Introduction to Group Process

1. Introduction to Group Process HLTH 365 Dr. Patricia McDiarmid

2. WHY Study Groups? • Every time you're in a meeting, whether with one other person or twenty, you're in a group. • Examples include: • Task groups • Work groups • Departments • Committees .

3. Bottom Line? • All kinds of groups dominate organizational life. • In fact, they're every organization's basic operating unit. • How many people complain that groups and meetings are the least productive and rewarding parts of their job? As much as we work in groups, it's sad that their potential often goes unrealized

4. Coming together is a beginning.Keeping together is progress.Working together is success!- Henry Ford

5. Group Dynamics? • The study of groups, especially of smaller groups (less than 20 people) • Because people in small groups interact and influence each other in powerful and complex ways, groups develop many dynamic processes that differ from how individuals act • These processes include norms, roles, hierarchy, power and authority, need to belong, need for solidarity, group assumptions, boundaries, and social influences—to name some

6. GROUP PROCESSING • According to Johnson and Johnson (1998, p.84), “a process is an identifiable sequence of actions or events taking place over time aimed at achieving a given goal.”

7. PURPOSES OF GROUP PROCESSING • Continuously improve the quality of the group’s taskwork and teamwork • Increase individual accountability by focusing attention on other member’s responsible and skillful actions to learn and to help groupmates learn • Streamline the learning process to make it simpler (reducing complexity) • Eliminate unskilled and inappropriate actions (error-proofing the process)

8. Four parts of processing • Feedback: “You ensure that each group member and each group receives (and gives) feedback on the effectiveness of taskwork and teamwork.” • Reflection: “You ensure that group members analyze and reflect on the feedback they receive.” • Improvement goals: “You help individuals and groups set goals for improving the quality of their work.” • Celebration: “You encourage the celebration of members’ hard work and the group’s success.” (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1998, p7:4).

9. How Groups Develop

10. Teams vs. Groups • Teams definitely are forms of work groups, but not all work groups are teams. In fact, plain work groups are much more numerous than teams. • Work groups function on three levels: • Dependent level • Independent level • Interdependent level

11. Dependent level • Traditional work unit or department groups with a supervisor who plays a strong role as the boss • Each person in a dependent-level work group has his or her own job and works under the close supervision of the boss • The boss is in charge and tells the employees the do's and don'ts in their jobs • Can perform well in the short term

12. Independent level • Most common form of work groups with each person responsible for his or her own main area • Members work on their own assignments with general direction and minimal supervision…not boss-drive • If receives the managerial guidance and support they need on the job, such a work group can perform quite well

13. Interdependent level • Group members rely on each other to get the work done • Sometimes members have their own roles and at other times they share responsibilities • An independent work group can often be brought up to speed faster than an interdependent group

14. Characteristics of Effective Groups • Goals and values are clear, understood, and accepted by everyone. • People understand their assignments and roles and how they contribute to the whole. • The basic climate is one of trust and support among members. • Communication is open and people willingly share information relevant to team goals. • People can participate in making free and informed decisions.

15. Characteristics of Effective Groups 6. Everyone implements decisions with commitment. 7. Team leaders are supportive of others and have high personal performance standards. 8. Differences are recognized and handled, not ignored or brushed over lightly. 9. Team structure and procedures are consistent with the tasks, goals, and people involved.

16. Team Size • Six to twelve members is the ideal team size • Fewer than six may not provide enough variety of ideas and more than twelve tend to split into subgroups that are likely to undermine the concept of teaming

17. TEAM vs GROUP

19. Team Cohesiveness • In an effective team, each member knows that they are dependent on the other members for achieving the final result • Which means team members have an interest in helping each other where they can • In a team, such as a sports team, all the players know they are interconnected. They understand that it is the quality of their collective performance that determines the final result: success or failure.

20. Six C’s of Team Building • Clear Expectation • Context • Commitment • Competence • Character • Control

21. ….it is less me and more we!!It is amazing how much you can accomplish when it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.