Groups and teams

Question 1

Group definition

Answer 1

a collection of people who both share similar goals and interact with one another

Question 2

Tuckman (1965) group development model stages

Answer 2

1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing

Question 3

The forming stage of group development

Answer 3

• high dependence on leader for guidance
• group members are getting to know each other
• very little agreement on the aims of the team
• individual roles are unclear
• team leader needs to give storm direction

Question 4

The storming stage of group development

Answer 4

• group decisions are difficult
• team members are establishing themselves in the group
• focus is clear
• need for environmental compromise
• leader has a more advisory role

Question 5

The roaming stage of group development

Answer 5

• much more agreement
• roles and responsibilities are accepted
• decisions are made through group agreement
• strong sense of commitment and unity
• team members are social and friendly with each other
• respect for the leader and leadership is shared

Question 6

The performing stage of group development

Answer 6

• more strategies, a clear vision and aim
• no interference of participation from the leader
• focus is on achieving goals
• team is trusted to get on with the job in hand
• disagreements occur but are resolved within the team
• team doesn’t need to be instructed

Question 7

Team cohesion definition and the two dimensions

Answer 7

cohesion is used when describing group dynamics

1. Group integration

• how the individual members of the group feel about the group as a whole

2. Individual attraction to the group

• how attracted the individuals are to the group

Question 8

Group performances - Steiner 1972

Answer 8

Actual productivity = potential productivity - losses due to faulty process

Potential productivity = best possible performance of the group (taking into account the resources available and ability of the player)

Losses due to faulty process are caused by 2 factors:

1. Co-ordination problems
2. Motivational problems

Question 9

The Ringelmannn effect

Answer 9

This occurs when individual performances decreases as group size increases

Research on co-ordination and motivational losses was based on studies into tug of war. Team of 8 didn’t pull 8x as hard as a solo performer

Question 10

Latane (1979) - social loafing

Answer 10

Some individuals lose motivation in a group. This can be due to perofmers losing identity in a group of individual efforts not being recognised by other players or spectators

Question 11

Strategies to eliminate social loafing

Answer 11

1. Highlight individual performers
2. Suppler from others in the team - social support
3. Feedback
4. Peer pressure to reinforce individual effort