Small group communications final

traits perspective

"Leaders are born not made" -- leadership is a person, not a process Limited perspective; women are not proportionately represented What is usually considered a desirable trait can become undesirable when other traits intrude Certain basic traits (intelligence, social and verbal skills, extroversion) may be required to become a leader, but more is needed to retain leadership role and perform effectively. The main problem with the trait perspective is the assumption that leadership resides in the person, not the transactions between leader and followers conducted in the group system -leader are not born, they are developed

Differences between leaders and managers

- a leader does not ordinarily operate from positional authority; a manager does. (managers are formally assigned a position of authority) -leaders work to change the status quo; managers typically maintain it

What is Murphy's law?

Anything that can go wrong likely will go wrong Common mistake made by groups is failure to plan for it to minimize chance of error or mishap

Styles perspective

Autocratic style (directive style) -exerts control over group members -does not encourage member participation -high task dimension, low social dimension Democratic style (participative style) -encourages participation and responsibility from members -leaders work to improves skills and abilities of members; followers have a say in group decisions -balanced emphasis on task and social dimensions Laissez-faire style -do-nothing approach--avoid making decisions, hesitate in taking action, absent when needed -doesnt try to influence anyone -not seriously considered in most research weakness of participative/ directive leadership style duality is that they are extreme opposites -combination of both styles is required in small groups no one style is suitable for all situations

What are the 4 C's of team goal development?

Clear goals -Ambiguous goals offer no clear direction -Discussions should identify and define what is and is not included in the team's charge -a goal has been clearly articulated when all members can identify how they will know when the charge has been accomplished Cooperative Goals -enhance team performance -superordinate goal is a specific kind of cooperative goal that overrides differences that members may have because it is superior to less-important competitive goals; it is particularly effective for developing teamwork -Success is determined by everyone pulling together to do their best; no winners or losers Challenging Goals -members need to feel like they are embarking on a shared mission, with a common vision of how to achieve the team's goal -teams need challenging goals to spark members' best efforts Commitment to Goals -a key element of communication competence; it is essential to success -without commitment, groups perform as individuals -one key way to create commitment is to have team members share in setting goals for the team

What are the five communication styles of conflict management?When should you use each and when should you choose another option?

Collaborating (problem solving) -high task, high social - not always used because: -usually requites a significant investment of time and effort along with greater-than-ordinary communication skills -built on trust -parties in a conflict sometimes do not share the same emotional investment in finding an agreeable solution for all involves Accommodating (yielding) -low task, high social -best way to use this strategy: -yield on issues of incidental concern to your group but of major concern to other parties, hold firm on issues of importance to your group Compromising (halving the loaf) -moderate task, moderate social -best used when: -integrative solution cannot be achieved -temporary settlement is the only feasible alternative -when the issues involved are not considered critical to the group Avoiding (withdrawing) -low task, low social -avoiding rather than confronting is usually counterproductive -avoiding can be appropriate when: - you are a Low-power person in a group and the consequences of confrontation are potentially hazardous to you -the advantages of confrontation do not outweigh the disadvantages Competing (power-forcing) -High task, low social -can be beneficial when: -troublemaker shows no signs of ending disruptions and the seriousness of the situation is clear -group is bogged down in bickering and disagreement with no end in sight

How can you combat these problems?

Consider the source Determine if the source is biased Determine the currency of information Assess the accuracy of information on the site

What are the criteria (standards) for evaluating information used to solve problems and make decisions in groups? Explain each one and provide an example.

Credibilty -bias = low Currency -what used to be taken as fact may be called into question with new information Relevance -information should directly support claims made Representativness -single example or statistic may or may not accurately reflect what is true in a particular instance -sample size -random sample Sufficiency -what type of claim are you making? this determines how much information you need -extraordinary claims require extraordinary poor

How does information overload affect group decision making?

Critical thinking impairment -too much information makes it hard to distinguish useless from useful information -gathering vast quantities of information can increase group's confidence in its decisions, but may decrease the accuracy of the decisions Indecisiveness -psychological reaction to overabundance of information is to simply avoid coming to conclusions Inattention -hard to focus on any one idea, concept or problem

What are the pros and cons of minority rule?

