GROUP DYNAMICS

The managers need to understand Group Dynamics that can enable managers to adopt the right approach of interacting
with them.

WHAT IS GROUP DYNAMICS?

- deals with the attitudes and behavioral patterns of a group.
- concern how groups are formed, what is their structure and which processes are followed in their functioning
- concerned with the interactions and forces operating between groups.

WHAT IS A GROUP?
Every organization is a group unto itself

- A group refers to two or more people who share a common meaning and evaluation of themselves and come
together to achieve common goals.
- a collection of people who interact with one another; accept rights and obligations as members and who share a
common identity.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GROUP
a. two or more persons
b. formal social structure – rules of the game are defined
c. common fate – they will swim together
d. common goals – the destiny is the same and emotionally connected
e. face-to-face interaction – they will talk with each other
f. interdependence – each one is complimentary to the other
g. self-definition as group members – what one is who belongs to the group
h. recognition by others – yes, you belong to the group

PROCESS/STAGE OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT/EVOLUTION

Group Development is a dynamic process. There is a process of five stages through which groups pass through.
FORMING (1st stage)

- concerned with forming a group.

- Members seeking either:
o In a formal group, a work assignment
o In an informal group, other benefit like status, affiliation, power, etc.
- Members at this stage either engage in busy type of activity or show apathy.

STORMING (2nd stage)

- formation of dyads and triads

- Members seek out familiar or similar individuals and begin a deeper sharing of self.
- Pairing is a common phenomenon.
- Conflict about controlling the group
NORMING (3rd stage)

- more serious concern about task performance.

- The dyads/triads begin to open up and seek out other members in the group.
- Members begin to take greater responsibility for their own group and relationship while the authority figure
becomes relaxed.
- Once this stage is complete, a clear picture will emerge about hierarchy of leadership
- The norming stage is over with the solidification of the group structure and a sense of group identity and
camaraderie.
PERFORMING (4th stage)

- a stage of a fully functional group where members see themselves as a group and get involved in the task.
- Each person contributes and the authority figure is also seen as a part of the group.
- Group norms are followed and collective pressure is exerted to ensure the process of Group effectiveness of the
group.
ADJOURNING (5th stage)

- In the case of temporary groups, like project team, task force, or any other such group, which have a limited task
at hand.
- The group decides to disband.
- Adjourning may also be referred to as mourning, i.e. mourning the adjournment of the group.

It must be noted that the four stages of group development mentioned above for permanent groups are merely suggestive.
In reality, several stages may go on simultaneously.

TYPES OF GROUPS
One way to classify the groups is by way of formality – formal and informal.

FORMAL GROUPS
- established by an organization to achieve its goals
o May take the form of command groups, task groups, and functional groups

1. COMMAND GROUPS
- specified by the organizational chart and often consists of a supervisor and the subordinates that report to that
supervisor.
 Ex: market research firm CEO
2. TASK GROUPS (task forces)
- consist of people who work together to achieve a common task.
- Members are brought together to accomplish a narrow range of goals within a specified period.
- Examples of assigned tasks: development of a new product, the improvement of a production process, or
designing the syllabus under semester system
- Other common task groups are:
o Ad hoc committees - temporary groups created to resolve a specific complaint or develop a process are
normally disbanded after the group completes the assigned task.
o Project groups
o Standing committees
 3. FUNCTIONAL GROUPS
- created by the organization to accomplish specific goals within an unspecified period.
- Functional groups remain in existence after achievement of current goals and objectives.
- Examples: marketing department, customer service department, accounting department

INFORMAL GROUPS

- formed naturally and in response to the common interests and shared values of individuals.
- created for purposes other than the accomplishment of organizational goals and do not have a specified time
frame
- not appointed by the organization and members can invite others to join from time to time.
- Informal groups can take the form of interest groups, friendship groups, or reference groups.
1. INTEREST GROUP
- usually continues over time and may last longer than general informal groups.
- Members of interest groups may not be part of the same organizational department but they are bound together by
some other common interest.
- Example: students who come together to form a study group for a specific class
2. FRIENDSHIP GROUP
- formed by members who enjoy similar social activities, political beliefs, religious values, or other common bonds.
- Members enjoy each other’s company and often meet after work to participate in these activities.
- Example: a group of employees who form a yoga group, an Eagles association in Cebu, or a kitty party lunch
once a month
3. REFERENCE GROUPS
- type of group that people use to evaluate themselves.
- have a strong influence on members’ behavior.
- formed voluntarily.
- The main objectives of reference groups are to seek social validation and social comparison.
o Social validation - allows individuals to justify their attitudes and values
o Social comparison - helps individuals evaluate their own actions by comparing themselves to others
- Family, friends, and religious affiliations are strong reference groups for most individuals.

WHAT CAUSES POOR GROUP DYNAMICS?

Group leaders and team members can contribute to a negative group dynamic.

 Weak Leadership
 lacks a strong leader, a more dominant member of the group can often take charge.
 Can lead to a lack of direction, infighting, or a focus on the wrong priorities
 Excessive deference to authority
 happen when people want to be seen to agree with a leader, and therefore hold back from
expressing their own opinions
  Blocking
 Happens when team members behave in a way that disrupts the flow of information in the group
 People can adopt blocking roles such as:
1. The aggressor
o This person often disagrees with others, or is inappropriately outspoken.
2. The negator
o this group member is often critical of others' ideas
3. The withdrawer
o this person does not participate in the discussion
4. The recognition seeker
o this group member is boastful, or dominates the session
5. The joker
o this person introduces humor at inappropriate times
 Groupthink
 this happens when people place a desire for consensus above their desire to reach the right
decision.
 prevents people from fully exploring alternative solutions
 Free riding
some group members take it easy, and leave their colleagues to do all the work
 Social Loafing - Free riders may work hard on their own, but limit their contributions in-
group situations
 Evaluation Apprehension
 team members' perceptions can also create a negative group dynamic
 happens when people feel that other group members are judging them excessively harshly, and
they hold back their opinions as a result

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING TEAM DYNAMICS

KNOW YOUR TEAM

 learning about the phases that a group goes through as it develops.

o When you understand these, you will be able to preempt problems that could arise, including issues with
poor group dynamics.
 Next, identify positive and negative group roles, and to understand how they could affect the group as a whole.
o Help you plan how to deal with potential problems

TACKLE PROBLEMS QUICKLY

 If you notice that one member of your team has adopted a behavior that is affecting the group unhelpfully, act
quickly to challenge it.
o Provide feedback that shows your team member the impact of her actions, and encourage her to reflect on
how she can change her behavior.

DEFINE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 Create a team charter - defining the group's mission and objective, and everyone's responsibilities – as soon as
you form the team
 o Make sure that everyone has a copy of the document, and remind people of it regularly.

BREAK DOWN BARRIERS

 Use team-building exercises to help everyone get to know one another, particularly when new members join the
group.
o ease new colleagues into the group gently, and help to combat the "black sheep effect," which happens
when group members turn against people, they consider different.
 Explain the idea to help people open up.
o share what you hope the group will achieve, along with "safe" personal information about yourself, such
as valuable lessons that you have learned

FOCUS ON COMMUNICATION

 Open communication is central to good team dynamics, so make sure that everyone is communicating clearly.
 If the status of a project changes, or if you have an announcement to make, let people know as soon as possible.
o That way, you can ensure that everyone has the same information.

PAY ATTENTION

 Pay particular attention to frequent unanimous decisions, as these can be a sign of groupthink, bullying, or free
riding.
o If there are frequent unanimous decisions in your group, consider exploring new ways to encourage
people to discuss their views, or to share them anonymously.