COMS 217 Final
certainty defensive statements
1) Using terms like: never, always, impossible, can't, won't 2)False Dichotomies
intragroup competition and group productivity (achievement and performance)
1) Cooperation produces higher levels of group achievement and performance on a wide variety of tasks 2) Cooperative groups outperform competitive groups
Why does cooperation promote and competition dampen achievement and performance for most groups?
1) attempting to achieve excellence and trying to beat others are different goals -Trying to beat another diverts attention from achieving group excellence 2) Resources are used more efficiently in a cooperative group climate
how do positive reciprocal communication patterns emerge?
1) communication transactions among group members 2) Group leaders may play an important role in this process by setting a cooperative tone for the group
manipulation defensive statements
We resent people that try to influence us to meet their own hidden agenda
I would really appreciate if you bought me flowers more often is an example of an .... supportive statements
assertive
what is an impervious response?
not even acknowledging a member's concern
who benefits from competition?
the failure of many for the success of few
4 C team goals (how to foster teamwork)
1) Clear Goal: 2) Cooperative Goals: 3) Challenging Goals: 4) Commitment to Goals:
how does defensive communication styles relate to competition?
1) Invites hypercompetitive response to defend -Denying -Counterattacking -Withdrawing Person walks out and slams door
control defensive statements
1) Issuing orders and demanding obedience, especially when no input was sought from group members who were told what to do
communication training
1) Team communication is critical to effectiveness and high performing team members typically exhibit superior communication skills 2) Changing the communication changes the system! 3) Communication training works to build teams!
cultural diversity
1) Teams are composed of members from diverse cultures (especially true for virtual teams) 2) richer array of knowledge with the potential for great decision making and problem solving creativity 3) Accept diversity as an advantage 4) Choose team members for their complementary skills and knowledge but also for their similarity of attitude. 5) Choose a superordinate, transcending goal to bridge differences 6) Be respectful of all team members and avoid cultural bias. Be experimental and try different approaches 7) Keep communication open. Solicit feedback on the decision making process so that if problems arise, they can be addressed immediately
cynicism
1) The attitude that most destroys teamwork and team effectiveness is cynicism 2) What you want in a team is the communication of an optimist, can-do attitude, not a cynical can't do attitude 3) Optimistic attitude nourishes a team's spirits, braces it for coming challenges.
what is reciprocal communication patterns?
1) We tend to reciprocate both defensive and supportive responses 2) Break negative cycles and promote positive ones
empathy supportive statements
1) thinking and feeling what you perceive another to be thinking and feeling. 2) Empathy is built on concern for others
shift response
1) type of competitive listening 2) Attention-getting initiative by a listener Listener 3) attempts to shift the focus of attention from others to oneself by changing the topic of discussion
type of competitive listening where you plan to attack the speaker
Ambushing
verbal/non verbal abuse
Bad behaviors create a group climate that is the antithesis of teamwork
indifference defensive statements
Making little effort to listen to what a member of your group has to say
collaborative interdependence
Team members must work together or they will be unsuccessful in achieving their goals
which conditions must be satisfied in order for constructive competition to occur
all three of them
saying to your boyfriend "John buys Mary flowers every week" is an example of a ....defensive statements
manipulative
guidelines for managing culturally diverse teams
1) Accept diversity as an advantage, not a disadvantage 2) Choose team members for their complementary skills and knowledge but also for their similarity of attitude. 3) Regardless of cultural background, there is no place for egocentrism or cynicism on teams 4) Choose a superordinate, transcending goal to bridge differences 5) Be respectful of all team members and avoid cultural bias. 6) Keep communication open. Solicit feedback on the decision making process so that if problems arise, they can be addressed immediately
ambushing
1) Bias is to attack the speaker verbally, not try to understand the speaker's point of view. 2) The goal of ambusing is to defeat a speaker in a verbal jousting match
6 Evaluative Communication Patterns
1) Description 2) Problem orientation 3) Assertiveness 4) Empathy 5) Equality 6) Provisionalism
what are the essential building blocks of a great workplace (defensive/supportive communication patterns)
1) Descriptive Communication 2) PRAISE and RECOGNITION (A gallup study of more than 80,000 managers concluded that praise and recognition are essential building blocks of a great workplace)
6 Defensive Communication Pattern
1) Evaluation 2) Control 3) Manipulation 4) Indifference 5) Superiority 6) Certainty
clear goals
1) Everyone on the same page 2) clear goals are clearly stated and understood goals -Terms have to be defined clearly at the very start of a team's effort -Definitional discussions should identify what is and what is not included in the team's charge
best team members display...
