COMM 2410 Small Group Communication EXAM 3 (Ch. 9-12) + Group Presentations

functional approach

identifies key task requirements and stresses the importance of effective communication as major factors that contribute to effective problem solving

prescriptive approach

identifies specific agendas and techniques to improve group problem solving performance The reflective thinking model: 1. Define the problem 2. Analyze the problem 3. Establish criteria 4. Consider possible solutions 5. Decide on a solution 6. Implement the solution 7. Follow up on the solution

task leadership

initiating, coordinating, summarizing, elaborating

affinity technique

instead of listing ideas on paper, group members write ideas on post-it notes

transformational leadership

strive to change, elevate and unify the goals of followers as well as inspire them to pursue challenging or shared objectives

Bona Fide perspective on groups

suggests the context for and boundaries of the groups in which we participate move and change

systems theory

teaches that group communication is an interrelated, fragile process in which each person on element affects the entire group

Hersey's Situational Leadership Model

telling, selling, participating, delegating

creativity

the generation, application, combination and extension of new ideas

interaction

the give and take conversation that occurs when people collaborate - Give and take discussion, reaction to members contributions, talk, feedback

decision making

the process of choosing from among several alternatives

Problem solving

the process of overcoming obstacles 1. an undesirable existing situation 2. a goal a group wishes to achieve 3. obstacles that keep a group from achieving its goal

Pareto principle

the source of 80% of the problem comes from 20% of the incidents

descriptive approach

the typical patterns of communication that occur when people interact to solve problems

myths about creativity

1. creativity is a mysterious process that can't be learned 2. only a few gifted people are creative 3. creativity just happens

Delphi Technique

"absentee brainstorming", individuals share ideas in writing or via e-mail without meeting face-to-face

cause and effect diagram

"fishbone diagram", visually examines the relationship between causes and their probable effects

personal-sensitivity function

- Concern for both the group task and the feelings of others - Listen to minority arguments and opinions

How do groups make decisions?

- Decision by expert in group - Decision by expert outside group - Averaging individual rankings or ratings - Random choice - Majority rule - Decision by minority - Decision by consensus - Supermajority decision: 2/3

analysis function

- Establish clear criteria - See the problem from a variety of viewpoints - Gather data and research issues - Use evidence effectively to reach a valid conclusion - Ask appropriate questions

evaluate function

- Examine the pros and cons of potential solutions - Evaluate the opinions and assumptions of others - Test solutions to see if they meet preestablished criteria

idea-generation function

- Search for many alternative or solutions to a problem - Make high-quality statements to the group - Take a vacation from a problem to revitalize the group

How to use reflective thinking in your group or team

- Take time to reflect on the procedures the group is using and how group members are interacting - Clearly identify the problem you are trying to solve - Phrase the problem as a question to help guide group discussion - Do not suggest solutions until you have analyzed the problem - In the definition and analysis steps of reflective thinking, do not confuse the causes of the problem with its symptoms - Constantly evaluate your groups problem-solving method - Appoint one or more group members to remind the group to use a structured method of solving problems

What happens when groups have no planned structure or agenda?

- The group takes more time to deliberate; interaction is inefficient and often off task - Group members prematurely focus on solutions rather than analyzing issues - The group often jumps at the first solution mentioned - Group members hop from one idea or proposal to the next without seeing the larger issues - The group is more likely to be dominated by an outspoken group member - Conflict is likely to go unmanaged

cognitive behavior

- attempt to restructure the beliefs a person has that lead to negative or harmful behaviors. For example, the groups that focus on substance use disorder begin by identifying situations and environments that trigger addictive behavior. With this understanding, members can develop management strategies that support reduced use. - use the psychodynamic approach to promote positive change. Psychodynamics is a school of psychology that views a person's early life experiences and subconscious beliefs and feelings as the foundation of their personality and behaviors. Interpersonal process groups focus on interpersonal group dynamics and less on individual psychology.

benefits of therapy groups

- support, encouragement, safe haven - group therapy helps people to receive support and encouragement from their peers while also offering a safe space for everyone to talk about anything that might be affecting their mental health - self discovery: we all have blind spots regarding ourselves, and some of them may prevent us from effectively addressing the issues that are causing our troubles. Interacting with members of therapy groups allows you to see yourself through their eyes, allowing you to uncover your blind posts and improve your capacity to cope with situations when you might require assistance. - accountability: therapy groups provide positive feedback and guidance for dealing with problems, and the desire to please and be accepted by the group create a sense of accountability, which can help you get closer to your goals. - confidence: having the fellowship and support of group members acts as a safety net, allowing you to feel more confident. This self-assurance allows you to step outside of the group, knowing that if you falter, you'll have others to fall back on.

