mcgraw-hill/irwin © 2009 the mcgraw-hill companies, all rights reserved mcgraw-hill/irwin copyright...

McGraw-Hill/Irwin ©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved.

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Chapter 14Chapter 14Working & Writing

in GroupsInterpersonalListeningGroup InteractionsPositive RolesNegative RolesDecision Making

Student GroupsDiverse GroupsConflict ResolutionEffective Meeting GuidelinesCollaboration

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Interpersonal Communication

Communication between people Crucial for teamwork

Includes multiple skills Listening Conflict resolution Nonverbal

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Listening

Crucial to building trust Harder on job than in class

Information not as organized on job Jobs require listening to feelings as

well as facts

Nods, smiles, frowns show you’re listening

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Active Listening Receivers demonstrate they’ve

heard /understood a speaker by feeding back the literal and/or emotional meaning,

To create active responses Paraphrase content Mirror speaker’s feelings Ask for information/clarification Offer to help solve the problem

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Avoid Listening Errors

Inattention—cause of listening error To reduce errors

Paraphrase what the speaker has said Allows speaker to correct your understanding

Check your understanding with speaker Write down key points

Deadlines and related information How work will be evaluated

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Avoid Listening Errors, continued…

To avoid misinterpretation Don’t ignore

instructions that seem unnecessary

Consider speaker’s background

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Five Blocking Responses

Ordering, threatening Preaching, criticizing Interrogating Minimizing the

problem Advising

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Group Interactions: Three Dimensions

Informational—focus on content: problem, data, solutions

Procedural messages—focus on methods, processes

Interpersonal—focus on people, cooperation, group loyalty

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Life Stages of Group Interactions

Formation

Coordination

Formalization

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Group Interactions, continued…

Formation Begin to define task Develop social cohesiveness Set up and clarify procedures Adopt ground rules Use interpersonal communication to

resolve conflict Analyze problem well before seeking

solutions

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Group Interactions, continued…

Coordination Longest phase Most comments need to deal with

information Conflict occurs as group debates alternate

solutions Interpersonal and procedural comments

help group stay on track

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Group Interactions, continued…

Formalization Consensus state Group implements

decisions, which determines its success

Group seeks to forget earlier conflicts

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Positive Roles in Groups

Task GoalsC

oordinating

Seeking information,

opinions

Giving information,

opinions

Evaluat

ing

Su

mm

arizing

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Positive Actions in Groups

Encouraging participation Relieving tensions Checking feelings Solving interpersonal problems Listening actively

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Negative Actions in Groups

Dominating Clowning Blocking Withdrawing Overspeaking

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Group Leadership

Effective groups balance three types of leadership: Informational—create, assess ideas and text Interpersonal—check feelings, resolve

conflict, monitor process Procedural—set agenda, keep members

informed, check on assignments

Roles need not be filled by one person

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Decision-Making: Standard Agenda

1. Understand what group has to deliver

What form? When due?

2. Identify problem

3. Gather information Share among group members Examine it critically

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Decision-Making: Standard Agenda, continued…

4. Establish criteria

5. Generate alternative solutions

6. Measure alternatives against criteria

7. Choose best solution

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Decision-Making: Dot Planning

Lets large group set priorities quickly1. Group brainstorms ideas

2. Ideas recorded on large pages

3. Pages posted on wall

4. Each member affixes colored adhesive dots by ideas

High

Low

Dots show highest and

lowest priorities

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Attributes of Successful Student Groups

Assign specific tasks, set clear deadlines, schedule frequent meetings

Listen carefully to each other Deal directly with conflict

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Attributes of Successful Student Groups

Develop inclusive decision-making style Establish proportionate work loads Deal directly with conflicts

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Peer Pressure & Groupthink

Groupthink—tendency for groups to value agreement so highly they punish dissent

Correctives to groupthink Search for alternatives Test assumptions Protect rights of individuals to disagree

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Diverse Groups

Differences affect how people behave in group, what they expect from group Gender Class Race Ethnicity Age

ReligionSexual orientationPhysical ability

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Diverse Groups, continued…

Play to one another’s strengths

Find practical ways to deal with differences

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Conversational Style

Defined as talk patterns and meaning we give to them

Shown by Interest Politeness Appropriateness

Types of Style Features:Rate of speechRate of turn-taking

Persistence when turn missedTolerance of simultaneous speech

Speed of topic shifting

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Nonverbal Communication

Open body positions Leaning forward with uncrossed

arms and legs Arms away from body

Closed (defensive) body positions Leaning back, hands behind head Arms and legs crossed Hands in pockets

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The presenting problem

may not be re

al problem

Conflict Resolution

1. Make sure people involved actually disagree

2. Ensure that everyone has correct information

3. Discover needs each person is trying to meet

4. Search for alternatives

5. Repair negative feelings

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Constructive Responses to Criticism

Paraphrasing Checking for feelings Checking inferences Buying time with limited agreement Using you-attitude

Look at things from others’ viewpoint

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Effective Meeting Guidelines

Make purpose explicit Distribute an agenda Allow time for discussion Save time with an omnibus motion Pay attention to people and process

as well as tasks

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Effective Meeting Guidelines, continued…

Summarize group’s consensus after each point

Summarize all decisions at end of meeting

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Collaborative Writing

Working with other writers to produce a single document

Requires attention to— Group formation progress Conflict resolution Steps in writing process

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Collaborative Writing, continued… Planning

Make analysis explicit; know where you agree and disagree

Plan organization, format, and style before anyone writes

Consider work styles and other commitments

Decide how you will give constructive feedback

Build leeway into deadlines

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Collaborative Writing, continued…

Composing Carefully label and date drafts If quality is crucial, have best writer

compose after others gather data

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Collaborative Writing, continued…

Revising Evaluate content, discuss revisions as

group Recognize that different people favor

different writing styles When satisfied with content, have best

writer make all changes

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Collaborative Writing, continued…

Editing & Proofreading One person checks

mechanics, format, and style for correctness, consistency

Use a spell checker Also proofread document

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Make Group Process Work

Allow ample time to discuss problems, find solutions

Get to know group members, build group loyalty

Attend all meetings; carry out your duties

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Make Group Process Work

Note that people have different ways of expressing themselves

Don’t assume that smooth discussion means total agreement