class session 2 intro to groups and teams

An Introduction An Introduction

Group and Team Group and Team FacilitationFacilitation

Class Session 2 – Feb 7, 2017Class Session 2 – Feb 7, 2017

How the course is organizedHow the course is organized

Three segments Three segments Learning to Learning to observeobserve group and team group and team

dynamics dynamics (Lencioni books on 5 dysfunctions) (Lencioni books on 5 dysfunctions)

Learning to Learning to facilitatefacilitate group dynamics group dynamics (Schwarz and Schein texts, and other selected readings)(Schwarz and Schein texts, and other selected readings)

Learning to Learning to interveneintervene in group dynamics in group dynamics (Schwarz text chapters ) (Schwarz text chapters )

Assignment # 1 – Team- Facilitated Chapter Assignment # 1 – Team- Facilitated Chapter Discussions of Assigned Topics and Readings (25% Discussions of Assigned Topics and Readings (25% grade, shared)grade, shared)

Assignment # 2 – Team Teaching in Assignment # 2 – Team Teaching in Facilitation Skills (25% grade, shared) Facilitation Skills (25% grade, shared)

Assignment # 3- Individual Assessment Assignment # 3- Individual Assessment of Learning in the Team Experience (final of Learning in the Team Experience (final paper) - 25 % grade, individualpaper) - 25 % grade, individual

Assignment # 4 – Peer Assessment of Assignment # 4 – Peer Assessment of Contributions to the Team (10%, Contributions to the Team (10%, individual) individual)

Assignment # 5 – Active Engagement, Assignment # 5 – Active Engagement, Meeting Deadlines, and Preparation for Meeting Deadlines, and Preparation for Class (15% grade, individual )Class (15% grade, individual )

What do you know already What do you know already about the nature of groups about the nature of groups and teams?and teams?

Early Struggles in the Life of a Early Struggles in the Life of a GroupGroup

What happens as individuals What happens as individuals join a new group? join a new group?

What has to happen for that What has to happen for that group to function as a team?group to function as a team?

Group Development Group Development

First, a period of self-oriented behavior First, a period of self-oriented behavior

As self-oriented concerns are As self-oriented concerns are addressed, people pay more attention addressed, people pay more attention to each other and the task at handto each other and the task at hand

The work of “building” the group occurs The work of “building” the group occurs simultaneously with task simultaneously with task accomplishmentaccomplishment

Questions Asked by New Questions Asked by New Group Members Group Members

Am I in or out?Am I in or out?

Do I have any power or control?Do I have any power or control?

Can I use, develop, and be appreciated Can I use, develop, and be appreciated for my skills and resources?for my skills and resources?

Tuckman’s Stages of Group Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development (1969, Tuckman Development (1969, Tuckman & Jensen, 1977) & Jensen, 1977)

FormingForming StormingStorming NormingNorming PerformingPerforming Adjourning Adjourning

Task Dimensions Task Dimensions

TThe relationship between group he relationship between group members and the task they are to members and the task they are to perform. Task refers to the job they have perform. Task refers to the job they have to do and how they go about doing it.to do and how they go about doing it.

Process dimensionsProcess dimensions Influenced by the relationships of group Influenced by the relationships of group members toward one another -- how they members toward one another -- how they feel toward one another and how they feel toward one another and how they feel about their membership in the group.feel about their membership in the group. Affects decision-making, collaboration, Affects decision-making, collaboration, and willingness to engage.and willingness to engage.

Task and Process DimensionsTask and Process Dimensions

Highly interdependent in practice; without Highly interdependent in practice; without both dimensions, group process does not both dimensions, group process does not existexist

Task output is productivityTask output is productivity

Process output is cohesivenessProcess output is cohesiveness

Relationship Between Cohesiveness Relationship Between Cohesiveness and Productivityand ProductivityPr

oduc

tivit

y

Cohesiveness

Promoting Cohesiveness in Promoting Cohesiveness in GroupsGroups

Encourage interpersonal attraction through Encourage interpersonal attraction through attitudinal similarity attitudinal similarity

Increase contact timeIncrease contact time

Build perceptions of others as likeableBuild perceptions of others as likeable

Create opportunities for self-disclosure Create opportunities for self-disclosure