Strategies to Bridge Cultural Differences

-Develop mindfulness -Be flexible -Tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity -Resist stereotyping and making negative judgments -Ask questions -Be other-oriented

3 critical skills of transformational leadership

1. Build shared vision, similar to mutuality of concern 2. Surfacing and challenging mental modes 3. Engaging in systems thinking

5 key functions to problem solving

1. Develop an accurate understanding of the problem 2. Develop requirements for an acceptable choice 3. Develop many alternatives to solve the problem 4. Asses the positive features of the alternatives or options for solving the problem 5. Assess the negative features of the alternatives or options for solving the problem

Phases in Group Creativity

1. Idea generation phase 2. Development phase 3. Finalization and closure phase 4. Evaluation phase

4 defining characteristics of transformation leadership

1. Idealized leadership seeks to create within followers as inspiring vision of how things can be 2. Inspirational motivation is the communicative ability of the leader to stir followers to action 3. Intellectual stimulation is the leader's ability to engage followers in challenging the status quo and assumptions about processes 4. Individual consideration is the leader's ability to be supportive and to nurture each individuals positive attributes, qualities and strengths in support of the greater good

PROMOD technique

1. Individual problem analysis 2. Collaborative group information exchange 3. Individual problem resolution 4. Collaborative group integration

top 10 barriers to making decisions

1. Lack of structure 2. Lack of cultural sensitivity 3. Lack of planning 4. Lack of resources 5. Wrong people present 6. Time pressure 7. Poor communication 8. Unsupportive social climate 9. Negative attitudes 10. Lack of problem-solving skills

Group Phases

1. Orientation: members break the ice and begin to establish a common basis for functioning Primary tension: occurs when group members are uncertain how to behave and feel somewhat awkward about what to do or say 2. ConflictSecondary tension: persuasive attempts at changing others opinions and reinforcing ones own position 3. Emergence: shift in resolving conflict 4. Reinforcement: positive feelings toward that group and its decisions. Feel a genuine sense of accomplishment

group decision making steps

1. analyze the decision to be made 2. involve all members in seeking information 3. identify and clarify the goals of the decision 4. group members identify multiple options 5. rationally evaluate the positive and negative consequences of alternatives 6. after analyzing the data and options, the group makes a decision

steps to a successful meeting

1. before the meeting, it important to chose a platform 2. write down your goals and expectations 3. plan for high levels of engagement 4. make sure you communicate how to join the video call with participants 5. make sure to test your technology

barriers to group creativity

1. premature evaluation of ideas 2. poor physical surroundings 3. too many people 4. poor timing 5. stinking thinking: thoughts that limit the possibilities of an individual, group or an organization

Therapy groups were started by Jospeh Hersey Pratt in ____

1905

Autocratic/Authoritarian

Do X Authoritarian (or autocratic): leaders assume positions of intellectual and behavior superiority in groups. They make decisions, give orders and generally control activities - Groups are more aggressive or apathetic (depending on the group) - Spend more time engaged in productive work, but only when the leader is present

Laissez-Faire

Do X or Y as you see fit see themselves as "first among equals" no better or no worse than other group members. They assume the group will direct itself. They avoid dominating groups

5. Rationally evaluate the positive and negative consequences of alternatives

Effective: review the pros and cons of the options identified Ineffective: the group fails to identify both positive and negative effects of possible decisions

1. analyze the making steps

Effective: the group assess the present situation Ineffective: the group fails to analyze the present situation accurately

4. group members identify multiple options

Effective: the group identifies several decision alternatives Ineffective: the group makes a decision based on only one or two options

3. Identify and clarify the goals of the decision

Effective: the group identifies what it wants to accomplish Ineffective: the group fails to establish clear and appropriate group goals

2. Involve all members

Effective: the group seeks input from each member Ineffective: too few people are involved in the discussion

6. After analyzing the date and options, the group makes a decision

Effective: the group selects the best alternative Ineffective: the group makes a poor decision, an overly risky decision or no decision

servant leadership

begins with a natural feeling that one wants to serve, then the conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead

GVT

Global Virtual Teams ____ # of years 142 participants

Leadership Traits

Justice, judgement, dependability, integrity, decisiveness, tact, initiative, endurance, bearing, unselfishness, courage, knowledge, loyalty, enthusiasm

Leadership & Gender

Masculine: assertive, goal-oriented, competitive Feminine: listen and speak openly about feelings, create trust

3 leadership styles

autocratic/authoritatian, laissez-faire, democratic

problem: size

solution: fewer than 10 people are best for groups

Problem: Communication patterns of others

Solution: Be willing to understand others and adapt

Problem: Gaining Trust

Solution: Communicate regularly and be a reliable group member

Problem: miscommunication

Solution: use precise language, make clarity your first priority

Problem: technology issues

Solution: work quickly to solve or work around them

multi sequence model

Task track: accomplishing work relational track: manage relationships to maintain the group climate topic track: general themes or major issues

Pareto chart

bar graph that shows data describing the cause, source or frequency of a problem

action chart

a grid that lists the tasks that need to be done and identifies who will be responsible for each task

