Chapter 9:
The Nature of Groups and Teams
Goals of Groups and Their Members
Characteristics of Group and Teams
Leadership and Communication
Followership and Communication
What is a group?
a small collection of people whose members interact with one another, usually face to face, over time in order to reach goals.
Interaction
without interaction, a collection of people isn't a group
Interdependence
in a true group, the behavior of one person affects all the others in what can be called a ripple effect, and it can be both positive an negative
Size
Time
Most groups work together long enough to develop a sense of identity and history that shapes their ongoing effectiveness
most expert agree on that the lower limit of a group is three members.
isn't a upper limit
What makes a group a team?
Clear and inspiring shared goals
member of a successful team knows why the group exist, and they believe that purpose is important and worthwhile
A result-driven structure
Competent team members
Unified commitment
Collaborative climate
get the job done in the most effective manner
members have the necessary skill to finish their job
put the team goal above the personal goal
people in successful groups trust and support one another
Standard of excellence
External support and recognition
Principled leadership
doing outstanding work is an important norm
a successful teams need an appreciative audience that recognize their effort and provide the resource necessary to get the job done.
winning teams usually have leaders who can create a vision of the group's purpose
I especially like this part because it gave me a broad overview about how to establish a successful team and know how I can improve to make the team I am in better
Virtual groups
definition: people who interact with one another via mediated channels, without meeting face-to-face
WOL circle: an circle that involves four to five peers with similar interests who agree to interact online 1 hour a week for 12 weeks
people might felt less committed to the group or less accountable for their actions if they don't know their teammates well
group goals: goals that a group collectively seeks to accomplish
individual goals: individual motives for joining a group
Some individual goals are related to the group's official reasons for existing.
hidden agenda: individual goals that group members are willing to reveal
social loafing: lazy behavior that some members used to avoid their share of work
Rules and norms
rules: an explicit officially stated guideline that governs group functions and member behavior
Norms: shared values, beliefs, behaviors, and procedures that govern a group's operation
Task norms: group norms that govern the way members handle the job at hand
Social norms: group norms that govern the way members relate one to another
Procedural norms: norms that describe rules for the group's operation
Patterns of interaction
sociogram: the graph representation fo the interaction patterns in a group
All channel network: A communication pattern in which group members are frequently together and shared all information with one another
chain network: a communication network in which information passes sequentially from one member to another
wheel network: a communication network in which a gatekeeper regulates the flow of information from all the other members
gatekeepers: person in a small group through whom communication among other member flows
Roles
the patterns of behavior expected of group member
formal roles: a role assigned to a person by group members or an organization, usually to establish order.
informal roles:Usually not explicitly recognized by a group that describes functions of group members rather than their positions. These are sometimes called "functional rules."
task roles: roles group member take on in order to help solve a problem
Social roles: Emotional rules concerned with maintaining smooth personal relationships among group members. Also termed "Maintenance function."
Dysfunctional rules: Individual rules played by group members that inhibit the group's effective operation
understanding leadership
Trait theories of leadership: The school of thoughts based on the belief that some people are born to be leaders and others are not
situational approach: to understand the context in which they are operating
Leadership Styles
authoritarian style: a style in which the designated leader uses coerecieve
democratic leadership: the style in which the leader invites the groups'
laissez-faire leadership: a style in which the designed leader gives up his or her formal role, transforming the group into a loose collection of individual.
servant leadership: a style based the idea that a leader's job is mostly to recruit outstanding team members and provides the support they needed to do a good did job.
Balancing Task and relational goals: the leadership grid
Impoverished management
Country club management
Authority obedience
middle of the road management
Transformational leadership
exertion of minimum effort to get required done is appropriate to sustain organization membership
Thoughtful attention to the needs of people for satisfying relationships leads to a comfortable, friendly organization atmosphere and work tempo
efficiency in operations results from arranging conditions of work in such a way that human element interfere to a minimum degree
adequate organization performance is possible through balancing the necessity to be productive with maintaining morale of people at a satisfactory level
Team management
work accomplishment other is from committed people; interdependence through is a "common stake" in organization purpose
defined by their devotion to help a team fulfill
Becoming a leader
frequent participation
demonstrated competence
assertion, not aggression
support of other member
provide a solution in a time of crisis
emergent leader: a member who assumes leadership roles without being appointed by higher-ups
Types of followers
participant
activists
Bystanders
diehards
Isolates
The power fo followers
legitimate power: the ability to influence a group owing to one's position in a group
power: the ability to influence others' thoughts and/or action
expert power: the ability to influence other by virtue of one's perceived expertise on the subject in question
Connection power; the influence granted by virtue of a memeber's ability to develop a relationship that help the group reach its goal
reward power: the abilities to influence others by granting or promising of desirable consequences
Referent power: the ability to inlfuence others by virtue of the degree which one is liked or respected