1) Experience and Problem-Solving Abilities 2) cultural diversity 2) communication training
problem-orientation supportive statements
1) Focus on the problem and how best to solve it 2) reduces personality conflicts and power struggles
distinctions between team and small group
1) Level of Cooperation: a) TEAMS: higher level of cooperation. Collaborative interdependence, Work together b) SMALL GROUPS: Members may oppose each other, may not work together on a common goal 2) Diversity of skills: a) TEAMS: Diverse team is essential to success.Complementary, not identical, skills example: Circus (many types of expertise) b) SMALL GROUPS: Skills not as diverse 3) Group Identity a) TEAMS: stronger group identity. Easily Identifiable. Team members have a sense of cohesiveness and oneness. b) SMALL GROUPS: superficial indicators of identity 4) Time and Resources a) TEAMS: require a substantial resources and long-term commitments example: Sports Teams b) require a limited time commitment and few resources to function
superiority defensive statement
1) Message steeped in "I'm better than you" 2) No, wrong again. I'll just show you how to do it right 3) Group leaders who exhibit superiority to group members undermine their credibility and influence
how to talk in a descriptive way
1) Praise (if worthy), then describe 2) Use I-statements, not You-statements
how to remove a bad member from the group?
1) The bad group member may have to be removed if it prevents the team from being effective NOTE: This should be a last resort after efforts to correct problem behavior have been undertaken 2) those who display incompetent communication, and those with egocentric and cynical attitudes that disrupt teams in relationships can be removed
intragroup competition and group cohesiveness
1) When group members feel loved, valued, supported, and accepted, cohesiveness is strong
conditions necessary for constructive competition
1) When winning is deemphasized 2) when opponents are equally marched allowing all participants the chance to win 3) When there are clear, specific rules that ensure fairness
what is descriptive communication pattern?
1) a first-person report of how an individual feels, what he or she perceives to be true, and what behavior is desired from others 2) Positive evaluations include praise, recognition, and flattery
drawbacks of culturally diverse teams
1) differences in cultures example: a) US take pride in decisive decision making b) Japan and China do not prioritize speed. 2) Decision making is a lengthy process
worst team members display...
1) egocentrism 2) cynicism 3) verbal/non verbal abuse
hypercompetiveness
1) excessive emphasis of defeating others to achieve one's goals
equality supportive statements
1) give everyone an equal opportunity to succeed and exhibit whatever potential they possess 2) We recognize that everyone has faults and limitations
experience and problem solving abilities
1) help move a team toward its objective 2) We look for experienced team members when forming teams 3) Experience counts because with experience, comes knowledge and from knowledge comes
cooperative goals
1) interdependent effort from all 2) Members share information, offer advice, share rewards, and apply their abilities to make every team member optimally effective 3) Cooperative goals enhance team performance
what does negative evaluations do?
1) lead to conflict, demoralize, and defensiveness 2) encourages self-justification to absolve self of blame
competition (winner takes all)
1) mutually exclusive goal attainment (MEGA) 2) individual success is achieved at the expense of the other group members
cooperation
1) mutually inclusive goal attainment (MIGA) process 2) Individual success is tied directly to the success of other group members 3) Group members work together, not against each other, when attempting to achieve a common goal
paraphrasing
1) paraphrasing is a concise response to the speaker which states the essence of the other's content in the listener's words 2) Paraphrasing should be used when you are trying to see if you understand what the other person is communicating or not
egocentrism
1) reveal the Me First attitude that promotes team friction and weakens team cohesiveness 2) Bloated egos can destroy teams. Egos can foster defensiveness and perpetuate errors from egocentric people who desire to protect their image more than correct their mistakes
benefits of culturally diverse teams
1) rich array of different, complementary skills and knowledge with the potential for great decision making and problem solving creativity
probing
1) seeking additional information from a speaker by asking questions 2) Probing includes clarifying questions (can you give me an example of an important goal for the group?), exploratory questions (can you think of any other approach to this problem), and encouraging questions (who can blame us for making a good effort to try a new approach)
how to minimize defensiveness?
1) share your own shortcomings with group members 2) Self deprecating humor that makes fun of your own failings
Provisionalism supportive communication statements
1) sometimes, occasionally, possibility, perhaps, maybe, might 2) Why are we starting on time, and how can we get more of this good thing
intergroup competition
1) students were assigned a symposium project. Two of the four groups chose the same topic, hypercompetitiveness emerged and there was bitter tension between the two groups despite the professor stating that she would not be comparing them at all These groups did not need to compete. By pooling their resources and emphasizing different aspects of the topic, they could have improved both of their final presentations Both groups gave mediocre symposium presentations
what role does culture play in producing competitive or cooperative behavior in groups?
1) the norms of the culture determine its competitiveness, not human nature
what is support response?
1) type of noncompetitive listening 2) attention-giving cooperative effort by the listener to focus attention on the other person, not on oneself
Does competition enhance intragroup cohesiveness?
