Chapter 2
What are the 5 examples of barriers to group cohesion and performance?
Poorly defined group boundaries, roles and responsibilities.
Conflict between individual and group goals
Lack of commitment to goals
Personality clashes
Poor communication skills
What is the SMART principle?
S - specific
M - measurable
A - achievable
R - relevant
T - time
What is elicit idea and feedback?
Eliciting ideas and feedback is about getting ideas and feedback from participants. Its when participants can share ideas and knowledge based on something they already know.
How do you define facilitating groups?
The process of helping a group of people discover and understand their common objectives or goals and then assisting them to develop a plan to achieve them.
What are the 4 levels of conflict?
Low
Medium
High
Critical
Techniques to managing positive group dynamics
open communication
Promote collaboration
Provide support and encouragement
Build trust and respect
Facilitate participation
Manage conflict constructively
Identify examples of conflict
Communication breakdown, increased tension, decreased productivity, avoidance behaviour, emotional outbursts and blame game
What is the difference between a win win, win lose and lose lose situation?
Win win - both parties feel they won something
Win lose - one party gets what they want and the other does not
Lose lose - neither party gets what they want.
Outline the individual and group goal in the situation.
During a PE class, students are participating in a 4v4 basketball game. The teacher notices that one team is struggling to maintain possession and often loses the ball due to poor passing. The teacher wants to ensure all students have the skills to pass with accuracy.
Individual - in the 4x4 game, shoot a goal.
Group - for all students to be able to pass the ball accurately in a basketball game.
Techniques to manage negative group dynamics
Set boundaries
Address problematic behaviour
Promote empathy and understanding
Offer conflict resolution strategies
Seek mediation or facilitation
Reinforce positive behaviour
Provide a description of the 5 Stages of Conflict
Latent - participants are not yet aware of the conflict
Perceived - the conflict has developed and is known
Felt - emotions such as frustration may start to emerge as individuals become aware of the conflict
Manifest - conflict becomes visible and expressed through behaviours
Conflict aftermath - conflict is resolved and a win win solution occurs.
Provide 3 ways you can resolve lack of communication between an employer and employees?
Information is emailed out to employees after a meeting or discussion.
Print a copy of meeting notes, policies and procedures etc and place in the staff room.
Set clear expectations of employees about what to do if they miss a meeting/information.
What are the 2 subcategories of encouraging optimum interaction between group members?
Rotating partners and sub groups for different activities and allocating tasks to group participants and rotating tasks.
In a local curling club, the head coach has assigned different tasks to team members for the upcoming tournament. One player is in charge of organising team equipment, another is responsible for creating the match schedules, while another player handles communication with the event organisers. The head coach meets with each of these players once a week to check on their progress and offer assistance when needed but allows them the freedom to make decisions within their tasks.
What has the coach completed here?
Devolved their responsibility to the group.
Identify and provide an example of two signs that suggest conflict has escalated beyond initial tensions.
Verbal disputes and disagreements – There are visible arguments that suggests the conflict has escalated from being a difference of opinion to a more serious issue.
Feelings of exclusion and unfairness – Some staff feel their suggestions are being ignored, and others feel the work has been distributed unfairly. These feelings indicate a lack of cohesion and dissatisfaction, which are strong signs of escalation
Outline and describe 3 potential outcomes if conflict is not resolved effectively.
Reduced group performance – Lack of trust and poor communication will likely result in poor planning and execution of the charity event, possibly causing it to fail.
Low morale and disengagement – Team members who feel excluded or ignored may become demotivated and disengaged from their roles, further decreasing group cohesion and event success.
Long-term group dysfunction – Persistent unresolved conflict can lead to a breakdown in group functioning, where future collaboration becomes difficult, and team members avoid working together.
Group dynamics includes...
Communication
Decision making
Respect
Safety
Trust
Conflict resolution
How do you build group cohesion for defining objectives of session and negotiating group goals, defining group, boundaries, roles and responsibilities while allowing for group decision making, focusing on group shared activities and encouraging individuals to assist other group members.
Defining objectives of sessions and negotiating group goals - This ensures all members have a shared understanding of the goals, promoting teamwork and collective responsibility for achieving them.
Defining group boundaries, roles, and responsibilities while allowing for group decision making - Establishing clear roles helps avoid confusion, while allowing decision making as a group fosters engagement and unity.
Focusing the group on shared activities - Engaging in common tasks encourages teamwork and ensures all members work towards a common objective, strengthening relationships.
Encouraging individuals to assist other group members - This promotes a supportive environment where members feel valued, leading to better collaboration and stronger group cohesion
What are the 5 facilitation techniques?
Eliciting ideas and feedback
Negotiating solutions to group difficulties and individual differences
Using active listening
Providing clear, unambiguous information
Answering questions promptly and positively
List the 4 leadership styles and provide an explanation of each
Laissez-faire (delegative) - this leader delegates decisions to the group.
Participative (democratic) - members of the group participate in decision making and give ideas but the leader makes the final call.
Authoritarian (autocratic) - has complete control and makes all decisions and minimal involvement from the group.
Transformational - this leader inspires and motivates their group.
What are the 7 techniques to resolve conflict?
Communication
Mediation
Collaboration
Empathy
Negotiation
Compromise
Problem-solving
What are the 5 techniques to build group cohesion and collaboration?
Defining objectives of sessions and negotiating group goals
Defining group, boundaries, roles and responsibilities while allowing for group decision making
Focusing on group shared activities
Encouraging individuals to assist other group members
Encouraging optimum interaction between group members
What are the 5 levels of the Stages of Conflict?
Latent conflict
Perceived conflict
Felt conflict
Manifest conflict
Conflict aftermath
Listing 2 strategies for each barrier to group cohesion and performance that can be used to reduce or eliminate the barrier faced when facilitating.
Conflict between individual and group goals - Facilitate open communication to understand concerns and motivations & encourage active listening and empathetic understanding
Personality clashes - Accept that everyone is different and trying to be more understanding of people’s differences & keep interactions with the people that clash with one another to a minimum.
Lack of commitment to goals - Ensure that the group’s goals are clearly defined and understood by all members & hold discussions with meetings to review the objectives and why they are important.
Poorly defined group boundaries, roles and responsibilities - Ensure that everyone is clear on their roles and responsibilities and clarify them on a regular basis & encourage open communication to address any confusion or ambiguity regarding roles and expectations.
Poor communication skills - Be aware of your body language ensuring what it communicates what you want it to & set clear expectations for communication within the group.
List the 5 stages of development and provide an explanation of each
Forming - group comes together, gets to know each other & everyone is excited
Storming - conflict begins to arise and boundaries are pushed.
Norming - differences have been resolved, groups starts working together,
Performing - group performs without friction or issues and develop balance
Adjourning - the goal has been achieved and the group disburses. can be a time for mourning.