Designated expert -pros: saves time -cons: expertise hard to determine, no group input Designated authority -pros: clear,efficient -cons: members vie for attention Executive committee -pros: divides labor -cons: weak commitment to decision Forceful faction -pros: faction may be informed/committed -cons: likely me-oriented, not we-oriented

What are the three types of power?How do they differ form each other ?

Dominance -power over others; competitive -see power as finite; active struggle for power Prevention -power from the efforts of others; defy or resist leader dominance; competitive -see power as reactive; win-lose between those who try to dominate and those who try to prevent domination Empowerment -power to accomplish your own goals or help others achieve theirs though processes of group potency, meaningfulness, autonomy, and impact; cooperative not competitive -see power as expandable; resources can be acquired and shared; proactive

Why is participation from all members not always beneficial to the group?

Don't want participation from obnoxious group members or those who share misinformation

Characteristics of bad team members

Egocentrism -"Me-first" attitude adds friction, weakens cohesiveness -"we-first" team members are more inclined to improve their own performance and enhance other members' performance Cynicism -Cynicism is the worst destroyer of teamwork and team effectiveness -Cynical attitude and behavior is contagious Verbal/Nonverbal abuse -degrading comments, insults, groping,rumors,inappropriate jokes -abuse creates defensiveness, hinders cooperation

How do you encourage participation in group discussion from all members?

Encourage contributions from low participators Make issues and problems for discussion relevant to the interests of low-participators Give low participators responsibility for certain tasks Establish a cooperative group climate Encourage devil's advocacy and dialectical inquiry

Characteristics of good team members

Experience and Problem-Solving Abilities -these are the core competencies that move a team toward its goal -members with limited experience can compensate with strong problem-solving aptitude -other elements are also necessary; teamwork knowledge and skill development Cultural Diversity -Diversity offers a broad range of different skills and knowledge; higher potential for decision-making and problem-solving creativity

What are the specific rules of consensus decision making that make it work?

Follow the Standard Agenda Establish a cooperative group climate Identify the pluses and minuses of potential decisions under consideration Discuss all concerns of group members and attempt to resolve every one Avoid adversarial, win-lose arguments Request a "stand aside" Avoid conflict-suppressing techniques such as coin flipping and swapping If It is impossible despite these guidelines, seek a supermajority (minimum two-thirds agreement)

When should a member be removed from the team?

Last resort, only after all other steps have been taken Members who may be expelled constantly display incompetent communication, show no interest in improving, and/or have egocentric and cynical attitudes Optimistic team members with average skills are more valuable than highly-skilled cynical team members

Differences between groups and teams

Level of cooperation -teams have higher level of cooperation than standard groups -the essence of all teams is collaborative interdependence -group,not team, members. may sometimes focus on individual agendas Diversity of Skills -teams usually consist of members with more diverse skills than those in standard groups -a team requires complementary, not identical, skills Group Identity -teams typically have stronger group identity than standard groups Time and Resources -teams often require substantial resources and long-term time commitments

What are common problems found when seeking information on the Internet?

Misinformation, information overload

Define and explain confirmation bias

Our strong tendency to seek and attend to information that confirms our beliefs and attitudes and to ignore information that contradicts our currently held beliefs and attitudes -groups that resist it and actively search for possible flaws in decisions/solutions make better choices than groups that don't

How do you overcome resistance to change in groups?

People are more likely to accept change when they have had a part in the planning and decision making Changes are more likely to be accepted if they do not threaten group members Changes are more likely to be accepted when the need for change affects individuals directly There will be less resistance to change when the change is open to revision and modification The three factors (degree, rate,desirability) affecting a group's ability to adapt to change in a system should be considered

What are the pros and cons of majority rule?

Pros: quick and efficient, expedient in large groups Cons: minorities vulnerable to tyranny of majority, quality of decision questionable, usually alienates minority, underutilization of resources

What is the difference between conflict resolution and conflict management? Why is the distinction important?

Resolution suggests settling conflict by ending it Management implies no end to the struggle Management implies no judgement on the goodness or badness of struggles in general

How can you cope with information overload?

