Working With Effective Groups, Essay Example

Introduction

A whole set of factors determine and impact effectiveness of group performance. Communication patterns, behavioral initiatives, task and maintenance roles, as well as the process of development and evolution – all these can contribute to overall effectiveness of the group and effectiveness of each of the group members. In my practice, sales employees with whom I was lucky to work for several years were the brightest example of an effective group. Throughout the course of its development, group members were able to learn their roles and communication styles, as well as to modify their needs and actions in a way that benefited the whole group.

Communication and effective groups

To begin with, effective groups are impossible without effective verbal and nonverbal communication. In effective groups, communication is expected to address both task and maintenance behaviors; also, nonverbal and verbal communication must promote collaboration and cooperation at all levels of the group’s performance (Borkowski, 2008. That the dynamics of communication is directly linked to the quality of group performance is a well-recognized fact (Borkowski, 2008), and group members must know what features and characteristics of communication they must utilize to remain effective. In our group of employees, communication looked like a unique combination of constructivism and interaction; in other words, all group members knew how to express their needs explicitly, avoiding disrespect and imposing behaviors. Collaboration was the primary goal to pursue and with the need to maintain cooperative relationships, each group member showed respect to each other’s opinions. In light of this continuous collaboration, our group resembled a kind of a synergic mixture, meaning that the group in general performed better than each member individually. Aggression was the quality which group members did not welcome at all, maintaining open and creative atmosphere.

The role of group development

Certainly, the effectiveness of these verbal and nonverbal approaches would be zeroed, if not for the effective process of group development. It should be noted, that generally groups are bound to go through the four critical stages of group development: forming, storming, norming, and performing (Anonymous, 2008). While forming is the process in which the group is only coming together, storming implies the need for distributing and establishing the lines of authority among group members (Anonymous, 2008). When I joined the group, its members had been working together for 7 months, and the group had already gone through its forming stage. As a result, it was rather difficult for me to get used to the new hierarchy of authority roles in the group. However, all group members were particularly attentive to the way I was adjusting to my new position. The discussed collaborative communication styles facilitated the process of my re-integration with the rest of the group. I was able to see how the lines of authority are modified to suit specific group needs. I was able to witness how leaders replace each other in the process of group development. By the time the group was approaching its norming stage, I was already the critical participant of all group processes, with a clear understanding of my roles and responsibilities within the group.

Task and maintenance roles and functions

When discussing group effectiveness, special attention should be paid to the ways in which groups treat their task and maintenance functions and activities. Generally, “task functions refer to the activities that need to be attended to for the effective execution of the job, while maintenance functions refer to activities that need to be taken care of to maintain the group’s social relationships, cohesion and satisfaction” (George & Jones, 2002). Unfortunately, our group several critical task and maintenance components, but by the time I had to quit the job the group already worked as a cohesive and a well-developed mechanism of task and maintenance roles. In terms of tasks, I was given a role of information provider – a person who informs the group about a problem, offers ideas and alternative solutions (George & Jones, 2002). As a result, I was able to develop sound analytical skills which I still use regardless of what type of group I choose to belong to. Also, I used to fulfill a role of standards monitor, making sure that each group member followed accepted standards of communication and behavior. Because our group paid equal attention to task and maintenance roles, it was one of the most effective groups in the organization. At times, I thought that our group members were able to place group interests over their own, but in reality, it was due to their ability to align their individual needs with those of the group that our division was showing the highest standard of quality performance in the organization.

Social interdependence and trust

Our commitment to group tasks was reflected through the high level of social interdependence and trust. There is a link between group interdependence and effectiveness, and although it is still unclear how much interdependence contributes to better group performance it is obvious that high social interdependence benefits achievement, learning, and interpersonal relations within the group (Wageman, 1995). These, in turn, result in better group cohesiveness and stability. Our group was well-known for the high level of trust between members. At all stages of group performance from setting goals to evaluating outcomes all group members closely cooperated to maintain high standards of group performance. For me, close cooperation with other group members was the key element of effective performance. Moreover, I noticed that the higher the level of interdependence was, the more effectively the group used to perform compared to other organization’s departments. This experience helped me create a general picture of group effectiveness, which includes trust, interdependence, balance of task and maintenance roles, and effective communication. These are the four areas any group must target to ensure that it can work collaboratively on the most complicated group tasks.

Conclusion

Communication, evolution, a balance of task and maintenance roles, interdependence and trust are the key elements of effective group performance. Constructive and open communication style lays the foundation for the development of closer group ties. In the process of development, group members must pay particular attention to the distribution of authority roles. Balanced attention to task and maintenance roles, as well as the high level of social interdependence and trust will predetermine group success. When combined, all these elements will facilitate the process of achieving the major group objectives and goals.

References

Anonymous. (2008). Group development. Learning and Teaching. Retrieved September 19, 2009 from http://www.learningandteaching.info/teaching/group_development.htm

Borkowski, N. (2008). Organizational behavior, theory, and design in health care. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

George, J.M. & Jones, G.R. (2002). Understanding and managing organizational behavior. Prentice Hall.

Wageman, R. (1995). Interdependence and group effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, March. Retrieved September 19, 2009 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4035/is_n1_v40/ai_17184160/pg_3/?tag=content;col1