Chapter 10: Listening to Out-Group Members

What are the four reasons out-groups form?

1. people disagree with the social, political, or ethical position of the majority—they sense that they are in opposition to the larger group. 2. some individuals cannot identify with the beliefs, norms, or values of the dominant group members. 3. people sense that they are being excluded by the larger group. 4. some people lack communication skills or social skills that are needed to relate to a larger group.

Why should leaders be concerned about the negative impact of out-group members?

Because they can.... • Affect community building •Negatively impact group synergy • Show a lack of respect in-group members

How can leaders use social identity theory in a positive way?

By sympathizing with the out-group.

Communication skills are never a reason why people feel excluded from a group.

False

Jane Addams was known to steamroll her opposition despite having created Hull House in 1889.

False

Out-groups are aligned with building community.

False

Out-groups feel connected to the ideas of the group and are working toward the goals of the larger group.

False

When a leader allows an out-group member to have a voice, she or he puts the out-group member at a disadvantage to the majority.

False

How can leaders respond to / handle out-group members? Make sure to know table 10.1 (how to demonstrate empathy) and understand LMX theory and why positive relationships are important in an organization.

Strategy 1: Listen to Out-Group Members • Listen for ideas, not just facts • Be open-minded • Ask for clarification, not justification "Could you clarify what you mean when you say...." • Monitor your nonverbal cues Strategy 2: Show Empathy to OutGroup Members • Suspend your feelings to understand the perspective and feelings of the other person • Helps build trust and validates the follower • A learned skill Strategy 3: Recognize the Unique Contributions of OutGroup Members • Expectancy theory: let workers know they are competent • Acknowledging contributions (increases motivation) • Make everyone feel useful Strategy 4: Help Out-Group Members Feel Included • Belongingness v. sense of self • A leader should be sensitive to out-group's needs and cues Strategy 5: Create a Special Relationship with Out-Group Members Leader-member exchange (LMX): • Leaders should try to build high quality relationships with all followers • Offer new challenges • Acceptance of responsibilities • Provide mentoring and respectful communication • Validation and connection

According to LMX theory, individuals become part of an in-group or out-group based on how well they work with a leader and how well the leader works in reciprocity.

True

Boundaries between in-groups and out-groups are permeable.

True

By virtue of their power, leaders have the ability to cause people to feel different and, hence, in the out-group.

True

It is common for many outliers to believe that leaders do not recognize their abilities.

True

Leader-member exchange theory reflects the unique relationship that a high-quality leader has with each member of a group.

True

Out-group members may feel excluded from a majority because they are too young, liberal, or introverted.

True

Out-groups may feel powerless because their potential resources have not been accepted by the larger group.

True

Outliers have not always been eager to self-exclude.

True

People look at those people who do not identify with the larger group within an organization as "troublemakers."

True

Reflection helps a speaker identify and describe his or her emotions.

True

Social identity theory claims that out-groups form because people cannot identify with a majority.

True

Which is a technique for demonstrating empathy? a. paraphrasing what the other person said b. agreeing with everything a person says c. interrupting the person speaking to ask questions d. sharing a personal story related to the topic

a. paraphrasing what the other person said

______ is difficult to achieve in organizational settings because of time constraints. a. A goal b. Consensus c. An objective d. Behavior

b. Consensus

______ is one of the most important ways that group members can listen to outliers to resolve the situation. a. Ignoring b. Listening c. Defending d. Questioning

b. Listening

People who are considered different can become the ______. a. favorite b. out-group c. team d. bad guy

b. out-group

Research supports that people form a/an ______ and are drawn to those with the same ideas, behaviors, and perspectives. a .dynamism b. social identity c. energy d. perspective

b. social identity

In which situation is the formation of an out-group most likely? a. A subset of individuals in a group has slightly strong communication skills than the majority. b. All individuals in a group have shared norms. c. A subset of individuals in a group disagrees with the social position of the majority. d. A group of individuals has the same political beliefs.

c. A subset of individuals in a group disagrees with the social position of the majority.

______ are individuals who do not associate or identify with the larger group. a. Cool kids b. Favorites c. Out-groups d. In-groups

c. Out-groups

Which statement about out-groups is true? a. They rarely have an effect on the overall group. b. They help build a sense of community in groups. c. They negatively affect group synergy. d. They tend to increase the energy of a group.

c. They negatively affect group synergy.

When Father Greg Boyle met with gang members in the late 1980s and 1990s in response to increased gang killings, he tried to put himself in their shoes and see things from their perspective. Father Boyle was displaying ______. a. superiority b. judgment c. empathy d. exclusion

c. empathy

Carly oversees a team of software developers. She notices that a few employees are disengaged at a project planning meeting. She has also noticed that some other team members tend to dominate group meetings. At the next meeting, Carly plans to ask the disengaged employees for their strategy recommendations. This scenario best demonstrates which management strategy? a. showing empathy to out-group members b. dismantling in-groups c. giving out-group members a voice and empower them to act d. recognizing the unique contributions of out-group members

c. giving out-group members a voice and empower them to act

Which statement about in-groups and out-groups is true? a. The members of each group share a majority of opinions and beliefs. b. Members in out-groups tends to have stronger opinions than those in in-groups. c. There is no overlap in the opinions and beliefs of members of each group. d. Members of each group are likely to share some opinions and beliefs.

d. Members of each group are likely to share some opinions and beliefs.

______ is when a group is actively working together. a. Charisma b. Malcontent c. Oligarchy d. Synergy

d. Synergy

Which of the following is closely linked to effective listening? a. being face-to-face with the other person b. sharing the beliefs and values of the person speaking c. having firsthand knowledge with what's being discussed d. being open-minded

d. being open-minded

A leader can watch for ______ cues sent out by the out-group member and then try to respond in appropriate ways. a. cohesiveness b. task c. warrant d. communication

d. communication

In what way can out-groups positively affect a team? a. increase adherence to group norms b. promote a sense of community c. add energy to groups d. help reduce groupthink

d. help reduce groupthink

What are some positive outcomes of out-groups?

• Help prevent groupthink • Bring up uncomfortable truths • Help majority see their biases

What is an out-group member?

•Individuals in a group or organization who do not identify with larger group • Don't always self-exclude • Feel at odds in some way with the group