Lecture Eleven
Chapter Thirteen
Group Dynamics and Meetings
WHY MEETINGS?
•
•
•
•
COMMUNICATE INFORMATION
FACT-FINDING
PROBLEM-SOLVING
DECISION-MAKING
GROUP DECISION-MAKING
• ADVANTAGES
– Higher Quality Decisions
– Greater Commitment
– Reduced Chances of
Communication Problems
• DISADVANTAGES
– Cost (Over Used
Meetings)
– Low Quality Decisions
• Pressure to Conform
• Premature Decisions
• Hidden Agendas
• Extensive Conflict
• Disruption of
Individuals
• Lack of Planning
• Shared Blame
GROUPTHINK
Irving Janis
•
•
•
•
•
INVULNERABILITY
RATIONALIZATION
MORALITY
STEREOTYPES
PRESSURE TO
CONFORM
• SELF-CENSORSHIP
• ASSUMED
CONSENSUS
• MINDGUARDS
GROUPTHINK REMEDIES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
APPOINT CRITICAL
EVALUATOR
LEADERSHIP REMAINS
IMPARTIAL
SEVERAL GROUPS WORK ON
SAME PROBLEM
GROUPS REPORT BACK TO
HOME UNITS
BRING IN OUTSIDE EXPERTS
APPOINT DEVILS
ADVOCATES
SURVEY FOR EXTERNAL
WARNINGS
SPLIT GROUP
HOLD SECOND CHANCE
MEETINGS
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
1
•
•
SHOULD WE MEET?
PREMEETING ARRANGEMENTS
– Whom to Include
• Remember Rubber Meets the Road Folks
• Size 5 ideal Large Projects 12 - 13
– What Material to Prepare and Circulate
• Limit amount of Information
• Explain Why Important
• Link to Agenda
– What Topics Will Be Discussed
– Why Are We Meeting - Goal
– When - Time of Day, Day of Week
– Physical Facilities- Size, Comfort, Visual Aids
– Seating Arrangements - Eye Contact
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
2
• APPROPRIATE LEADERSHIP STYLE
– Leader Centered
• Less Mature Group
• Structured Problem
– Group Centered
• Mature Group
• Abstract Problem
• Creativity Critical
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
3
• Meeting Format
– Traditional
• Determine Problem-Determine Cause-Determine Criteria to
Eliminate Problem-Determine Possible Solutions-Determine
Best Solution- Implementation
– Postproblem and Consensus
• Obtain Group Consensus through polling
– Brainstorming
• Generate As Many Ideas As Possible
– All Ideas Accepted
– No Criticism Allowed
– Encourage Elaborations and Combinations
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
4
• NOMINAL GROUP
TECHNIQUES (NGT)
– Individual Writes Out Ideas
– Create Lists
– Individually Rank
– Post Rankings
• DELPHI
– Remote Locations
– Send out Questionnaire
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
5
• DISRPUTIONS
– Clowning, Dominating,
Change topics, Making
Accusations, Personalizing
with Emotional Statements
– Prevention
• Seek Prior Cooperation
• Assign Critical Task
• Resolve Prior To
Meeting
• Agree on Process at
Beginning of Meeting
• Take Dominator’s Item
Off Agenda
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
6
•
ADDITIONAL CONTROL
TECHNIQUES
– Turn Questions into Statements
– Ask Disrupter to Explain Joke
– Ask Disrupter to Relate to Topic
– Bring Emotion to The Surface
– Allow Only One Person to
Speak at Time
– Move Items Forward
– Ask Group to Write Down
Responses
– Reverse Questions
– Relay Question to Entire Group
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
7
• FOLLOW UP
– Have Goals Been Meet
– Have Assignments Been Made
– Write Out Decisions
– Summarize Discussions
– Point Out Differences
– Set Next Steps
– Confirm in Writing
– Minutes (Written, Audio
– Survey