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Group CohesivenessGroup Cohesiveness

Curt MatthewsCurt Matthews

MGMT 301/301WMGMT 301/301W

Prof. William S. GardnerProf. William S. Gardner

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GroupGroup::

a collection of people who must a collection of people who must interact with one another; be interact with one another; be

socially attracted to one socially attracted to one another; share goals or another; share goals or

objectives; and have shared objectives; and have shared identity which distinguishes identity which distinguishes

them from other groupsthem from other groups

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Cohesiveness:Cohesiveness:

the extent to which members the extent to which members are loyal and committed to the are loyal and committed to the

group. group.

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Two types of Cohesion:Two types of Cohesion:

Task Cohesion – the degree to Task Cohesion – the degree to which members of a group work which members of a group work together to achieve common goalstogether to achieve common goals

Social Cohesion – reflects the Social Cohesion – reflects the degree to which members of a degree to which members of a team like each other and enjoy team like each other and enjoy each other’s companyeach other’s company

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Four Stages of Group Development

Forming

Storming

Norming

Conforming (Performing)

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Forming – Group members are uncertain of the group’s Forming – Group members are uncertain of the group’s structure and its goals or a strategy for achieving them; structure and its goals or a strategy for achieving them; they will as a result be quite dependent on the leaderthey will as a result be quite dependent on the leader

Storming – Conflict and disagreements between the group Storming – Conflict and disagreements between the group members and the leader will arise, as well as between members and the leader will arise, as well as between various sub-groups; there will be a tendency to rebel various sub-groups; there will be a tendency to rebel against the rules which have been establishedagainst the rules which have been established

Norming – The group becomes more mature and cohesive; Norming – The group becomes more mature and cohesive; group norms develop beyond any formally established group norms develop beyond any formally established rulesrules

Conforming (Performing) – Conflicts between individuals Conforming (Performing) – Conflicts between individuals are resolved; the group works constructively on problem-are resolved; the group works constructively on problem-solving and energy is directed towards the tasksolving and energy is directed towards the task

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Factors which affect Factors which affect CohesivenessCohesiveness

IncreaseIncrease

Intergroup competitionIntergroup competition

Personal attractionPersonal attraction

Favorable evaluationFavorable evaluation

Agreement on GoalsAgreement on Goals

InteractionInteraction

DecreaseDecrease

Large group sizeLarge group size

Disagreement on goalsDisagreement on goals

Intragroup competitionIntragroup competition

DominationDomination

Unpleasant experiencesUnpleasant experiences

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Behavioral NormsBehavioral Norms

Norms – standards of behavior that a Norms – standards of behavior that a group accepts and expects of its group accepts and expects of its members. members.

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The more cohesive a group is, the The more cohesive a group is, the greater an influence it will have greater an influence it will have

on individual members to conform on individual members to conform to the group’s norms, thus to the group’s norms, thus

lessening the possibility of having lessening the possibility of having ‘loafers’. Loafing is the tendency ‘loafers’. Loafing is the tendency

for individuals to lessen their for individuals to lessen their effort when they are part of a effort when they are part of a

group – also known as the group – also known as the Ringelmann effect.Ringelmann effect.

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The Team-Building StrategyThe Team-Building Strategy

Team StructureTeam Structure LeadershipLeadership Conformity to StandardsConformity to Standards Team EnvironmentTeam Environment Team ProcessesTeam Processes

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Team Structure – involves role clarity and acceptance, Team Structure – involves role clarity and acceptance, such as when group members clearly understand their such as when group members clearly understand their roles in the grouproles in the group

Leadership – should coincide with type of individuals Leadership – should coincide with type of individuals or vise versaor vise versa

Conformity of Standards – is when conformity to group Conformity of Standards – is when conformity to group social and task norms contribute to enhanced social and task norms contribute to enhanced cohesioncohesion

Team Environment – consists of togetherness, when Team Environment – consists of togetherness, when group members area repetitively put in close physical group members area repetitively put in close physical proximity, feeling of cohesion increases.proximity, feeling of cohesion increases.

Team Processes – group goals are more strongly Team Processes – group goals are more strongly associated with team success than with individual associated with team success than with individual goals, cooperative behavior is superior to goals, cooperative behavior is superior to individualistic behaviorindividualistic behavior

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Effective Contributors to a Effective Contributors to a Group:Group:

Get to know members of the groupGet to know members of the group Help group members whenever possibleHelp group members whenever possible Give group members positive Give group members positive

reinforcementreinforcement Are responsibleAre responsible Communicate honestly and openly with Communicate honestly and openly with

the coach or leaderthe coach or leader Resolve conflicts immediatelyResolve conflicts immediately Give 100% effort at all timesGive 100% effort at all times

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Ricky Griffin, author of the text, Ricky Griffin, author of the text, Fundamentals of ManagementFundamentals of Management, , states that “in a highly cohesive states that “in a highly cohesive

team, members work well team, members work well together, support and trust one together, support and trust one

another, and are generally another, and are generally effective at achieving their effective at achieving their

chosen goal.”chosen goal.”

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Teamwork is something that one Teamwork is something that one hears about more and more today hears about more and more today in the business world, in sports, in in the business world, in sports, in school and essentially in our daily school and essentially in our daily

lives. For teamwork to be lives. For teamwork to be effective, however, the “group”, effective, however, the “group”, whether it consists of two or ten, whether it consists of two or ten, must be able to possess a type of must be able to possess a type of

cohesiveness.cohesiveness.

Closing StatementClosing Statement