[Date]

Group Dynamics
Assignment

Baskar M
ICHE-UGPA 13-16

Subject Name
.

: Group Dynamics

Student Name

: Baskar M

Session

: 2013-2016

Batch

: Fall winter UG-A

Contact Number

: 96261-99981,

Mail

: baskar180@gmail.com

Submission Date

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Question 1:
Informal groups are part and parcel with group dynamics? What are
four to five ways to promote healthy group dynamics?
Answer:

Group dynamics is a system of behaviours and psychological processes

occurring within a social group (intragroup dynamics), or between social
groups (intergroup dynamics). The study of group dynamics can be
useful in understanding decision-making behavior, tracking the spread of
diseases in society, creating effective therapy techniques, and following
the emergence and popularity of new ideas and technologies. Group
dynamics are at the core of understanding racism, sexism, and other
forms of social prejudice and discrimination. These applications of the
field are studied in psychology, sociology, anthropology, political
science, epidemiology, education, social work, business, and
communication studies.
There are three main things that can affect a team's cohesion (the act of
working together well). They are: environmental factors, personal
factors and leadership factors.
Tackle Problems Quickly
If you notice that one member of your team has adopted a behavior
that's affecting the group unhelpfully, act quickly to challenge it.
Provide feedback that shows your team member the impact of her
actions, and encourage her to reflect on how she can change her
behavior.
Define Roles and Responsibilities
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Teams that lack focus or direction can quickly develop poor dynamics, as
people struggle to understand their role in the group.
Create a team charter defining the group's mission and objective,
and everyone's responsibilities as soon as you form the team. Make
sure that everyone has a copy of the document, and remind people of it
regularly.
Break Down Barriers
Use team-building exercises to help everyone get to know one
another, particularly when new members join the group. These
exercises ease new colleagues into the group gently, and also help to
combat the "black sheep effect," which happens when group members
turn against people they consider different.
Also, explain the idea of the Johari Window to help people open up.
Lead by example: share what you hope the group will achieve, along
with "safe" personal information about yourself, such as valuable
lessons that you've learned.
Focus on Communication
Open communication is central to good team dynamics, so make sure
that everyone is communicating clearly. Include all of the forms of
communication that your group uses emails, meetings, and shared
documents, for example to avoid any ambiguity.
If the status of a project changes, or if you have an announcement to
make, let people know as soon as possible. That way, you can ensure
that everyone has the same information.
Opinionated team members can overwhelm their quieter colleagues in
meetings. Where t his happens, use techniques such as Crawford's Slip
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Writing Method , and make sure that you develop

strong facilitation skills.
Pay Attention
Watch out for the warning signs of poor group dynamics.
Pay particular attention to frequent unanimous decisions, as these can
be a sign of group think , bullying , or free riding. If there are frequent
unanimous decisions in your group, consider exploring new ways to
encourage people to discuss their views, or to share them anonymously.

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Question 2:
What is an effective group? What are the characteristics of an effective
group? Illustrate with examples min 6 at least?
Answer:
Communication skills
To function successfully in a small group, students need to be able to
communicate clearly on intellectual and emotional levels. Effective
communicators:

can explain their own ideas

express their feelings in an open but non-threatening way

listen carefully to others

ask questions to clarify others ideas and emotions

can sense how others feel based on their nonverbal communication

will initiate conversations about group climate or process if they sense

tensions brewing

reflect on the activities and interactions of their group and encourage

other group members to do so as well
Regular open communication, in which group members share their
thoughts, ideas, and feelings, is a must for successful group work.
Unspoken assumptions and issues can be very destructive to productive
group functioning. When students are willing to communicate openly
with one another, a healthy climate will emerge and an effective process
can be followed.
Skills for a healthy group climate
To work together successfully, group members must demonstrate a
sense of cohesion. Cohesion emerges as group members exhibit the
following skills:
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Openness: Group members are willing to get to know one another,

particularly those with different interests and backgrounds. They are
open to new ideas, diverse viewpoints, and the variety of individuals
present within the group. They listen to others and elicit their ideas.
They know how to balance the need for cohesion within a group with
the need for individual expression.

