Amity Institute of Behavioural & Allied Sciences

Group Formation

Module I

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INTRODUCTION (What is Group?)

• According to Farnham (2005, page 478) “a group is made
up of persons (more than two, which is a dyad) who
communicate regularly, share goals and interact with each
other over time, so building up affective bonds”.

• Johns (1996, page 232) defined group as “Two or more

people interacting interdependently to achieve a common
goal”
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INTODUCTION
Groups and Teams are Not the Same

Group… two or more individuals interacting with each

other to accomplish a common goal
Team… a group of people with complementary skills
who are committed to a common mission, performance
goals, and approach for which they hold themselves
mutually accountable
Teams start out as groups,
but not all groups mature into teams
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NATURE OF A EFFECTIVE GROUP

Minimum requirements
for a group to exist

Two or more individuals

A common goal to be accomplished
Some form of exchange or communication
between these individuals
Members listen well & participate
Group aware of its operation & function
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CHARACTERSTICES OF A GROUP
1. Mutual Awareness:
The members of a social group must be mutually
related to one another. A more aggregate of
individuals cannot constitute a social group unless
reciprocal awareness exist among them. Mutual
attachment, is therefore, regarded as its important
and distinctive feature. It forms an essential feature
of a group.
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CHARACTERSTICES OF A GROUP

2. One or more Common Interests:

Groups are mostly formed for the fulfillment of
certain interests. The individuals who form a group
should possess one or more than one common
interests and ideals. It is for the realization of
common interests that they meet together. Groups
always originates, starts and proceed with a common
interests.
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CHARACTERSTICES OF A GROUP

3. Sense of Unity:
Each social group requires sense of unity and a
feeling of sympathy for the development of a feeling
or sense of belongingness. The members of a social
group develop common loyalty or feeling of
sympathy among themselves in all matters because
of this sense of unity.
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CHARACTERSTICES OF A GROUP

4. ‘We’-feeling:
A sense of we-feeling refers to the tendency on the
part of the members to identify themselves with the
group. They treat the members of their own group as
friends and the members belonging to other groups
as outsiders. They cooperate with those who belong
to their groups and all of them protect their interests
untidily. We-feeling generates sympathy, loyalty and
fosters cooperation among members.
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CHARACTERSTICES OF A GROUP

5. Similarity of Behaviour:
For the fulfillment of common interest, the members
of a group behave in a similar way. Social group
represents collective behaviour. The-modes of
behaviour of the members on a group are more or
less similar.
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CHARACTERSTICES OF A GROUP

6. Group Norms:
Each and every group has its own ideals and norms
and the members are supposed to follow these. He
who deviates from the existing group-norms is
severely punished. These norms may be in the form
of customs, folk ways, mores, traditions, laws etc.
They may be written or unwritten. The group
exercises some control over its members through the
prevailing rules or norms.
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Classification of Groups

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Types of Groups

Formal Groups Informal Groups

official or assigned groups groups that evolve in the
gathered to perform various work setting to meet
tasks need not met by formal
groups.

In both, ethnic, gender, cultural and

interpersonal diversity is critical
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Types of Groups
Formal
Groups

Command Informal
Task Group Groups
Group
Interest Friendship
Group Group
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Types of groups

1. Formal group is created within an organization to

complete a specific role or task. This may be to
oversea a launch of a particular product or service.
2. Informal groups are established by individuals
within the organization that a need to interact with
one another and who also believe that these informal
groups meet a need that formal groups.
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Sub-Division of Formal Groups

A. Command Group- Relatively permanent and it involves
manager, supervisor and subordinates who meet regularly
to discuss general specific ideas to improve product or
service.
B. Task Group- Employees are working together to complete
a job task or particular project
C. Committees- It can be permanent or temporary and are
set for some special projects

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Sub-division of informal groups

• Interest and friendship groups-

In Interest group people who may or may not be aligned into
common command or task groups may be affiliated to attain a
specific objective with which each is concerned.
In friendship groups people frequently extend the work station.

Cliques- These groups consist of those who commonly

associate with each other and observe certain social norms and
standards.

