Group dynamics

Group

Two or more people

Shared goals
Group

People see themselves

As members

There is interaction
Among members
 TYPES OF GROUP
FORMAL GROUPS- deliberately created
to perform a specific task, a hierarchy of authority exists .rules
and regulations guide the behaviour of small groups.

Command group- specified by org chart Temporary Task Group- employees

And includes supervisor and his work together to complete a particular
Subordinates Task or Project.
 Informal group- natural formations in
the work environment which appear in
Response to the need for social contact They
often develop within formal group out
of concerns which they share

Horizontal clique-same Vertical Clique- diff Random Clique- various

rank ,same depart hierarchy levels, dept, locations &
same dept Hierarchy
 Why do people join groups
– Security- Feel stronger, Have fewer self-doubts, and are
more resistant to threats. New employees are vunerable to a
sense of isolation and turn to group for guidance and
support.
– Esteem- Associating with high status group, recognition
and praise.
– Affiliation- common interest, Regular company of other
people, Check their perceptions of new or uncertain
environment.
– Power- united we stand, divided we fall ,Leadership
enables to enjoy power over the grp members.
• Identity- we try to understand ourselves
through the behaviour of others towards us.
Groups provide several others who will laugh,
praise or admire us.

• huddling-executives make use of informal get

togethers called huddles.These are intimate
task- oriented encounters of executive trying
to get something done.
 forming - stage 1

• High dependence on leader for guidance and

direction.Great deal of uncertainty about grps
purpose. This stage is complete when
interpersonal relationships are established
and when members have begun to think of
themselves as part of a group.
 storming - stage 2

• Decisions don't come easily within group. Team

members attempt to establish themselves in relation
to other team members and the leader, who might
receive challenges from team members. Clarity of
purpose increases but plenty of uncertainties persist,
there may be power struggles. The team needs to be
focused on its goals to avoid becoming distracted by
relationships and emotional issues. Compromises
may be required to enable progress.
 Norming - stage 3

• Agreement and consensus is largely forms

among team, who respond well to facilitation
by leader. Roles and responsibilities are clear
and accepted. Big decisions are made by
group agreement. The team discusses and
develops its processes and working style.
There is general respect for the leader and
some of leadership is more shared by the
team. Leader facilitates and enables
 performing - stage 4

• the team knows clearly why it is doing what it is doing There

is a focus on over-achieving goals, and the team makes most
of the decisions against criteria agreed with the leader. The
team has a high degree of autonomy . The team does not need
to be instructed or assisted. team members look after each
other.
 adjourning - stage 5

• Attention is towards the wrapping up of

activities., hopefully when the task is
completed successfully, its purpose fulfilled;
everyone can move on to new things, feeling
good about what's been achieved.
How do norms develop
Carry
over
from Primacy
other first
experien behavioural
ces precedents

Group Norm
Primacy

Critical
Explicit events in
statements group’s
from leader history
or
members
 Group cohesiveness

COHESION

SOCIAL TASK

the way in which skills and

the bonds of interpersonal
abilities of the group
attraction that link
members mesh to allow
group members
optimal performance

Strong Teams = Better Results

 Determinants of group cohesiveness
• Time spent together
• Severity of initiation
• Group size
• Gender of members
• External threats
• Previous successes
 Importance of High Cohesiveness

High Cohesiveness Low Cohesiveness

- Unity - Disarray
- Interactive - Negative Feelings
- Positive Feelings - More Problems
- Ability to Cope with Problems - Less Productive
- More Productive

Source:
Brilhart, J., Galanes, G., and Adams, K. (2002). Effective Group Discussion . Boston: McGraw-Hill Publishing

High Cohesiveness is our Goal!

 The formal definition for team is
“Team is a small number of people
with complimentary skills who are
committed to a common purpose,
common performance goal and a
approach for which they hold
themselves mutually accountable”.
 Difference between Groups and Teams

Work Groups Work Teams

Share information Goal Collective
-performance
Neutral Synergy Positive
Individual Accountability Individual &
Mutual
Random & Skills Complementary
Varied
 'TEAM BUILDING'
United we stand, Divided we fall...
T - Together

E - Empowering each other to

A - Achieve

M - More
 Why Teams?

several people’s skills and knowledge

together, in-turn gives better result

Sustain the enthusiasm and lend

support needed to complete the task.
How do Teams Work Best?