Force Field Analysis

a group needs to have a clear statement of its foal, which can be presented in terms of what the group wants more or less of

reflective thinking

a series of logical, rational steps based on the scientific method of defining, analyzing and solving a problem

trait perspective

a view of leadership as the personal attributes or qualities that leaders possess — seemed reasonable when it was first proposed but has yielded as very little useful information. - Does not identify which traits are important to becoming a leader and which are important to maintain the position

situational perspective

accommodates leadership behaviors, task needs and process needs and also takes into account leadership style and situation

communicative functions

analysis, idea-generation, evaluate, personal-sensitivity

group structure

consists of the agenda and other techniques and procedures used to help a group stay focused on the task at hand - Agendas, problem-solving steps, procedures, rules

brainstorming

creative technique designed to help a group generate several solutions to a problem 1. Select a specific problem that needs solving 2. Set a clear time limit 3. Ask group members to temporarily put aside all judgements and evaluations 4. Ask group or team members to think of as many possible solutions to the problem as they can and share the ideas with the group 5. Make sure the group understands that "piggybacking" off someone else's ideas is useful 6. Have someone record all the ideas mentioned 7. Evaluate ideas when the time allotted for brainstorming has elapsed

nominal group technique

creativity-enhancing procedure that uses some of the principles and methods of active brainstorming but has members write their ideas while being quiet and thinking before sharing with the group uses silent brainstorming

vigilant thinkers

critical thinkers; they pay attention to the process of problem solving

problem solving approaches

descriptive approach, functional approach, the prescriptive approach

dialectical theory

during communication there are often competing tensions pulling the conversation in multiple directions Spiraling Model: orientation, conflict, emergence and reinforcement is a repeated cycle Punctuation Equilibrium: during the first half of a group's existence group members may experience uncertainty and nothing seems to be happening. Midway through a breaking point shatters the equilibrium

functional perspective

examines leadership as a series of behaviors that may be performed by any group member to maximize group effectiveness

psychoeducational groups

focus on educating members about their conditions and provide them with new coping strategies. They usually focus on a specific condition, such as substance abuse disorder, anxiety or phobias.

skills development groups

focus on introducing and improving the skills that members need to cope with certain mental health conditions. These groups may incorporate aspects of psychoeducational groups. Still, the overall goal involves strengthening the members' behavioral and cognitive resources to help them make positive choice and avoid harmful situations.

Idea solution format

group answer questions are designed to help them identify ideal solutions 1. Do all members agree on the nature of the problem? 2. What would be the ideal solution from the point of view of all parties involved in the problem? 3. Which conditions within the problem could be changed so that the ideal solution might be achieved? 4. Of the solutions available, which one best approximates the idea solution?

problem: productivity

solution: share productivity tips or hacks with other group members

group therapy

is a form of psychotherapy that involves one or more therapists working with several people at the same time. This type of therapy is widely available at a variety of locations including private therapeutic practices, hospitals, mental health clinics and community. Although it is called group therapy, it can sometimes be used alone.

physical attributes of leaders

larger, more active and energetic, better looking

participating

leaders who focus less on task performance and place more emphasis on relationships

telling

leaders who strongly emphasize performance of the group task and pay little attention to relationship issues

selling

leaders whose style reflects a high task and high relationship approach, concerned that the group accept and internalize the orders given

delegating

low task performance coupled with a low relationship emphasis. Driven primarily by concern for relationships and need for all group members to share in decision making.

process leadership

maintain interpersonal relations in a group and facilitate a climate satisfying to members and conducive to accomplishing the groups task - Releasing tension, gatekeeping, encouraging, mediating

electronic brainstorming

makes it possible for a group to generate solutions or strategies by typing ideas on an electronic device and having them be displayed to the entire group

why do we need therapy groups?

many therapy groups are tailored to a specific issue such as depression, obesity, panic disorder, social anxiety, chronic pain or substance misuse. Other organizations focus on strengthening social skills in general, assisting people with a variety of concerns such as aggression, shyness, loneliness and low self-esteem

___________________ which are the result of technological advancement, have a huge impact on our social and psychological state.

modern technologies

single question format

poses a series of questions designed to guide the group toward a best solution 1. What questions does the group need to answer to accomplish its purpose? 2. Which sub questions must be answered before the group can answer the single question it has formulated? 3. Does the group have sufficient information to answer the sub questions confidently? 4. What are the most reasonable answers to the sub questions? 5. Assuming that the answers to the sub questions are correct, what is the best solution to the problem?

invention

process of developing new ideas as we communicate with others and attempt to persuade them to adopt our ideas and suggestions

emergent leadership

process of elimination

innovation

putting new ideas into action

leadership style

relatively consistent pattern of behavior reflecting a leader's beliefs and attitudes

problem: lack of communication

solution: communicate often, response to messages, set deadlines

problem: lack of personal connection

solution: cues filtered out theory; use the media richness theory

A ________ usually refers to a group of individuals who work together from different geographic locations and rely on communication technology such as email, instant messaging, and video or voice conferencing services in order to collaborate.

virtual team

democratic

which best X or Y have more faith in the group than authoritarian leaders do and consequently try to involve members in making decisions - Groups are more satisfied and functioned in a more orderly and positive way