A review of more than 180 studies concluded that cooperative communication promoted significantly greater liking, support, and acceptance of group members than did competitive communication
how to implement a problem orientation supportive statements
Collaborate: what do you need? Invite someone to participate in the problem solving process, solution may be clearer. Impose what you think is the best way
competitive interrupting
Interrupting becomes competitive when the listener attempts to seize the floor from the speaker and dominate the conversation
is all interrupting competitive?
NO! Group members may interrupt to 1) express support or enthusiasm (Great idea) 2) seek clarification (i'm confused) 3) warn of danger (look out!) 4) cut short a talkaholics nonstop monologue
Evaluation Communication Pattern
Negative evaluations include criticism, contempt, and blame
When executives asked for problem solving ideas from colleagues, 96% of the plans were approved shows the power of...supportive statements
Problem-Orientation (supportive) and collaborating
what does controlling defensive statements create?
Psychological reactance
examples of psychological reactance?
The more you tell your child not to smoke, do drugs or get various parts of their anatomies pierced, the more likely their children are to do these behaviors so they can assert their sense of personal freedom
what is the norm of group interest?
a collective prescription that group members should pursue maximum group outcomes (winning at all costs), even if this means acting hyper competitive against other groups when members may privately not wish to do so
what is defensiveness
a reaction to a perceived attack on our self-concept and self-esteem
1) In the US, an elementary student experiences difficulty discerning the correct answer to a math problem. 2) The teacher urges the student to think harder, applying further pressure. 3) Meanwhile, wave their hands, certain that they have the right answer. 4) The teacher then calls on the other students, who shout the correct answer. What is happening in this example?
cSomebody's success in is brought by the cost of our failures.
We are never going to finish this project is an example of a ...defensive statement
certainty
does wanting to defeat another group increase cohesiveness within your own group?
cohesiveness is enhanced primarily for winning teams but not for losing teams
what is constructive competition?
competition produces a positive, enjoyable experience and generates increased efforts to achieve without jeopardizing positive interpersonal relationships and personal well-being
intergroup interactions are far more...
competitive than interactions between individuals
UCLA basketball coach never mentions winning, and instead wants his team members to learn offensive and defensive skills and to give their best is a condition for .............. to occur
constructive competition
teacher demanding what a student has to do is not usually received well. This is an example of a type of ...defensive statements
controlling
Successful Mars Rover named Sojourner, which explored the surface of Mars in 1997, served as the model for future equally successful rovers in NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Mission that continues today. For this mission, team members helped each other on every part of the project. This is an example of what type of competition?
cooperation
The attitude that most destroys teamwork and team effectiveness is...
cynicism
negative climate
do not feel valued, supported, and respected, when trust is minimal, and when members perceive that they are not treated well
Group Climate
emotional atmosphere, the enveloping tone that is created by the way we communicate in groups
Oh that sucks. What are you havign difficulty with? is an example of ....supportive statements
empathy
If you want, I can show you a way that worked for me is an example of using ....supportive statements
equality
the earthquake in Santa Cruz and the little girl says to her "dad, it wasn't my fault" is an example of a .....communication pattern
evaluative (defensive)
why can't you try harder, that effort sucked, its your fault we got a C are examples of....communication patterns
evaluative (defensive)
what is a pseudo team?
give the appearance of being teams and engaging in teamwork without exhibiting the substance of teams
Uniforms, team tattoo,song, cheer, etc are examples of
group identity
When you suspect that a team member is complimenting your performance merely to gain an ally against other members in a dispute is an example of a
hidden agenda
Student pitted against student through the grading system and faculty member against faculty member for promotion and other academic favours is an example of what type of competition?
hypercompetitiveness
"Study harder" is an example of an ..... defensive statements
indifferent
are collectivist or individualistic cultures more competitive?
individualistic
positive climate
individuals perceive that they are valued, supported, and treated well by the group
what can descriptive communication patterns do?
minimize defensiveness
assertive supportive statements
open, honest, and direct
what are hidden agendas?
personal goals of group members that are not revealed openly and that can interfere with group accomplishment
clarifying questions, exploratory questions, and encouraging questions are examples of...
probing
what is self-justification
providing excuses that absolves blame-even when no evaluation is offered
what is a team?
small number of people with complementary skills who act as an interdependent unit, are equally committed to a common mission, subscribe to a cooperative approach to accomplish that mission, and hold themselves accountable for team performance
what is a team's charge?
task of the team, such as to gather information, to analyze the problem and make recommendations, to make decisions and implement them, or to tackle a specific project from inception to completion
individual achievement
the attainment of a personal goal without having to defeat another personwh
what is psychological reactance?
the more someone tries to control us, the more we resist or do the opposite
true or false: Synergy is more likely to occur in cooperative climate.
true
true or false: the worst cooperative groups out performed the best competitive groups
true
Paraphrasing should be used when...
you are trying to see if you understand what the other person is communicating or not