Working As A Team: Group Dynamics

WORKING AS A TEAM

GROUP DYNAMICS

A group is a formation of two or more individuals, very often with common interests, who interact with each other to fulfil specific objectives.

Formal Groups are set up to satisfy the need to achieve a common goal. An example is a business organisation preparing for and running an exhibition of business equipment.

These may also take the form of ad hoc working groups (groups formed to achieve a particular goal and then disbanded).

Participating in small informal work groups

To participate as a member of a team and contribute constructively to achieving a goal, the following steps are required:

Identify the groups objective

Allocating key tasks to team members

Checking every team member's progress

Re-allocating tasks where necessary and providing additional resources if required

Adopting a team spirit

People are more productive when they have a say in how the work is done.

English: Positive feedback

A herd of Herdwick sheep in Cumbria.

positive feedback virtuous circle

When a supervisor calls staff together for discussions on a particular area of the work and employees are asked to put forward a solution this shows that they are valued group members.

A supervisor or leader has an important role to play in group discussions and should make every attempt to be both understanding and flexible. Good leaders are able to:

Share the decision-making process with employees

Refrain from dominating the discussion

Listen to what other employees have to say

Encourage employees to put forward their points of view

Encourage discussion of any problems

Elicit solutions to problems from employees

Where leadership or direction of a group is 'taken over' or assumed automatically by a member considered to be higher level management, the efficiency of the group may diminish immediately, leading to communication problems such as:

Reluctance of team members to contribute ideas

Resistance to be involved in plans discussed...