Screening information -limit exposure to information Shutting off technology -turn of cellphones Specializing -know a lot about a little Becoming selective -attend to information that relates directly to group goals and priorities Limiting the search -set time for searching and time for deciding Narrowing the search -use credible databases; find patterns -most effective coping method: pattern recognition

How do you combat Confirmation bias?

Seek disconfirming information and evidence Vigorously present disconfirming evidence to the group Play devil's advocate Gather allies to help challenge confirmation bias

Developing Team Identity

Symbolic Convergence Solidarity Symbols -team name, logo, uniform Team Talk -shared language that bonds members together -teams establish an identity when they speak in terms of "we/our/us" rather than "he/she/they" -especially important for team leaders to use this language -emphasizes interdependence -effective teams speak of collective blame for failure and give collective praise for success: team accountability -avoid language that exhibits power differences

functional perspective

Views leadership in terms of certain functions/responsibilities that must be performed for the group to be successful -functions fall into 2 categories: task and social -finding the right balance between the two is essential 2 schools of thought: -"leader-as-completer" -leaders. perform essential functions within a group that members failed to perform -leader is seen as adaptive role; leadership is demonstrated when any member steps in and assumes whatever role in the group is required at a particular time that has not been filled by any other member. -"Vital functions" -leaders perform key responsibilities different in kind and/or degree from other members Leader-as-completer seems to have greater merit; truly embraces the view that leadership is a process, not a person

What is correlation and how does it relate to inferential error?

a consistent relationship between two or more variables -two kinds -positive ( x and y increases) -negative (x increases and y decreases)

Fantasy Theme

a consistent thread that runs through the stories told by departmental members -crucial to surviving and thriving among larger departments -serves as motivation to team members to strive for goals that are extraordinary

What differentiates information and expertise as a power resource?

a group member can possess critical information but be unable to decipher it; experts not only have valuable and useful information, but they also understand the information and know how to use it to help the group

Servant Perspective

a key principle of ethical leadership recently gaining popularity is the decree to serve others Ethical leaders are "servant leaders" who place the good of followers over their own self-interests and emphasize follower development Embraces the five elects of communication ethics: -honesty -respect -fairness -choice -responsibility

Define leadership

a leader-follower influence process directed toward positive change that reflects mutual purposes of group members and is largely achieved through competent communication; is a process not a person.

Team

a small number of people with complementary skills who act as interdependent unit, are equally committed to a common mission, subscribe to a cooperative approach to accomplish that mission and hold themselves not accountable for team performance

Consensus

a state of mutual agreement among members of a group where all legitimate concerns of individuals have been addressed to the satisfaction of the group -not all unanimous decisions are true

Fantasy chain

a string of connected stories that amplify the theme

what is the glass ceiling

an invisible barrier of subtle discrimination that excludes women from top jobs in corporate and professional America

Power resource

anything that enables individuals to move toward their own goals or interfere with another's action

How does charisma relate to either type of leader?

are visionary, decisive, inspirational, and self-sacrificing; they exhibit strong listening skills, empathy, self-confidence, and skillful speaking - if group members identify with the leader or if the leader is successful in advancing key group goals, members will likely perceive the leader as charismatic.

twenty percent rule

as the number of women and ethnic minorities increases in a group up to 20% of the membership, the likelihood that a woman or minority will emerge as a leader increases because bias decreases

What steps can be taken to manage effectively the anger of other group members?

be asymmetrical validate the other person probe distract assume a problem orientation refuse to be abused disengage

How do you combat false dichotomies

be suspicious of absolutes employ the language of provisionalism

Transformational leadership

bring change about, get things done, make things happen, inspire, motivate

Destructive conflict

characterized by dominating, escalating, retaliating, competing,defensice and inflexible communication patterns

Constructive conflict

characterized by we-oriented, de-escalating, cooperative, supportive and flexible communication patterns

Which styles are most likely to be effective?

collaborating

Which styles are least likely to be effective ?

competing/forcing

addressing power imbalance

compliance alliance resistance -subtle,manipulative defiance -overt rebellion significance

How do you combat collective inferential error?

critical thinking group discussion under the following conditions: -the validity of inferences is carefully examined -inferences are grounded in valid and plentiful information - at least one member of the group exerts influence to guide the group toward higher-quality decisions

what should you do to retain the leader role once you have become the leader?

demonstrate competence as a leader accept accountability for your actions satisfy group members' expectations.