Commitment to common objectives

Defined roles and responsibilities
Effective decision systems
communication and work procedures
and,
Good personal relationships.
Is the process of enabling the group
of people to reach their goal

Process of making team effective is

called

‘Team Building’
Stages in Team Building

Forming

Storming

Norming

Performing
Forming -Leader Directs

Storming -Leaders Coach

Norming -Leader facilitates and

enables
Performing -Leader delegated and
oversees
Adjourning - Leader re- assure &
communicate
 Types of team

• Work teams

• Problem solving teams

• Management teams

• Virtual teams
 Few forms of team
• Empowered team
• Self-directed team
• Self-managed team
• Achievement oriented team
• By-Guided team
• Value driven team
• No-leader team
• All leader team
 How team functions
• Interaction
• Coordination
• Co-operation
• Influence
• Problem-solving
• Inter-personal skills
• Complimenting
 Team issues

• Team Performance

• Teams & TQM

• Teams & Work force diversity

 Benefits of Team work
• Enhanced Performance • Increased output
• Increased productivity • Reduced stress
• Improved Quality • Freedom to grow
• Improved Customer service • To gain respect & dignity
• Avoiding wastage of efforts • Time management
• Reduced errors • Increased innovation &
• Better response to customers creativity
Team work better for all
Team work better for all
SWOT – As A Leader

 Strengths

 Weakness

 Opportunity

 Threat
 BUILDING THE TEAM

Building the team is like recruitment.

One needs to select the right people and motivate them.

He understands the pressures and the soft points of people,

and uses this knowledge
to make them part of his team.

Each one of his team members is treated as special,

as being different.
 ALLOCATING ROLES

Bhuvan also assigns responsibilities to each of his people.

Just getting the people in the team is not good enough.

They have to be told what the goal is.

A team consists of different individuals.

The objective is to make them all work together like a
fist,
like a team.
 SUPPORT THE TEAM MEMBERS

Bhuvan backs his team members to the hilt,

even when they make mistakes.

It is indeed important in any team

that the captain backs
the right person, at the right time, for the right job.
 Leading A Team
 Multiple Styles
 Find your own style
 Lead – don’t be the whole team
 You can’t do everything yourself
 Lead – don’t follow
 Don’t let the team members drive the team
 Lead – don’t drive
 Don’t be a dictator
 Characteristics of Good Team
Leader

 Build Trust
 Train members for empowerment
 Provide full information to team
 Knows all team members
 Develop team spirit
 Encourage members to excel
 Create an enthusiastic environment
 Shares success with members
A fully functioning team can…
 Work together successfully
 Solve problems and reach decisions in a way that incorporates individual
input
 Reach decisions through consensus
 Can adapt to change
 Achieve or exceed desired results
 Individual Development
Competence
– Knowledge
– Skill
Commitment
– Confidence
– Motivation
“Winners never Quit & Quitters

never Win”
 People and Emotions
High-performance teams share these
emotions:
 Inclusion – support, appreciation,
& involvement in decision-making
 Pride - looking forward to work
 Devotion - responsibility, personal sacrifices
 Dedication - teaching skills down the line
 Trust - no finger-pointing
TEAM WORK AND RESULTS
WITHOUT AUTHORITY
1. ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE TEAM

The team should :

• Know its mission
• Understand each one’s role
• Have a positive attitude
 1a. KNOW WHY TEAMS STRUGGLE

Teams fail to be productive because of -

• Poorly defined leadership
• Unclear team mission
• Lack of clarity about roles
• Unsupportive environment
1b. UNDERSTANDING THE TEAM’S MISSION

• Define goals
• Identify responsibilities
• Determine team’s lifespan
 1c. ESTABLISHING TEAM ROLES
• Identify formal roles – leader, recorder, time
keeper, gate keeper etc.
• Define informal roles – members identify
other/missing roles
• Volunteer informal roles – people choose
roles they fit into
 1d. CREATING A POSITIVE TEAM
ENVIRONMENT

• Encourage team mates to lend a helping hand

• Praise what the team does well
• Reinforce teams performance and importance
 2. PLAYING YOUR PART IN THE TEAM

Success is assured if:

• Everyone communicates effectively
• Members participate eagerly
• Members support each other
• Members learn from others and enhance their
skills
2a. COMMUNICATING WITH THE TEAM

• Listen for understanding

• Give positive feedback
• Criticize constructively
2b. SUPPORTING OTHER TEAM MEMBERS

