2/3 of U. S. Employers Use
Formal Work Teams
1/3
2/3 use
teams
All teams are groups,
but not all groups are teams.
• Group

• Team
Three or more people
• Common goal
• Interact over time
• Depend on each
other
• Follow shared rules

Special kind of group
• Different and
complementary
resources
• Strong sense of
collective identity
• Diverse skills
Limitation of Groups
• Time


• Conformity pressures
Group decisions
take longer than
individual ones.
Groups shouldn’t be
used for routine
policies, emergency
tasks, or when time
is crucial.


When a majority has
an opinion different
from that of a minority
When one member
• Is extremely
charismatic
• Has high prestige
• Has greater power
Strengths of Groups
1. Have greater
resources
2. Are more thorough
Microsoft Photo
3. Are more creative
4. Generate greater
commitment
Synergy
A special kind of energy that
combines and goes beyond the
energies, talents and strengths of
individual members.
Cohesion (Cohesiveness)
•
Cohesion is the degree of closeness,
bonding and group identity of members.
It can be encouraged by:
1. Common objectives of all members
2. Interests, goals, experiences, and ways of
thinking that are common to different people
in the group
3. Members feeling valued and part of the group
Communication and Cohesion
High Levels of
Participation
Strong
Cohesiveness
High Levels of
Participation
Groupthink
Members may cease to think
critically and independently
about ideas generated by a
group if they are too cohesive.
Most researchers
agree that five to
seven members is
the ideal size for a
small group.
Microsoft Photo
Group Size
Power Structure
• Power is the ability to influence others.


Power over is the ability to help or harm others.
• Positive power includes mentoring, positive
reports to superiors and visibility to the
group.
• Negative power includes withholding
benefits, assigning unpleasant tasks, and
responding negatively to the members’
during a meeting.
Power to is the ability to empower others to
reach their goals.
• A distributed power • A hierarchical
structure occurs
when all members
have equal power.
power structure
occurs when one or
more members
have greater power.
Social Climbing--trying to increase
personal status in a group by winning the
approval of high-status members.
High power members tend to find group
discussion more satisfying than members
with less power.
Group Norms
Norms are standardized
guidelines that regulate how
members act, as well as how
they interact with each other.
Western Values that Shape
Group Communication
Microsoft Photo
• Equality
• Progress and
change
• Individualism
• Assertiveness
• Risk and
uncertainty
• Informality
Teams
A special kind of group in which
members have specific and different
resources and in which cohesion and
a sense of collective identity exceed
those typical of most groups.
Types of Communication in Groups
• Constructive



Task
Climate
Procedural
• Dysfunctional

Egocentric
Task Communication
• Initiates ideas
• Seeks information
• Gives information
• Elaborates ideas
• Evaluates, offers critical analysis
Climate Communication
• Establishes and maintains healthy
climate
•
•
•
•
•
Energizes group process
Harmonizes ideas
Recognizes others
Reconciles conflicts
Builds enthusiasm for group
Procedural Communication
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Establishes agenda
Provides orientation
Curbs digressions
Guides participation
Coordinates ideas
Summarizes others’ contributions
Records group progress
Egocentric Communication
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Aggresses toward others
Blocks ideas
Seeks personal recognition (brags)
Dominates interaction
Pleads for special interests
Confesses, discloses, seeks personal help
Disrupts task
Devalues others
Trivializes group and its work
Experiencing Communication
in our Lives . . .
View the following video clip and then
answer the questions that follow based
on material presented in this chapter.
A script of the scenario can be found at
the end of Chapter 10.
1. Classify each statement in the scenario as one of
the forms of group communication (task,
procedural, climate, egocentric). Is the balance
appropriate for a decision-making group?
2. Does this group seem to have a single leader or do
different members provide leadership?
3. How do you perceive the interaction pattern
among members? Does everyone seem to be
involved and participating?
4. Are any of the potential values of group vs.
individual decision making evident in this
discussion?
You may go to your student CD that accompanies the text to compare
your answers to Julia Wood’s.