Group dynamics,
leadership and
communications
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Two or more interacting persons,
Influence others and influenced by others,
Share common goals
Have a stable relationship
Somehow interdependent
Perceive that they are part of a group
Baron and Byrne(1991) criteria of a group :
(Interact , interdependent ,stable , shared goals ,
structure, perception )
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Is a process which indicates that changes take
place at both personal and group level .
◦ Change of attitude or general way of behavior(at a personal
level) .
◦ Changes of roles , relationships or leadership(at a group
level)
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Even if one or two criteria missed it can be still
called a group .
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Schutz perspective(1958):
(fundamental interpersonal relations orientation):
People behave according to their orientation to other
people and this is based on three fundamental needs of
every group member :
- Inclusion
(in - out dimension, human preference e.g. over social,
undersocial)
- Control (human preferences vary from autocratic to abdicratic)
- Affection
(is the area of intimacy, human preference vary from
over personal to under personal)
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Groups are formed for different reasons.
Once the group is formed it follows a set of successive
stages.
( Tuckman1965)perspective:
◦ Forming
◦ Storming
◦ Norming
◦ Performing
◦ Adjourning
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Yalom (1985)perspectives :
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Orientation :
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initial stages
members need to establish a way to accomplish the task
members work towards comfort , meaning and pleasure of being in the
group .
Conflict :
centred around preoccupation with dominance , control and power .
Emerges between members or members and leaders .(tuckman storming stage )
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Cohesiveness :
◦ Shows elements of greater trust , high morale , more disclosure and
members are more committed to one another
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Bion perspectives :
Suggest that the emotional states of the group dictates its dynamics
.there are three types of emotional states called basic assumption
cultures:
◦ Aggressiveness ,hostility and fear.
◦ Optimism and hopeful anticipation .
◦ Hopelessness .
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Members share some beliefs which generate these emotions and they
will behave according to it so there are three Basic assumption groups :
- Aggressiveness=basic assumption fight-flight.
-optimism=basic assumption pairing.
-helplessness=basic assumption=dependency.
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the role of the leader is extremely important , each assumption group
will search for a specific type of leader to fulfil its needs.
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Factors affecting group effectiveness :
Atmosphere .
Discussion ( focused and every one participates )
Objectives .
Listening .
Disagreement .
Decisions .
Criticism.
Feelings .
Action .
Leadership .
Self conscious .
Role functions :
a set of behaviours that is expected and /or displayed by the
individual who occupies a particular position in the group
structure .
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Four different criteria for roles :
 Prescribed roles .
 Subjective roles .
 Enacted roles .
 Functionally requisite role .
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For the group to survive the role must be fulfilled .
How to sabotage the group ?
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Penland and Fine broad categories of the roles :
Group task roles .
Group building and maintaining roles .
Individual roles.
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It is the tasks which the group has to undertake,
any of the following roles may be played by various
members of the group:
-initiator.
-information seeker.
-opinion seeker.
-information giver.
-opinion giver.
-elaborator.
-co-ordinator
-orienteer,evaluater.
-energiser.
-technician,recorder.
Centered on the functioning of the group as a
group .
-encourager.
-harmonizer.
-compromiser.
-Gate keeper.
-Observer.
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-Follower.
It focus on members individual needs,group needs
take second place. it could lead to conflicts.
-aggressor.
-Blocker.
-Recognition seeker.
-Self-confessor.
-Dominator.
-Help seeker
-Special-intrest-pleader.
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Leader is in a central position .he is the focus of group
processes and instrument of goal achievement,(bass1981)
Leader is a primary agent for determining group structure ,
atmosphere , goals , ideology , and activities .
Leader needs significant traits in order to be effective in his
central position :
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Charisma .
Social boldness .
Highly dominant in times of crisis .
Empathic understanding .
◦ Munson(1921) , leadership is the art of inducing
compliance,he is able to deal with group members to
achieve the most with the least friction and greatest cooperation.
◦ Bass (1981): leadership as a power relation, the leader is
the one with the power to influence group members into
action.
◦ Hollander (1978);sees leaderchip as an instrument of goal
achievement.
Shaw(1981) a leader exerts positive Influence over group
members, towards achievement of a certain goal .
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who chose the leader and which is better ?
Factors that contribute to who become a leader:
-Personal characteristics .
-Individual behaviors .
- skills , knowledge and attitudes .
-Characteristics of task .
-Environment .
-Group needs .
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Are leaders born? or does one acquire the
skills of leadership?
Great leaders do possess certain key traits
that distinguish them from other people.
No research evidence to support this belief.
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Some leaders give orders ,make all decisions without
consulting the group and demand obedience .
Others ask for members opinion ,cooperation and consult
them before making a decisions .
Lewin styles of leadership :
◦ Authoritarian .
◦ Democratic .
◦ Laissez-fair .
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The leader doing every thing without
consulting the rest of the group.
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Task oriented.
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Not interested in members needs.
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Aloof ,and personal in praise.
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Share the decision making with the members
of the team.
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Concerned about members needs.
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Socially close to members of the team.
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The leader allow the members to do as they
wish.
The team dos not receive any feed back from
hem.
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Have no confidence in his own ability.
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Do not make decisions.
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In a study conducted by lewin(1939),four
comparable groups of 10-years old boys were
observed as they performed a task for 3 weeks trail
under the three leadership styles, the results
showed significant differences in behavior in
response to the deferent styles.
-hostility and aggression were higher under
authoritarian style
-scapegoating occurred more frequently in
authoritarian style.
-the product was superior in the democratic
group.
-morale was higher in the democratic group.