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Stages of Group Formation

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Stages of Group Formation

This model is given by Tuckman & Jenson (1965).
 Performing

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Task
Norming

Storming

Adjourning

Forming
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Stage One: Forming

• Definition: Stage 1 groups are generally new groups that
are learning how to work together.

• Characteristics of stage 1 groups: Members tend to be

tentative and polite and to have little conflict.

• Critical skills and activities: Stage 1 groups need to

identify their purpose, develop group norms, identify group
processes, define roles, build relationships and trust.

• Role of facilitator/leader: Stage 1 groups usually need a

strong leader who can help the group go through its
forming activities.
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Stage Two: Storming

• Definition: Stage 2 groups have moved past the early forming
stages and are now encountering some disagreements and/or
conflict. This is natural, but groups need to find effective ways to
handle conflict before they can move on to stage 3.

• Group characteristics: Members of stage 2 groups tend to exhibit

increased conflict, less conformity and “jockeying” for power.

• Critical skills and activities: Stage 2 groups need to learn how to

resolve conflict; clarify their roles, power, and structure; and build
consensus through re-visiting purpose.

• Role of leader(s): Stage 2 groups need leaders and other group

members who are willing to identify issues and resolve conflict.
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Stage Three: Norming

• Definition: Stage 3 groups have successfully moved out of the
storming stage and are ready to move to a higher level of
communication and problem-solving.

• Group characteristics: Members of stage 3 groups demonstrate

an improved ability to complete tasks, solve problems, resolve
conflict.

• Critical skills and activities: Stage 3 groups need to learn to

engage in more sophisticated problem-solving and decision-
making, continue the use of effective strategies for conflict
resolution and take greater levels of responsibility for their roles

• Role of leader(s): In stage 3, leaders become less directive, group

members feel empowered, and multiple leaders emerge
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Stage Four: Performing

• Definition: Stage 4 groups are at the highest level of performance and
can process their strengths and weaknesses while accomplishing
their goals.

• Group characteristics: In stage 4, the group takes a flexible approach

to roles and structures depending on the task at hand. The group is
able to evaluate its effectiveness and views conflict is viewed as an
opportunity. Stage 4 groups tend to be energetic, creative, and fun!

• Critical skills and activities: Stage 4 groups need to hold high

expectations for their performance.. groups also recognize the need to
ensure that all members are in agreement with the role and purpose
of sub-groups.

• Role of Leader: In a stage 4 group, it’s often difficult to identify the

leader, because everyone is sharing in leadership.
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Stage Five: Adjourning

The final stage of group formation is another

bookend to initial stage of forming. The
transforming or adjourning stage allows the group
to regroup, thanks to group-members and move on
at the completion of project or task. This stage is
marked by recognition by group leader, conclusion
and disengagement by the group members.
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Determination of Group Productivity

• Group Size- An optimal group size that will not only make
available adequate resources but also allows effective
coordination and organization.

• Group Composition: This mainly discusses the similarity

or dissimilarity amongst the group members in terms of the
demographic factors like age, gender, personal traits,
background of the members ad so on. Further, with regard
to the personal traits of the members in the group, certain
traits like being stable and responsible, dependable, being
self reliant can be considered as significant amongst the
members for them to perform in tandem with each other
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• FIRO- (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations

Orientation)- It mainly focuses on how individuals adjust or
orient themselves to others. There are 3ncompatible needs,
namely, inclusion (need maintain interaction with others that
is satisfactory), control (need to influence others and direct
their behavior) and affection (need for closeness with
others).

• Group Norms: Norms can be described in simple terms as

standards of behavior that the group members are expected
to adhere to in the group and these norms are common to
all the group members and develop as a result of gradual
process. Ex-fairness, reciprocity, reasonableness and role
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• Group Cohesiveness: “the degree to which the members

of the group are attracted to the group and to one another”.
Various factors like similarity between the group members,
openness displayed by them, trust and so on can have an
impact on group cohesion.

• Group leadership: A leader plays an important role in not

only directing the group activities towards the group goal
but also has significant influence on the group members
and their behavior

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Why People Form Groups

• Groups are formed based on…
– Social needs
– Security needs
– Esteem needs
– Proximity
– Attraction
– Group goals
– Economic benefits