Group Effectiveness

Service or products that meet or exceed performance goal or standard

Group maintenance (process and structure support rather than hinder group work)

Group experience satisfies or stimulates rather than frustrates group members and their needs.

Personal Needs of Members

Identity: Who am I in this group? Where do I fit in?

Goals and Needs: What do I want from the group? Are group goals congruent with my goals?

Power, Control, and Influence: Who controls what (resources)? How much influence do I have?

Intimacy: How close are our relationship? How personal? How much trust?

Group Process

Problem Solving Decision Making Conflict Management Communication

Group Norms

Facilitating Norms• Collaborative

Behavior• Acceptance of

members (Inclusion)• Respect for

individuality• Choice and

Recognition that behavior has consequences

Hindering Norms• Competitive

Behavior• Censoring and

Excluding members• Insistence for

Conformity• Insistence of what

should be and what should not be

Problem Solving

Systematic Process• Problem formulation• Generation of proposals for action• Forecasting consequences and

alternatives• New Objectives and obstacles• Action steps for implementation• Evaluation of outcome

Congruent movement through phases

Observing Behaviors

Functional• Maintains or enhances group effectiveness

Dysfunctional• Reduces group’s effectiveness by negative

actions or responses Counteractive Behavior• Enhances group’s dysfunctionality by

counteracting behaviors

Ground Rules for Effectiveness

Test assumptions and inferences Share all relevant information Be specific-use examples Agree on common meaning of words Explain the rationale behind your

statements, questions Invite questions and comments

Ground Rules for Effectiveness

Keep the discussion focused Comparable participation or contribution

from each member Exchange relevant information outside

formal settings Strive for a consensus Have fun!

Conflict Management

Conflict can lead to higher performance Trust Fight or Flight Syndrome Resolving the source of the conflict Acceptance and Appreciation of conflict

as inherent part of human nature and life

Communication

Who talks? For how long? How often? Whom do people look at when they talk Who talks after whom? Who interrupts

whom? Why style of communication

• Assertion• Questions• Tone of voice• Gestures

Decision Making Process

The Plop• silence following suggestion or direction

Self-Authorized Agenda• I think we should do this. Let me start

The Handclasp• Decision made by two (one agreeing the

other) Does anyone object? We all agree

Majority-Minority Voting• Let’s take a vote

Polling• Let’s see where everyone is. What do you

think? Consensus testing• Explore options, alternatives, and solutions

and reach the decision

Decision Making Process

GRPI Model

Goals

Roles

Procedures

Interpersonal