What is a System ?

“A system is a set of interconnected parts working together to form a whole in the context of a changing environment” (Infante et al., 1997; Littlejohn, 1999).

SYSTEMS CONTINUEDA system is composed of:

Input (resources from outside: people, information)

Throughput (process of transforming input into output) The process involves roles, rules, norms, power, procedures, strategies, etc.

Output (decisions made, solutions to problems, projects completed, and cohesiveness enhanced, member relationships)

INTERCONNECTEDNESS CONTINUED

A group is composed of individual members interrelated with each other.

The behavior of one member affects the entire group, especially if the behavior is disruptive.

THE RIPPLE EFFECT: A CHAIN REACTIONIn a system, one part can have an impact on

the whole.The ripple effect or chain reaction spreads

across the entire system much like a pebble tossed into a pond and forces adjustments.

The ripple effect does not have to be a negative experience.

Recognizing the importance of the ripple effect means paying close attention to your own impact on groups.

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT GROUP MEMBERSSteps To Deal With Difficult Group Members

1.Make certain the group climate is cooperative.

2.Change your communication in relation to a difficult person’s behavior, such as: Don’t Placate the troublemaker, Refuse to be goaded into a reciprocal pattern, Have an out-of-body experience, Don’t provide a soapbox for the troublemaker.

DIFFICULT MEMBERS CONTINUED

3. Attempt to convert disruption into a constructive contribution.

4. Confront the difficult person directly.

5. Separate yourself from the difficult person if all else fails.

SYNERGY: ONE PLUS ONE EQUALS A TONWhat Is Synergy?

The whole is not necessarily equal to the sum of its parts.

It may be greater than the sum of its individual parts.

Syn = together + ergon = work, occurs when group performance from joint action of members exceeds expectations based on perceived abilities and skills of individual members.

SYNERGY CONTINUEDWhat Is Negative Synergy?

Negative Synergy occurs when group members working together produce a worse result than expected based on perceived individual skills and abilities of members.

The whole is worse than the sum of its parts.

ADAPTABILITY TO CHANGESystems are never in a static state.They are in a constant state of becoming until

they terminate.You do not have a choice between change

and no change.The choice is, can a system (group) adapt to

changes that are certain to occur?

DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM: MANAGING STABILITY AND CHANGE

All systems attempt to maintain stability and to achieve a state of equilibrium (homeostasis) by resisting change, but not system can avoid inevitable change.

Too much stability can produce stagnation and tedium.

Too much change can produce chaos and group disintegration.

METHODS OF BOUNDARY CONTROL: ERECTING BARRIERSGroups establish boundaries by erecting physical,

psychological, and linguistic barriers, and by establishing rules, roles, and networks.

 Explain the following: Physical BarriersPsychological BarriersLinguistic BarriersRulesRolesNetworks

BOUNDARY CONTROL AND GROUPEFFECTIVENESS: OPEN AND CLOSED SYSTEMS

Although all groups set boundaries, there is a strong bias in American culture that encourages openness, and discourages closedness or rigid boundaries.

A closed society is likened to China or North Korea.

Highly closed, isolated groups are often referred to as cults.

The belief that openness is always good and closedness is always bad is a faulty one

INFLUENCE OF SIZE

Focus Questions

1.What is the most appropriate size for a decision-making group?

2.What distinguishes a small group from a large one?

3.How are groups and organizations different?

EFFECTS OF INCREASING GROUP SIZEIncreases

ComplexityFactionalism/cliquesFormality-more

hierarchicalInformation distortion

Decreases

• Participation in group discussion

• Cooperation (in very large group)

• Pressure to conform – coalitions likely to form in opposition to group norms

EFFECTS OF INCREASING GROUP SIZEIncreases

Quality decision making (unless group becomes too large and unwieldy)

Difficult achieving consensus/majority vote often substituted

Likelihood talkative members become leaders

Decreases

Member satisfaction with group experience (10 or more)

Access to informationFlow negative

information to top of hierarchy

Speed of decision making

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