• Facilitate exchange of ideas

• Encourage participation
• Acknowledge accomplishments
2c. PARTICIPATING EFFECTIVELY IN TEAM
MEETINGS

• Present information appropriately

• Guide discussion
• ‘Sell’ ideas
3. MAINTAINING A WINNING TEAM

• Maintain the zeal

• Reiterate the advantages of consistency
 3a. RUN PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS

• Maximize effectiveness
• Assign actions
• Ask target questions
3b. SOLVE PROBLEMS EFFECTIVELY

• Ask problem-solving questions

• Build bridges between members
• Lead the teams to informed choices
3c. ENCOURAGE EFFECTIVE DECISIONS

• Clarify issues
• Encourage inputs
• Strive for consensus
3d. COPE WITH DIFFICULT MEMBERS

• Confront them
• Establish boundaries for behaviour
• Enforce those boundaries
 MAKING
CROSS-GENERATIONAL
TEAMS WORK
 1. THE CROSS-GENERATIONAL TEAM

• The variety in a cross-generational team can

divide or be the key to success
• A good leader can utilize the potential in a
cross-generational team to advantage
 1. WHAT ARE
CROSS-GENERATIONAL TEAMS

The four types in a cross-gen team:

• Silent Generation (SG)-born before 1946
• Baby Boomers (BB)-born between 1946 & 60
• Generation X (GenX)-born between 1960 & 80
• Generation Next (GenNxt)-born after 1980
 1a. TRAITS OF
CROSS-GENERATIONAL TEAMS

• Work Ethics –The SG & BB share values of hard

work, integrity, honesty & are experienced
• Mentoring – Nxtrs admire and want older members
to mentor them
• Independence – Xrs like to be independent, but
offer advice when approached
• Technical Help – Nxtrs can train SG in technical
aspects
1b. ISSUES FACING CROSS-GEN TEAMS

1) Age-related work preferences and

perspectives
2) Difference in work ethics
 1) Age-related Work Preferences
• SG – pragmatic, result-oriented, careful about
resources
• BB – positive, optimistic, believe that things
will improve
• GenX – critical thinkers, very realistic in
approach
• GenNxt – Positive and hopeful like BB
 2) Difference in Work Ethics
• SG – fierce loyalty & hard work, sacrifice
personal life for professional ends
• BB – extremely driven, push themselves to
reach self-set goals
• GenX – introduced the concept of balance
between family and work
• Gen Nxt – have traits of BB, respect SG,
motivated and want to make a difference
 1c. SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT

• Flexible management style

• Open communication
• Respect for diversity among employees
• Encouragement of employee independence
• Acceptance of conflict
2. HELPING CROSS-GEN TEAMS FUNCTION
EFFECTIVELY

• Cross generation teams need extra help to

function effectively
• We need to capitalize on their strengths
• And keep the motivation high
 2a. ESTABLISH PROTOCOLS

• Leadership roles
• Procedure for decision-making
• Rules for resolving conflicts
2b. MOTIVATING CROSS-GEN TEAMS

• Provide meaningful and important work

• Increase teams visibility
• Tie rewards to collective goals
 3. OVERCOME CHALLENGES

• A leader who understands the diversity and

helps members, will lead the team to success
 3a. CHALLENGES INVOLVING OLDER
MEMBERS

• The SG fear change

• They wish to use proven solutions
• The BB value personal achievement more
than team performance
 Strategies to Overcome This:

• Reassure that change is acceptable

• Allow them to consider past solutions in
present circumstances
• Encourage BB to take collective view
 3b. CHALLENGES INVOLVING YOUNGER
MEMBERS

• Nxtrs advocate change for its own sake

• Xrs are too independent
• Nxtrs expect guidance and collaboration
 Strategies to Overcome This:
• Teach them to use change only if beneficial
• Let Xrs have control over tasks but be
responsible for interaction for those tasks
• Let Nxtrs have supervision through SG
mentors
• In turn let them help SG in technical tasks
 3c. RESOLVING CONFLICTS
Reasons for conflict:
• Different methods of communication used by
SG and Nxtrs
• BB & GenX’s opposing attitudes to work hours
• Independent style of Xrs versus collaborative
style of Nxtrs
 Strategies to Overcome This:
• Use different methods of interaction &
communication
• Discuss openly so that people know why and
what they do
• Let SG mentor Nxtrs
• Let Xrs work independently on projects but
report periodically