Achieving communication competence

-Knowledge-learning and understanding the rules

-Skills-successful performance of a communication behavior, also the ability to repeat the behavior

-Sensitivity-sense, dialect, and understand signals being sent within the group

-Commitment-the investment of time, energy, thought, feeling to improve yourself or the relationships with others

Transactional communication

-Each person is both sender and receiver

-All parties influence one another

Process communication

-It changes events and relationships as part of a continuous flow

-Unable to freeze situations in time

-Conversations are points of departure

Verbal Communication

-Language is structured for sharing meaning

-The meaning of words depends on common agreement

-Agreement does not always ensure understanding (words may have more than one meaning, misunderstandings are complicated by culture, “bypassing”= assuming everyone uses the same meaning for a word

Non-verbal communication

-Facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, tone of voice, posture, behavior etc.

-Nonverbal communication is continuous

-Central to communication

Definition of a group

-A human communication system composed of three or more individuals, interacting for the achievement of some common goals that influence and are influenced by each other

Ripple effect

-One part of a system may have a significant impact on the whole

-A smaller part of a large system can have an immense impact

-Occurs when group performance from joint action of members exceeds expectations based on perceived abilities and skills of individuals members

-Work in a cooperative, interconnected manner

-There is no perfect balance between change and stability, but there is a range in which systems can manage change effectively

-Must regulate: Degree (How much change) Rate (How fast/slow change happens) Desirability (How change is valued)

Communication barriers

-Physical-protecting group space

-Psychological-member in name only

-Linguistic-speaking the language

-Rules-permission not granted

-Roles-staying in bounds

-Networks-controlling information flow

-Adding one or more person to an already existing group increases complexity of the communication

-Smaller groups tend to keep quiet about dissatisfaction

Building cohesiveness

-Encourage compatible membership

-Develop shared goals

-Accomplish tasks

-Develop history of cooperation

-Promote acceptance of group members

Motivation to join groups

-Need to belong

-Interpersonal attraction

-Attraction to group activities

-Group goals

Phases of group development

1. Forming-why we join groups

2. Storming- tension

3. Norming-regulation

4. Performing-output

Tensions

-Primary tension-initial uneasiness

Loafing

-Give little effort on a task while part of the group (lack of motivation, bad attitude)

Compensation

-An increase in motivation to work harder on a group task to counterbalance the poor performance of others

Conformity

Competition

-MEGA process (Mutually exclusive goal attainment) necessitates the failure of many for the success of one

Cooperation

-MIGA process (mutually inclusive goal attainment) function as one to achieve a goal

Hyper competitiveness

Cultural influence on competition

Constructive competition

-When competition produces a positive and enjoyable experience

-Group productivity

-Cooperation, not competition, produces high levels of group achievement

-Cooperation yields better learning environment and academic achievement

-The interactions between other groups is far more competitive than interactions between individuals

-In some instances, cohesiveness may be built from the defeat of the other team

-Cohesiveness is enhanced for winning teams         

Defensive and supportive communication 

Competitive/non-competitive listening

-Competitive interrupting (listener attempts to dominate conversation)

-Ambushing (assumes a message is understood without verifying)

-Paraphrasing (may reveal misunderstandings, needs to be concise)

-Probing (seeking more info by asking speaker questions)

-Role reversal (move to another role, power associated with role reversal; role status)

Role emergence

-Group endorsement (group affirms your bid to play a particular role)

-“Doers” individuals completing important tasks for the group

-Role specialization (member settles into his primary role)

-There is no monopoly in a group

Formal roles

-A position assigned by an organization or by the group leader

-Stems from group transactions

-Task roles (initiator, secretary) move group toward attainment of goals

-Maintenance roles (supporter, gatekeeper) focus is the social dimension of the group

Manager      

-Managers specifically manage from a position of authority

-Anyone in the group can demonstrate leadership qualities without being designated the leader

-Managers maintain status quo.           

Gaining/retaining leadership

-Do not show up late, be uninformed, appear uninterested, dominate conversations, ignore others, be rigid and inflexible, or use offensive or abusive language

-Retaining leadership- demonstrates competence as a leader, accept accountability for your actions, and satisfy your group members’ expectations

Functional perspective   

-“Leader as completer”

-Leaders take on essential functions that others have failed to perform

-Leadership is a process not a person

Styles perspective

-Autocratic (directive, places emphasis on task little on social)

-Democratic (Participative, balanced emphasis on task and social; high task and high social)

-Laissez-faire (Does not try to influence anyone; Low task and low social)

Situational perspective  

-Dependent approach