Trust and self-disclosure: Group members trust one another enough to

share their own ideas and feelings. A sense of mutual trust develops only
to the extent that everyone is willing to self-disclose and be honest yet
respectful. Trust also grows as group members demonstrate personal
accountability for the tasks they have been assigned.

Support: Group members demonstrate support for one another as they

accomplish their goals. They exemplify a sense of team loyalty and both
cheer on the group as a whole and help members who are experiencing
difficulties. They view one another not as competitors (which is common
within a typically individualistic educational system) but as collaborators.

Respect: Group members communicate their opinions in a way that

respects others, focusing on What can we learn? rather than Who is
to blame? See constructive feedback in the process section for more
details.
As an instructor, you can use several strategies to encourage students to
develop a healthy climate within their small groups:

Assign students into diverse groups so that they encounter others with
different backgrounds and interests.

Design activities that break the ice, promote awareness of differences

within the group, encourage reflection on the stresses of working within
a group, and point out the demands of working in a group.

Have students participate in trust challenges. For example, try the trustfall, in which individual group members fall backward off a table and are
caught by their fellow group members. Or blindfold individual students,
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and have their group members guide them orally through an obstacle
course.

Encourage students to participate willingly and ask questions of others.

To encourage listening skills and ensure that everyone in the group
speaks, try the circle of voices exercise. See Centre for Teaching
Excellence (CTE) teaching tip Group Work in the Classroom: Types of
Small Groups.

After students have worked in their groups for a couple of weeks, have
them fill in a Are we a team? checklist individually, then discuss their
answers within their group. Have them repeat this exercise when they
have completed their task. See appendix B for an example of this
checklist.
Skills for an effective group process
Besides knowing how to develop a healthy group climate, students also
need to know how to function so that they are productive and
accomplish their tasks effectively. An effective process will emerge as
students exhibit these skills:

Individual responsibility and accountability: All group members agree on

what needs to be done and by whom. Each student then determines
what he or she needs to do and takes responsibility to complete the
task(s). They can be held accountable for their tasks, and they hold
others accountable for theirs.

Constructive Feedback: Group members are able to give and receive

feedback about group ideas. Giving constructive feedback requires
focusing on ideas and behaviours, instead of individuals, being as
positive as possible, and offering suggestions for improvement.
Receiving feedback requires listening well, asking for clarification if the
comment is unclear, and being open to change and other ideas.

Problem solving: Group members help the group to develop and use
strategies central to their group goals. As such, they can facilitate group
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decision making and deal productively with conflict. In extreme cases,

they know when to approach the professor for additional advice and
help.

Management and organization: Group members know how to plan and

manage a task, how to manage their time, and how to run a meeting.
For example, they ensure that meeting goals are set, that an agenda is
created and followed, and that everyone has an opportunity to
participate. They stay focused on the task and help others to do so too.

Knowledge of roles: Group members know which roles can be filled

within a group (e.g., facilitator, idea-generator, summarizer, evaluator,
mediator, encourager, recorder) and are aware of which role(s) they and
others are best suited for. They are also willing to rotate roles to
maximize their own and others group learning experience.
As an instructor, use some of these strategies to encourage students to
develop an effective process within their small groups:

Design the group task so that the students must work together. Group
members will be more motivated and committed to working together if
they are given a group mark; if you choose to evaluate in this way, be
sure to make your expectations extremely clear. See the CTE teaching
tip sheet Methods for Assessing Group Work for additional ideas.

Once students are in groups, have them develop, as one of their early
assignments, a group contract in which they articulate ground rules and
group goals. See the teaching tip Making Group Contracts for details.
Be sure that groups discuss how they will respond to various scenarios
such as absentee or late group members and those who do not
complete their assigned tasks.