Promote group identificationPromote group identification

Cohesiveness in Groups, Cohesiveness in Groups, con’tcon’t Create historyCreate history Accomplish somethingAccomplish something Develop relationships and shared Develop relationships and shared

normsnorms Promote acceptance of all membersPromote acceptance of all members Encourage external threatsEncourage external threats

Impact of Group MaturityImpact of Group Maturity

A Group Effectiveness ModelA Group Effectiveness Model

For a group to become a For a group to become a successful team, it must havesuccessful team, it must have

Clear direction and goalsClear direction and goals Good leadershipGood leadership Tasks suited for teamwork - complex, Tasks suited for teamwork - complex,

important, challenging, and requiring important, challenging, and requiring coordinated efforts coordinated efforts

Necessary resourcesNecessary resources Supportive organizational environmentSupportive organizational environment

Group or Team GoalsGroup or Team Goals Goals provide direction and motivationGoals provide direction and motivation Good goals are clear, specific, and Good goals are clear, specific, and

measurable measurable Goals should be moderately difficult but Goals should be moderately difficult but

not impossible to achievenot impossible to achieve Teams perform better when they have Teams perform better when they have

some discretion in goal setting / some discretion in goal setting / designing how goals are accomplisheddesigning how goals are accomplished

Hidden AgendasHidden Agendas

Unspoken, unresolved individual goals Unspoken, unresolved individual goals that conflict with the overall team goalsthat conflict with the overall team goals

Differences between individual and Differences between individual and group goals create “hidden” conflict that group goals create “hidden” conflict that is difficult to resolveis difficult to resolve Conflicting loyaltiesConflicting loyalties Leads to distrustLeads to distrust Lowers motivation Lowers motivation

Group NormsGroup Norms Ground rules that define appropriate and Ground rules that define appropriate and

inappropriate behavior in a teaminappropriate behavior in a team May be explicit (written) or tacit (unspoken, May be explicit (written) or tacit (unspoken,

but recognized by all) but recognized by all) Function is to avoid embarrassing or difficult Function is to avoid embarrassing or difficult

situations situations Norms foster a unique team identity Norms foster a unique team identity Norms develop unconsciously and over timeNorms develop unconsciously and over time

Lack of COMMITMENT

Absence of TRUST

Fear of CONFLICT

Avoidance of ACCOUNTABILITY

Inattention to RESULTS

The Five Dysfunctionsof a Team

Source:Lencioni, P. (2005). Overcoming the five dysfunctions of a team.

TRUST

TRUST

Great teams trust one another, are willing to be vulnerable about their weaknesses, mistakes, fears, and behaviors.They can be open with each other

TRUST

CONFLICT

Teams that trust one another are not afraid of passionate dialogue around issues and decisions that are key to success.

They do not hesitate to disagree, challenge, and question one another.

CONFLICT

TRUST

COMMITMENT

Teams with unfiltered conflict are able to achieve genuine “buy in” around important decisions, even when they initially disagree.

They can commit to decisions after discussion.

CONFLICT

COMMITMENT

TRUST

ACCOUNTABILITY

Teams that commit to decisions and standards of performance do not hesitate to hold one another accountable for adhering to those decisions and standards.

CONFLICT

COMMITMENT

ACCOUNTABILITY

TRUST

RESULTS

Teams that trust one another, engage in conflict, commit to decisions, and hold one another accountable are likely to set aside individual needs and agendas and focus on what is best for the team.

CONFLICT

COMMITMENT

RESULTS

ACCOUNTABILITY

ReferencesReferencesLencioni, P. (2002). Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunctions of a team: A leadership The five dysfunctions of a team: A leadership fable. fable. San Francisco, CA: Wiley. San Francisco, CA: Wiley.

Lencioni, P. (2005). Lencioni, P. (2005). Overcoming the five dysfunctions of a teamOvercoming the five dysfunctions of a team. . San Francisco, CA: Wiley. San Francisco, CA: Wiley.

Levi, D. (2014). Levi, D. (2014). Group dynamics for teamsGroup dynamics for teams. (4th ed). Thousand . (4th ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Oaks, CA: Sage.

Schein, E. H. (1999). Schein, E. H. (1999). Process consultation revisited: Building the Process consultation revisited: Building the helping relationshiphelping relationship. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

Weisbord, M. R. (2004). Weisbord, M. R. (2004). Productive workplaces revisited: Dignity, Productive workplaces revisited: Dignity, meaning, and community in the 21meaning, and community in the 21stst century century. San Francisco: . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Jossey-Bass.