MWR Power Point

8/3/2019 MWR Power Point

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A Look at Small Group Communication

Davida Jackson

Kenyon Stanley

Kristen Bostedo-Conway

Leah Beth Parsons


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Michael Waltrip Racing

History Founded 1996

Consistent top 10 team

3 4 car lineup

Roughly 250 employees

Goal WIN by trimming milliseconds


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Michael Waltrip Racing

Mission

To be unique a organization driven by

performance, rooted in tradition and focusedon delivering to our partners a personal

connection with fans through innovation and

entertainment


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Why Chosen?

Transparent Organization

Unique Use of Small Groups

High Stakes Provides Tours to Community of Entire

Engineering Facility


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Engineering Group

50 members per small engineering group (In

shop)

5 subgroups with 5-15 people per group Painters

Administration

Maintenance

Travel

Collaboration


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Systems Theory

Definition: According to Eisenberg, E.,

Goodall H.L & Tretheway, A. (2010), a system

can be defined as a complex set of

relationships among interdependent

components or parts (p.79).


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Michael Waltrip Racing:

An Open System

Interdependence

Open to Environment Equifinality and Feedback

InputThroughput--Output

Synergy has to occur to function

Deadlines

Goal of qualifying and eventually winning


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Forming occurs quickly due to the exclusivity of theNASCAR industry

Norming

groups rarely complete the norming processas the norms are pre-established before they ever join

Storming is also a rare occurrence because peopleknow the members outside the group environment

Conforming the pressure to conform is extreme fromboth inside and outside team influences

Group Development Phases:

Short Circuited


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Cohesion Stuck Like Glue

Size of Team small, typically 5 - 15 per

subgroup

Background all group members have similar

backgrounds

Satisfaction with Tasks coveted positions

make all tasks important


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Social Interaction frequent inside and

outside of group environment Social Loafing problem due to extreme

cohesion

Cohesion Stuck Like Glue


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Lack of Diversity

No minorities

Only 2 Women Out of 16 Small Groups


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Stereotypes

Redneck

Caucasian

Male


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Group Think

Extreme Cohesion + Lack of Diversity = Bad

DecisionMaking

Time Constraints + Group Pressure = Group

Think


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So what?

Group Think


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Conclusion

MWRMust Embrace Diversity

Normal Group Development Will Occur

Differing View Points Will Emerge

Innovation Will Not Be Stifled By Groupthink

TheMission Of The Organization Will Be

Achieved


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What are the Practical

Take Aways

Questions?

What small group best practices would you

use in your work group or for a consulting

client?


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Tools for Your Small

Group Tool Box

Weekly group meetings = valuable feedback

Movies, meals and service projects helpincrease cohesion

Only occasionally to prevent social loafing

Look for diverse members to increaseinnovation

MWR Power Point

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