until the printing revolution
group think
the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility.
norming stage
the practices and expectations of the group are solidified, which leads to more stability, productivity, and cohesion within the group
leaders can emerge because of situation
the situational context that surrounds a group influences what type of leader is best -situations may be highly structured, highly unstructured, or anywhere in between
theoretical decision maker
wants to discover the truth through rationality
insecure compliment seeker
wants to know that he or she is valued by the group and seeks recognition that is often not task related
cultural context and decision making
when group members have time to get to know each other and competently communicate across their differences, the advantages of diversity include better decision making due to different perspective
primary tensions
when the group first comes together; which is tension based on uncertainty that is a natural part of initial interactions