Distribute a list of decision-making methods and strategies for conflict

resolution. The CTE teaching tip sheet Group Decision Making is a
good place to start. Have each group articulate, based on this list, a set
of strategies for decision making and conflict resolution; this list should
become part of the group contract. You may also want to offer yourself
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as an impartial arbitrator in emergency situations, but encourage

students to work out problems among themselves.

Provide students with guidelines for running a meeting, such as setting

and following an agenda, specifying time limits, and monitoring progress
on the agenda. Consult the CTE teaching tip sheet Meeting Strategies
to Help Prepare Students for Group Work for additional suggestions.

Teach students effective methods for giving and receiving feedback. For
sample methods, see the teaching tip Receiving and Giving Effective
Feedback. Create an assignment that involves them giving feedback to
group members, and make it part of their final grade.

To help students recognize and make the most of their own and one
anothers preferred roles, outline with them a list of team roles (see the
teaching tip Group Roles for one such list), have them determine
which role(s) suits them best, and give them time to discuss within their
groups how their particular role(s) will complement those of other group
members. Requiring them to rotate their roles helps them to expand
their skills set.

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Question 3:
How do you resolve conflicts in a small team?
Answer:
To manage conflict effectively you must be a skilled communicator. That
includes creating an open communication environment in your unit by
encouraging employees to talk about work issues. Listening to employee
concerns will foster an open environment. Make sure you really
understand what employees are saying by asking questions and focusing
on their perception of the problem. To learn more about
communication skills, see Chapter 13: Communication.
Whether you have two employees who are fighting for the desk next to
the window or one employee who wants the heat on and another who
doesn't, your immediate response to conflict situations is essential. Here
are some tips you can use when faced with employees who can't resolve
their own conflicts.

Acknowledge that a difficult situation exists. Honesty and clear

communication play an important role in the resolution process.
Acquaint yourself with what's happening and be open about the
problem.
Let individuals express their feelings. Some feelings of anger and/or
hurt usually accompany conflict situations. Before any kind of
problem-solving can take place, these emotions should be
expressed and acknowledged.
Define the problem. What is the stated problem? What is the
negative impact on the work or relationships? Are differing
personality styles part of the problem? Meet with employees
separately at first and question them about the situation.
Determine underlying need. The goal of conflict resolution is not to
decide which person is right or wrong; the goal is to reach a
solution that everyone can live with. Looking first for needs, rather
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than solutions, is a powerful tool for generating win/win options.

To discover needs, you must try to find out why people want the
solutions they initially proposed. Once you understand the
advantages their solutions have for them, you have discovered
their needs.
Find common areas of agreement, no matter how small:
o Agree on the problem
o Agree on the procedure to follow
o Agree on worst fears
o Agree on some small change to give an experience of success
Find solutions to satisfy needs:
o Problem-solve by generating multiple alternatives
o Determine which actions will be taken
o Make sure involved parties buy into actions. (Total silence
may be a sign of passive resistance.) Be sure you get real
agreement from everyone.
Determine follow-up you will take to monitor actions. You may
want to schedule a follow-up meeting in about two weeks to
determine how the parties are doing.
Determine what you'll do if the conflict goes unresolved. If the
conflict is causing a disruption in the department and it remains
unresolved, you may need to explore other avenues. An outside
facilitator (such as the Staff Ombuds Office) may be able to offer
other insights on solving the problem. In some cases the conflict
becomes a performance issue, and may become a topic for
coaching sessions, performance appraisals, or disciplinary action

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Question 4:
Discuss the role of leadership in improving group effectiveness? Illustrate
with examples ?
Answers:
Leadership goes beyond being appointed the manager. Leadership has
to do with whom the people are following. Leaders influence others
behaviors. To become more effective, leader-managers must learn how
to influence others with the intent of effectively motivating them.
Leaders possess qualities that make others want to follow them. The
standard definition of leadership is the process of influencing other
peoples behavior toward achieving a predetermined goal. It is
imperative to note that leadership is a means, not an end.
Leadership traits are physical or personality characteristics that
differentiate leaders from subordinates. There have been many
attempts to define these qualities over the years, and perceptions of
what distinguishes leaders have changed. In the 1980s, Warren Bennis, a
leading management consultant, reviewed ninety successful leaders to
determine commonalities among them.1 Sixty were Fortune 500
executives and 30 were from the public sector. Bennis identified the
following basic leadership traits, which remain relevant:

Attention. Leaders attract attention by exercising a strong vision

and commitment to accomplishment.
Meaning. Leaders use exceptional communication skills that make
visions tangible to others.
Trust. Leaders exhibit clear focus and consistent behavior, which
generates trust.
Self-awareness. Leaders know their limitations but remain
optimistic.

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Leadership styles vary according to organizational structure, people,

environment, and task. Leaders promote loyalty among subordinates by
keeping an open mind, being self-aware, and being inquisitive.
Awareness is important in working effectively with diverse groups and
individuals, regardless of personal bias. Anger and frustration indicate a
closed mind. The effective leader asks questions with a genuine interest
in learning more, rather than as a probe to expose a mistake or fault.
Employee inquiries should be conducted with genuine interest and with
demonstrated respect. Even more important is listening to the feedback,
so that appropriate action (if necessary) may be taken.
One model for understanding leadership styles differentiates between
four types of leaders:

Directing leaders direct subordinates in what, how, when and

where tasks should be done. These leaders maintain a standard of
performance, and their style is high-directive and low-supportive in
nature.
Coaching (participative) leaders welcome input and consult with
employees. These leaders are highly directive-oriented, but they
are also highly supportive.
Supporting leaders are friendly and show concern for the wellbeing of their subordinates; they treat subordinates as equals and
offer a high-supportive and low-directive environment.
Delegating (achievement-oriented) leaders encourage high
achievement and sets challenging goals; the emphasis is on
excellence, and these leaders outwardly show their confidence in
subordinates abilities. They operate in a low-supportive and lowdirective environment, which allows employees to extend
themselves and their abilities fully.2

The leadership style an individual uses is often a reflection of the

individuals attitudes about workers, their competence, and how to get
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work done. Different situations will require different styles of leadership

in order to maximize the productivity and well-being of subordinates.
Every leader should strive to become a transformational leader, or a
leader that contributes to change. They prompt the highest levels of
motivation and commitment among their followers. They are able to
create an organizational vision so vivid that it elicits followers loyalty
and trust. Martin Luther King, Jr is a good example of a transformational
leader. Transformational leaders operate by:

Generating greater awareness of the goals importance and

purpose
Inspiring followers to put the organizations or teams interests
ahead of their own
Motivating followers higher-level needs

Transformational leadership is comprised of:

Idealized, charismatic influence

Inspirational (meaningful and challenging) motivation
Intellectual stimulation (innovation and creative problem solving)
Individual consideration through listening and constructive
feedback

Guidelines for becoming a transformational leader include:

Developing a clear, colorful, and realistic vision

Providing a viable strategy for achieving the visionary goal
Conveying a personal conviction and optimism toward goal
attainment
Conveying confidence in the teams/followers abilities
Continuing to build team/follower confidence with graduated
milestone celebrations
Dramatically exemplifying organizational values
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Creating, modifying, or removing cultural forms

This integrative model may be used to determine the best leadership

style.

Step 1: Determine the nature of the task to be performed. Is it well

structured or changing? Is it ambiguous, challenging,
overwhelming, or meaningful?
Step 2: Evaluate subordinates abilities and motivation. Are the
workers motivated? Are they willing to take responsibility for, and
control over, their work?
Step 3: Evaluate leadership characteristics affecting the chosen
style of leadership. Is the leader self-confident and a good
communicator? Is the leader knowledgeable, and does he/she
possess expert personal power? Are leader-member relations
good?
Step 4: What leadership background is influencing the chosen
leadership style? What is the position power? Will the leadership
style be dictated by a superior?

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