Group Dynamics

One of the keys to an organization’s success is that their leaders and managers understand the meaning of group dynamics, and how the theories apply to ensure the success of the organization and it groups. Evaluating group structure, building trust through strong leadership, and effectively communicating will enhance the organizations productivity and success. A leader/manager must understand what constitutes a group as it relates to his/her particular organization, and the structure of the group. I will demonstrate that group dynamics is the nexus between leaders/ managers and in developing cohesive groups that will make an organization successful. I shall examine group dynamics, group goals, and social interdependence within a group, and trust as it relates to groups, and why groups determine the success of the organizations.

A leader/manager’s first responsibility is to the organization. The second responsibility is to those that work for you to ensure that they accomplish the assigned tasks and to help them grow and excel within the organization. The third responsibility is self, in that the leader/manager must continue to grow through learning, adapting and applying what is learned. Last but not least, the leader/manger’s responsibility to make the environment conducive to work, by creating a productive environment. A leader/manger must encourage productive employees and prohibit the negative elements within the group. This creates a work environment for creativity. A good leader/manager develops a sense of collectivism in employees to work as a team. The priorities of a manager should be (Peterfreunnd, 1978):

• Maintaining high morale

• Communication

• Analysis and planning

• Personnel Management

• People development

• Maintenance of customer satisfaction

• Administration

All of the above listed factors contribute to the achievement of the assigned objectives (Peterfreunnd, 1978).

I have learned that every organization applies its’ own meaning to what constitutes a group. The definition that applies to the group that I lead is individuals who have relations to one another, interdependent and each person has the perception of belonging the group (Johnson & Johnson, pg. 8). The members of the group have turned into a team because they are committed to balanced participation, equal contribution, and regular deliberation. The ideas and abilities of individual members are used for the overall good of the project or reaching the team goals. In this class, I have learned and have the ability to use a combination of theses definitions to help me develop and maintain a high performance group.

Groups are easier to create than teams because of the type of leadership involved with a group. Groups are committed to the group's leader; they are accountable to that leader and power is not shared. Team building creates a climate that encourages and values the contributions of team members. Their energies are directed toward problem solving, task effectiveness, and maximizing the use of all members' resources to achieve the team's goal or purpose. Teams are committed to each other with an equal distribution of power and accountability. A key element in turning individuals into a high performance team is the leader/manager’s ability to take a diverse group of individuals and help them to develop into cohesive group working collectively toward the successful completion of the goal or project (Johnson & Johnson, 2006, p. 533).

In order to develop and effective group I now have the ability to effectively use as a guideline Bruce Tuckman’s sequential (successive) stages listed in the textbook (Johnson & Johnson, 2006, p. 28):

Forming: A period of uncertainty in which members try to determine their place in the group and the procedures and rules of the group.

Storming: Conflicts begin to arise during this stage as members resist the influence of the group and rebel against accomplishing the task.

Norming: The group established some consensus regarding a role structure and group norms for appropriate behavior. At the same time cohesion and commitment increase.

Performing: Group members become proficient in working together to achieve the groups goals and more flexible in patterns of working together.

Adjourning: The dissolution of the group, the termination of roles, the completion of tasks and reduction of dependency upon other group members.

Using Tuckman’s method will ensure that the group is productive. A productive group accepts and supports differences, communicates openly with respect and work together for mutual goals (Smith, 2005).

Leaders/Managers must understand the structure of the group, and the different roles that each group member has within the group. The textbook indicates that roles define the formal structure of the group, and the set of expectations governing the behavior of the group members to achieve the group’s goals (Johnson & Johnson, 2006, p.15). Each member of a group has a certain role within the group. Some roles relate to the task aspect of the group, while others promote social interaction. In the article “Functional Roles of Group Members,” researchers Kenneth Benne and Paul Sheats identify several roles group members. Task-oriented roles and social roles enhance the completion of the group’s task.

The following roles have been defined as (Benne & Sheats, 1948):

Task-oriented Roles:

• Initiator-contributor: Generates new ideas.

• Information-seeker: Asks for information about the task.

• Opinion-seeker: Asks for the input from the group about its values.

• Information-giver: Offers facts or generalization to the group.

• Opinion-giver: States his or her beliefs about a group issue.

• Elaborator: Explains ideas within the group, offers examples to clarify ideas.

• Coordinator: