Copyright © 2008 Allyn & Bacon Fundamentals of Group Communication 10 CHAPTER Chapter Objectives This Multimedia product and its contents are protected

Copyright © 2008 Allyn & Bacon

Fundamentals of Group Communication10

CHAPTER

Chapter Objectives

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1. Understand why groups are important in business.

2. Identify the characteristics of an effective group.

3. Recognize the factors that contribute to or hinder group communication.

4. Improve your participation in groups.

5. Understand the function and types of group leadership.

6. Evaluate the role of special groups in business.


What is a Group?1. Participants know each other by name/role.

2. Considerable amount of interaction among the participants.

3. Each participant has some degree of influence on each of the other members.

4. Each participant defines him/herself as a member of the group and is also defined by outsiders as a member.

5. The participants share some common goal, interest, or benefit by holding membership in the group.

6. There is leadership.



Factors Influencing Group Communication


Cohesiveness The degree to which a group hangs

together. Highly cohesive groups are much more

likely to meet challenges successfully and overcome obstacles than are groups that have low cohesiveness.


Norms Recurring patterns that define acceptable

behavior. Examples:

There is no such thing as a stupid comment.Being on time for meetings is required. Listening with an open mind is encouraged.Negative criticism of another person is

unacceptable.Taking risks with ideas is encouraged.Meetings are “strictly business.”


Role Behavior or expectation for behavior within a

group. Types:

Task Roles: Performed to achieve the goals of the group and to facilitate participation and decision-making (e.g., Information Agent, Elaborator, Initiator).

Personal Roles: Enacted for the purpose of initiating, developing, or managing interpersonal relationships among group members (e.g., Harmonizer, Gatekeeper, Sensor).

Problem Roles: Attempt to satisfy individual vs. group needs (e.g., Blocker, Recognition Seeker, Digressor).


Conformity Agreement with or

correspondence to a set of ideas, rules, or principles.

Reasons for conformity:

Conformity and group functioning:


Groupthink The tendency of group members to seek

agreement solely for agreement’s sake. Causes: Being out of touch, out of order,

overruled, and/or out of resources. Symptoms: Perception of omnipotence,

closed-mindedness, pressure toward uniformity.

Minimizing Groupthink: Use critical evaluation to question group decisions.



Advocacy Presentation of competing views on a

controversial issue. Devil’s Advocate

The group member who introduces dissent into decision-make processes.

Dialectical InquiryAn advocate who opposes a prevailing

opinion—like the Devil’s Advocate—but goes one step further by proposing another opinion or plan of action.


Conflict Conflict does NOT

signal that a meeting is disorderly, raucous, or rude.

It is a sign that people are actively discussing issues.


Groups as Systems Systems Theory: Refers to

interdependency, or how various parts are related to each other; if one part changes the other parts are also affected.


Leader The member of a

group who speaks the most, speaks the most to the group as a whole, is spoken to the most, and directs communication in the group to productive


Group Leadership Trait Approach: Presumes leaders exhibit

different traits/qualities than non-leaders. Leadership Style: The behaviors that leaders

use when interacting with group members. Situational Leadership: Involves adapting

behaviors to the situation at hand rather than relying on one “best” style in all situations.

Functional Leadership: When groups rise to an occasion and perform needed leadership functions.



Factors Affecting Group Participation Approachability: Being open to ideas/opinions. Commitment: Willingness to care personally for

the group and its members. Participation/Decision-Making Styles:

Authoritarian: Leader hands down a decision to the group.

Laissez-Faire: Minimal involvement by the leader. Participative: Leader makes decisions with the group.


Teleconferences & Videoconferences Quality Circles

Groups of employees who meet on a regular basis during work time to improve quality control and job methods.

Self-Managing Teams Small groups of employees who share the

responsibility for a significant task. Affinity Group

Consists of 8-12 members in a sponsoring organization that meet on a regular basis to exchange information, ideas, opinions, and experiences on a variety of issues in a safe and supportive atmosphere, resulting in personal/professional growth.


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Copyright © 2008 Allyn & Bacon Fundamentals of Group Communication 10 CHAPTER Chapter Objectives This Multimedia product and its contents are protected