CHAPTER 3:
THEORY OF GROUP
DEVELOPMENT
“Keeping together is progress;
Working together is success.”
Henry Ford
Contents

Defining and Classifying Groups

The Five-Stage Model of Group Development

Factors Affecting Group Development

Developing Organizational Trust

The Group Decision-Making Process
Introduction

After reading this chapter, you should have knowledge about the
following:
1. The classification of groups and why people join them
2. The five stages of group development
3. Factors that impact effective group development
4. The importance of developing trust within a group or organization
5. Group decision making and its by-products

We will examine the basic concepts regarding groups and
demonstrate how an understanding of groups can help leaders
function more effectively
Defining and
Classifying Groups
Work Group

Interacts to share information

Decisions help each member perform within own area

Does not engage in collective work that requires everyone’s participation

Performance is the sum total of each member’s contribution
Work Teams

Individuals with complementary skills working towards a common result

Positive synergy: group’s performance > sum of individual inputs

Leader = project manager


Takes full advantage of each member’s strengths
Ensures that characteristics of a successful team are present in members
When a Group Becomes a
Team

Shared leadership

Accountability shared by the team as a whole

Responsibility shared equally among members

Mission and goals developed by the team itself vs. outside source

Continual work vs. at regularly scheduled times

Effectiveness measured in team vs. individual outcomes
The Five-Stage Model
of Group Development
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Adjourning
Forming

Group members:




Have just been introduced
Familiarizing themselves
“Testing the waters”
Uncertainty about the group’s
purpose, structure, and
leadership
Storming

Infighting

Quite volatile

Conflict, open rebellion, power struggles

Acceptance of the existence of the group
but resistance of the constraints

Conflict over who will lead

Completion:


+ Hierarchy of team leadership
- Some groups never completely emerge
Norming

Development of:




Close relationships
Cohesiveness and cooperation
Group identity
Camaraderie

Increased organization

Development of norms


Acceptable standards of
behaviour, goals, or values
Completion:


Solid group structure
Recognition of norms
Performing

Significant task progress being
accomplished

Coming together well to perform
individual functions

Team structure completely
functional and acceptable

Leader’s ultimate goal
Adjourning

In temporary work teams

Assigned task completed

Disbandment

Wrapping up activities replace
task performance

Members:



Happy the job has been
completed OR
Sense of loss of the team
camaraderie OR
Reforming – begin different
project