How to become more assertive?

describe express specify consequences

Fantasies

dramatic stories that provide a shared interpretation of events that bind group members and offer them a shared identity

How does organizational hierarchy affect team empowerment ?

employees at the bottom of the hierarchy aren't able to participate in decision making and problem solving flattening traditional hierarchy is desirable empowerment flattens hierarchy by sharing power

Intrinsic reward

enjoying what one does for its own sake

Should team roles be designated or should members choose their own roles? Explain

formal roles identify a position and a description of expected behavior a team must have every group function covered by a qualified member playing a specific role to avoid duplication of effort it is vital that each member plays the role suited to their abilities one of the responsibilities of team leader is to make determinations regarding role designations

what are the four dimensions of team empowerment ?

group potency -shared belief among team members that they can be an effective team -can-do attitude -strong connection between potency and performance meaningfulness -the team's perception that its tasks are important, valuable and worthwhile -team members influence this perception through their communication -cynicism can create a "why-b other" attitude among team members -optimism can be contagious -High perceived meaningfulness = team works harder collectively than they would individually; social loafing disappears autonomy -the degree to which team members experience substantial freedom, independence, and discretion in their work -ability to make choices is empowering -important decision making is a shared task -some supervision is beneficial: teams with high autonomy and limited supervision perform better than groups with unlimited autonomy and no supervision Impact -degree of significance given by those outside of the team to the work produced by the team -high impact=high motivation

Can all groups achieve consensus ?

groups of 15-20+ Rarely

Caveat

in open systems, leadership is effectiveness may be influences by situational forces beyond the control of any leader

Collective inferential error

inferences that are drawn from a limited and faulty information base--uneducated guess

What are the primary power resources?

information -provide the group with scarce but useful information -be certain your information is accurate Expertise -maintain knowledge currency -demonstrate trustworthiness and credibility -be certain of your facts before giving advice - don't assume an air of superiority Punishments and rewards -punishments should be appropriate to the act -punishment should be swift and certain -be generous with praise that is warranted -determine what rewards group members value before offering any -administer both punishment and reward equitably and fairly Personal qualities -groups specify qualities that are preferred Legitimate authority -become an authority figure -gain legitimacy -encourage participative decision making -act ethically

What are the distinctions between constructive and destructive anger?

intensity -the more intense the anger, the more likely it is that outcomes will be negative duration -prolonged expressions of anger can cause group members to tune out and ignore you

What is the relationship between leaders and followers?

leadership is a partnership. - leader must have someone to lead and followers must have someone to follow. -both influence each other, and must work in tandem to be effective.

what steps should you take if you want to become a group leader

manifest conformity to the group's norms, values and goals. display proper motivation to lead avoid the "thou shalt nots"

Extrinsic reward

motivates us to behave or perform by offering us an external inducement such as money, grades, praise, recognition or prestige

Information Underload

occurs when an individual group member sits on critical information and doesn't share it with the group, or when time pressures impedes information sharing

Symbolic Convergence Theory

people communicating with each other develop and share stores that create a "convergence", a group identity that is larger and more coherent than the isolated experiences of individual group members, and these stories/fantasies create a shared meaning for group members

pattern of leader emergence- process of elimination

phase one -quiet member eliminated -members who express strong, unqualified assertions eliminated -uninformed, unintelligent, and/or unskilled eliminated phase two -bossy, dictatorial members eliminated -members with irritating or disturbing communication style eliminated phase two part 2 -member who provides solution in time of crisis considered -member who exhibits effective listening skills considered -members who exhibits emotional intelligence considered -member who acquires a lieutenant considers -if more than one member acquires a lieutenant

Verbal dominance

powerful language, competitive interrupting, contradicting, berating, and sheer quantity of speech

Explain the common verbal indicators of power

powerless/powerful language verbal dominance

The key to leadership effectiveness is matching the appropriate style to the group environment

primary variable to consider: readiness level of followers. Decisions are leader-directed at lower levels of readiness; decisions are follower-directed at higher levels of readiness

