SOLVING PROBLEMS USING

SMALL GROUPS

Chapter 10
LO1: DEWEY’S REFLECTIVE THINKING PROCESS

1. Identify and define the problem

2. Analyze the problem
3. Establish criteria for solutions
4. Generate potential solutions
5. Select the best solution
LO2: SHARED LEADERSHIP
 Task-Related Roles: directly help group accomplish goal
 Initiator: gets discussion started or moving in new direction
 Information or Opinion Giver
 Information or Opinion Seeker
 Analyzer: probe content, reasoning, and evidence during discussion
LO2: SHARED LEADERSHIP
 Maintenance Roles: require specific patterns of behavior that help
group develop and maintain good member
relationships, cohesiveness, and effective levels of
conflict
 Supporter: encourages others in group
 Interpreters: familiar with differences in social, cultural, gender orientations of group
members to use the knowledge to help members understand each other
 Harmonizer: help group relieve tension and manage conflict
 Mediators: are neutral and impartial arbiters who guide discussion so that members who
have conflicting ideas find a mutually acceptable resolution
 Tension relievers: recognize when group members are stressed/tired and intervene to
relieve stress or re-energize group with humor
LO2: SHARED LEADERSHIP
 Procedural roles: sets of behaviors that directly support the group
process
 Logistics coordinator: arrange for appropriate spaces for group meetings; procure
supplies and equipment needed for group; manage other details so group’s physical
needs are met
 Expediter: keeps track of what group is trying to accomplish and helps group move
through agenda
 Gatekeeper: ensures everyone has opportunity to speak
 Recorder: takes careful notes of what the group has decided and evidence upon
which decisions are based
LO2: SHARED LEADERSHIP
 Self-Centered Roles: focus attention on individuals’ needs and goals
at expense of group
 Aggressors: criticize almost everything; blame others; deflate egos
 Jokers: draw attention to themselves by clowning, mimicking, making a joke of everything;
not focused on helping relieve group stress or tension
 Withdrawers: don’t participate in discussion/work of group; physically miss meetings;
refuses to take responsibility for doing work
 Blockers: routinely reject others’ views; stubbornly agree w/decisions
NORMAL DISTRIBUTION OF ROLES
 ½ of all discussion time should be devoted to information sharing
 Group agreement time should far outweigh group disagreement time
LO3: MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES
IN GROUP MEETINGS
 Preparing: study agenda; study minutes; prepare for your
contributions; prepare to play a major role; list questions

 Participating: listen attentively; stay focused; ask questions; take

notes; play devil’s advocate; monitor your contributions

 Follow Up: review/summarize notes; evaluate your effectiveness;

review decisions; communicate progress; follow up; review
minutes
LO3: LEADERSHIP
 “Process of influencing members to accomplish group goals” (p. 136)

 Perspectives of leadership:
- Traits theory
- Situational leadership
- Functional leadership (acting to help group achieve goals)
- Transformational leadership (being a visionary)
LO3: LEADERSHIP
 Formal leaders: assigned, appointed, or elected who is given legitimate
power to influence others
 Informal leaders: members whose power to influence comes from
power gained through interactions with others

How do members gain and maintain informal leadership?

 Members form crude impressions about others in group through early
interactions
 Those still “acceptable” by to group vie for leadership
LO3: LEADERSHIP
 How can you show leadership in a group?
- Actively participate in discussions
- Come to group meetings prepared
- Actively listen to ideas/opinions of others
- Avoid stating overly strong opinions
- Stimulate creative and critical thinking
- Actively manage meaning
 Gender and leadership:
- Effective leadership depends on both task-oriented (masculinity)
and maintenance (femininity) behaviors
- Leadership behaviors evaluated differently based on sex
LO3: LEADING GROUP MEETINGS
 Before the meeting…
- Define/communicate meeting purpose
- List specific outcomes that should be produced from meeting
- Communicate starting/ending time and stick to it
- Send out detailed agenda
- Make physical/technological arrangements
LO3 LEADING GROUP MEETINGS
 During the meeting…
- Review/modify agenda
- Monitor roles members assume and consciously play roles
unfilled by others
- Monitor agenda/time to stay on schedule
- Monitor conflicts and intervene if necessary
- Periodically check to see if the group is ready to make a decision
- Implement group’s decision rules
- Before ending… summarize decisions/assignments
- Ask group to decide if/when next meeting is needed
LO3: LEADING GROUP MEETINGS
 After the meeting…
- Review meeting outcomes/process
- Prepare and distribute summary of meeting outcomes
- Repair damaged relationships through informal conversations
- Follow up with members to see how they are progressing on
assigned tasks