Foundation of Group Behavior

Understanding the nature and types of groups, Recognize the assets and liabilities of groups

Group: Concept & types

Group means there are Two or more individuals Interacting & interdependent Come together to achieve particular objectives.

1. 2. 3.

Group

Formal

Informal

Command

Interest

Task

Friendship

Formal Group: A designated work group defined by the organisations structure. Informal Group: A group that is neither formally structured nor organizationally determined; appears in response to the need for social contact. Membership in such groups id voluntary.

Command group: A group composed of the individuals who report directly to a given manager. Task group: represents those who work together to complete a job task. All command groups are task groups but all task groups need not be command groups as task groups can cut across the organization.

Interest group : A group of employees who come together to satisfy a common interest ;like improving working conditions, protesting companys environmental policies, or adjusting vacation schedules. Friendship group

Why people join groups

To To To To satisfy mutual interests achieve security fill social needs fill need for self esteem.

Interdependency

P E O P L E

P N

Cohesion Conflict

S
Dependency

F
Orientation Organization Dataflowing Problemsolving

TASK

FORMING Getting started as a group Looking to a designated leader for guidance Members are getting to know each other Little work gets accomplished Introductory level regarding direction, values goals etc. Questions, which must be answered to kick-start the Forming stage Why am I here? Who are the other members and what are their strengths? How am I going to find out what they are good at and also let them know about my capabilities and characteristics?

STORMING A time of stressful negotiation of the terms under which the team will work together; a trial by fire Competition and conflict at the interpersonal level and over goals, decisions and procedures It is estimated that three fifths of the length of any team project from start to finish is taken up in the first two stages. It is necessary, as it gets things out of the way What a team fails to settle during the Storming stage will almost always return to haunt them at a later date, sometimes to a greater Storm

Five stage model of group formation

Stage II Storming
Members come to Resist Control by group Leaders & Show

Stage III Norming Members Work Together developing Close Relationships & feelings of Cohesiveness

Stage IV Performing Group members work towards Getting their jobs done

Stage V Adjourning Group may disband either after meeting their goals or because members Leave

Stage I Forming Members get to know each other & set ground rules

hostility

Punctuated Equilibrium Model

Its is an alternative model for temporary groups with deadlines as they generally dont follow the Five Stage Model. It claims that groups generally plan their activities during the first half of their time and then revise and implement their plans in the second half.

High

Punctuated Equilibrium Model

Performance

Completion Phase 2

First Meeting Phase 1 A (Low) (A+B)/2

Transition

During the first half or Phase 1, groups define their tasks, setting a mission that is unlikely to change until the second half of the groups life. Once groups reach the midpoint of their life they experience a sort of middle life crisis and recognize they must change how they operate if they are going to meet their goals.

This begins phase 2 of their existence, which is the time when group drops old way of thinking and adopt new perspectives. Groups then carry out their mission until they reach the end of phase two when they show bursts of activity needed to complete their task.

Dynamics of group formation

Theodore Newcombs classic balance theory of group formation

 Identifiable stages of group development:

Forming Storming Norming Performing Adjourning

Practicalities of group formation

Punctuated equilibrium model

Types of groups
Primary groups
Small groups and self-managed teams

Coalitions Other types of groups

Memberships and reference groups In-groups and out-groups

Implications from research on group dynamics

Groups expert Richard Hackman says that leadership plays an important role in group performance Conditions a leader can control include:
Setting a compelling direction for the groups work Designing and enabling group structure Ensuring that the group operates within a supportive context Providing expert coaching

Group Cohesiveness

The Structural dynamics of work Groups

The pattern of interrelationships between the individuals constituting a group; the guidelines of group behavior that make group functioning both orderly and predictable.

Four different aspects of group structure are :

Roles: various parts played by group members. The Hats We Wear Norms: rules & expectations within group. Group's Unspoken Rules Status: rank given to groups by others. prestige of group membership Cohesiveness: members sense of responsibility. getting the team spirit

Roles
The typical behavior characterizing a person in a specific social context. A set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit. Role incumbent: A person holding a particular job. Role expectations: How others believe a person should act in a given situation.

Role Identity: Certain attitude and behavior consistent with a role. Role Ambiguity: The confusion arising from not knowing what one is expected to do as the holder of a role. Psychological Contract: An unwritten agreement that sets out what mgmt expects from the employee and vice versa. Role differentiation: The tendency for various specialized roles to emerge as groups develop. Role conflict: When an individual finds that compliance with one role requirement may make it more difficult to comply with another.

Task oriented roles Initiator: Contributors

Recommend new solutions to group problems.

Relations oriented roles Harmonizers:

Mediate group conflicts Compromisers:
Shift own opinions to create group harmony.

Self oriented roles Blockers:

Act stubborn and resistant to the group. Recognition seekers:
Call attention to their own achievements.

Information Seekers:
Attempt to obtain the necessary facts.

Opinion Givers:

Encourages:

Dominators:
Assert authority by manipulating the group

Share own opinions with Praise & encourage others others

Energizers:

Expediters:

Avoiders:

Stimulate the group into Suggest ways the group Maintain distance, isolate can operate more themselves from fellow action whenever smoothly. group members. interested

Norms
Norms are acceptable standards of behavior within a group that are shared by the groups members. Norms are generallyon informal rules that guide the behavior of group members. Norms differ among groups, communities and societies, but they all have them.

Types of norms
Prescriptive Norms: Expectations within group regarding what is supposed to be done. Proscriptive Norms: Expectations within group regarding behaviors in which members are not supposed to engage.

Common classes of Norms

Though norms in each group are unique yet there are some common classes. 1. Performance Norms 2. Appearance Norms 3. Arrangement Norms 4. Allocation of Resources Norms

Cohesiveness
It is the degree to which members are attracted to each other and are motivated to stay in the group. To encourage group cohesivenessMake small groups. Encourage agreement with group goals. Increase the time members spend together. Increase the status of the group and the perceived difficulty of attaining membership in the group. Stimulate competition with other groups. Give reward to the group rather than to the individual members. Physically isolate the group.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Cohesiveness High High Productivity Low Moderate Productivity

High Performance Norms

Low

Low Productivity

Moderate to Low Productivity

Reason for Joining Groups

a. Security b. Social c. Esteem d. Proximity e. Attraction f. Goals

Group Functions
Task behaviours
initiating information seeking/giving clarifying ideas brining closure consensus testing.

Maintenance behaviours;
encouraging; improving group atmosphere; harmonizing; compromising; gate-keeping.

Self-interest Behaviours
dominating/controlling; blocking; manipulating; belittling; splitting hairs.