What are the pros and cons of consensus decision making?(unanimity rule)

pros: quality decisions, commitment, satisfaction cons time-consuming, difficult, tension-producing

What are the pros and cons of participation in group discussion?

pros: standard agenda and decision-making rules are only effective if group members participate Cons: low participation can severely impact group effectiveness

How does assertiveness differ from aggression?

put's one's own needs first

What steps can be taken to manage effectively your own anger?

reframe self-talk listen non-defensively deliberately calm yourself find distractions

explain how NOT to become a leader

show up late or miss important meetings be uninformed about a problem commanding the group's attention manifest apathy and lack of interest by sluggish participation in group discussions attempt to dominate conversation during discussion listen poorly be rigid and inflexible when expressing viewpoints bully group members use offensive and abusive language

Transactional leadership

similar to management, not leadership; primary goal is efficiency, not transformation

situational perspective

since no one style leadership is appropriate for all situations, effective leadership is contingent upon matching styles with situations. Fred Fielder's Contingency Model -limited application because it doesn't offer guidance for how to become better leader once in a group Hersey and Blanchard's Model -amount of guidance and direction (task emphasis) a leader provides -amount of relationship support (socio-emotional emphasis) a leader provides -readiness level in performing a specific task, function, or objective that followers demonstrate

psychopaths

someone who has no conscience and feels no remorse or empathy; typically charming, but ruthless and manipulative -terrible leaders, don't work well in teams

Explain the common nonverbal indicators of power

space posture and gestural communication touch, eye contact artifacts

What are the resistance strategies (passive aggression)?

strategic stupidity loss of motor function the misunderstaning mirage (feigning confusion) selective amnesia tactical tardiness purposeful procrastination

4 leadership styles

telling (high task, low relationship):directive, leader provides specific instructions and close supervision, minimal emphasis on social relationships with followers Selling ( high task, high relationship): directive, leader explains and clarifies decisions but also tried to convince followers to accept directives Participating (low task, high relationship): non-directive, leader encourages shared decision making with special emphasis on developing relationships in the group -Delegating (low task, low relationships): non-directive, leader allows group to be self-directed, responsibility for decision making and implementation of decisions rests with group

Assertiveness

the ability to communicate the full range of your thoughts and emotions with confidence and skill

Power

the ability to influence the attainment of goals sought by yourself or others -group-centered;dependent on the relationships you have with group members the interconnectedness of components in a system means that all group members have some degree of influence, even if it is to defy or resist the group

Conflict

the expressed struggle of interconnected parties who perceive incompatible goals and interference from each other in attaining those goals

Contempt

the expression of insult that emotionally abuses others

Readiness

the extent to which a follower demonstrates the ability and willingness to accomplish a specific task.

Rationalization of disconfirmation

the invention of superficial alternative explanations for information that contradicts a belief

Team empowerment

the process of enhancing the capabilities and influence of individuals and groups

Charge:

the task of the team, such as to gather information, analyze a problem, make decisions, tackle a specific project

False Dichotomy

the tendency to view the world in terms of only two opposing possibilities hen other possibilities are available, and to describe this dichotomy in the language of extremes

How are cultural diversity and group participation related?

the value of verbal participating is perceived differently from culture to culture relative disadvantage in ability to communicate effectively in groups limits verbal participation of ethnic minorities Lackluster participation from ethnic minorities in decision making may result from weak commitment to the group

What do the Milgram studies show? Why are they important?

they showed that most people will blindly follow orders of an authority figure even if it goes against their moral conscience group members,however, are more likely to defy the authority figure after discussing their concerns with their group members--it is important for group members to share their concerns so other members realize they are not alone know the difference between appropriate and inappropriate use of authority

How does assertiveness differ from passivity?

underemphasizes one's own needs

explain gender and ethnic bias in leadership

unequal treatment in employment opportunity (such as promotion, pay, benefits and privileges), and expectations due to attitudes based on gender to ethnicity of employee

Obedience

when compliance is the result of a high-power group member influencing lower-power members

Conformity

when compliance is the result of group influence on the individual

Explain the common general indicators of power

who defines whom whose decisions are followed who opposed significant change