TOPIC 4.1 WORKING AND WRITING IN TEAM WHAT KNOWLEDGE WILL WE LEARN? What Kinds of Communication Happen in Groups? What Roles Do People Play in Groups? Leadership in Groups Characteristics of Successful Groups How Can Team Members Handle Conflict? Steps in Conflict Resolution WHAT SKILLS WILL WE LEARN? How to Respond to Criticism? How Can Teams Co-Author Good Documents? Collaborative Writing How to Understand Group Writing Process? How to Making the Group Process Work? What Kinds of Communication Happen in Groups? Group messages fall into three categories. Informational messages • Focus on content: the problem or challenge, data and possible solutions Procedural messages • Focus on the method and process: who will do what, how decisions will be made, and so on. Interpersonal messages • Focus on people, promoting friendliness, cooperation, and group loyalty Read: BC – Topic 4.1 – Braun – Chap20 – page 382 What Kinds of Communication Happen in Groups? (Cont.) Groups go through various stages as they develop Orientation Formalization Coordination Formation What Kinds of Communication Happen in Groups? (Cont.) Orientation creates group cohesiveness. Formation creates leadership and task-roles. Coordination creates products and deliverables. • Goals are defined. • Social cohesiveness is fostered. • Roles are defined. • Procedures are clarified. • Work is completed. • Procedural and interpersonal communications maintain trust. • Creative conflicts recur as debate over alternative solutions happens. Formalization creates consensus. • Members agree on solutions. What Roles Do People Play in Groups? People play both group maintenance and task roles, and every role can be positive or negative. Positive task roles focus on getting the job done. Positive maintenance roles focus on building a cohesive, solid group. What Roles Do People Play in Groups? (cont.) Task Behaviours Maintenance Behaviours • • • • • Seeking information and opinions Giving information and opinions Summarizing Evaluating Coordinating • • • • • Listening actively Encouraging participation Relieving tensions Checking feelings Solving interpersonal problems What Roles Do People Play in Groups? (cont.) Roles and actions that hurt group work include: • Blocking (disagreeing with everything) • Dominating • Clowning • Withdrawing Leadership in Groups Effective groups balance three kinds of leadership: Informational Interpersonal Procedural leaders leaders leaders Generate and evaluate ideas and text Monitor the group’s process Set the agenda Check people’s feelings Resolve conflicts Ensure members know what is due when; ensure completion of tasks READ: BC – TOPIC 4.1 – BRAUN – CHAPTER 20 – PAGE 384 Characteristics of Successful Groups • Leaders set clear deadlines and schedule frequent meetings. • Members communicate more often with each other and deal directly with conflict. • Members listen to each other, attend to criticism and make important decisions together. Characteristics of Successful Groups (Cont.) Groupthink is agreeing with the group on all issues to avoid conflict. Doing so limits alternatives and possibilities, resulting in inferior products or documents. Avoid groupthink by • Brainstorming for additional alternatives • Testing assumptions • Encouraging disagreement • Protecting the right of people who choose to disagree How Can Team Members Handle Conflict? Listen actively to get at the real issue and repair bad feelings. Teams can reduce conflict by • Making responsibilities and rules clear from the start • Framing ideas positively • Acknowledging verbal and nonverbal messages • Discussing problems as they arise • Realizing members aren’t responsible for others’ feelings READ: BC – TOPIC 4.1 – BRAUN – CHAPTER 20 – PAGE 386 Steps in Conflict Resolution Follow this five-step procedure to resolve conflicts constructively. 1. Make sure the people involved really disagree. 2. Check to see that information is correct. 3. Discover the needs each person is trying to meet. 4. Search for alternatives. 5. Repair bad feelings. How to Respond to Criticism? Paraphrase the verbal content of the critic’s message. Check the speaker’s feelings. Ask if your perception is correct. Check for inferences to determine the “real” problem. Buy time with limited agreement. Restate the part of the criticism that you agree is true. Use you-attitude . Use I-based statements about your own feelings and perceptions. How Can Teams CoAuthor Good Documents? Talk about your purposes and audiences; discuss drafts and revisions as a group. Successful writing teams • Distribute power equally • Work to soothe hurt feelings • Are careful to involve all group members READ: BC – TOPIC 4.1 – BRAUN – CHAPTER 20 – PAGE 390-392 Collaborative Writing Follow these steps when writing as a group: How to Understand Group Writing Process? 1. Plan the work and the document. • Articulate and agree on format, organization and deadlines 2. Compose the draft. • Use virtual and collaboration technology. Have the best writers do the draft after everyone gathers information. 3. Revise the document. • Once content is agreed upon, have the best writer do the edits to maintain a single style. 4. Edit and proofread. • Have one member edit for consistent style; one for format • Have all members proofread at least once How to Making the Group Process Work? Pay During collaborativ e writing projects, pay special attention to the group process. Allow Allow time to discuss problems and solutions. Take Take time to get to know one another. Be Be a responsible group member. Be Be aware others have different ways of expressing themselves. READ: BC – TOPIC 4.1 – BRAUN – CHAPTER 20 – PAGE 393 Understand Understand that just because the discussion went smoothly it does not mean the draft writing will.
