Team Proposal Presentation

Working in Small Groups

Overview of Team Presentation Assignment

• 15-25 minutes (i.e. 4-6 mins/team member)

• Intro/Background (Leader)

• Laboratory Design

• Academic/Office Technology

Design

• LEED Design

• Conclusion (Leader)

• 10 minutes for Q & A (audience

will roleplay committees)

Speaker Responsibilities

Individual Speakers:

• Intro with preview

• Relate section to the audience

• Body with transitions between main points

• Conclusion

• Everyone must use Visual Aids

Leader:

• Introduction

• Team transitions

• Conclusion/Q&A

Small Group Communication

Propositions about Group Communication

Advantages

• Access to more resources

• Better retention of concepts

• Diversity

• Creativity

Disadvantages

• Scheduling

• Social loafing

• Conflict

• Coping with misbehavior

• Blame for error is shared

Functioning Group Behaviors

• Participants know each other by name or role.

• There is a generous amount of interaction.

• Each participant has some influence on the others.

• Each participant defines him/herself as a member of the group and is also defined by outsiders as a member.

• There is a common goal, interest or benefit in holding membership in the group.

• There is leadership.

Building an effective group takes planning.

1) Selecting a Leader

2) Sharing Leadership Roles

3) Communicating Effectively

4) Problem-Solving Efficiently

Types of Leaders

• Shared or No Specific Leader

• Implied Leader

• Emergent Leader

• Designated Leader

1. Selecting a Leader

• Select a leader able to handle the responsibility. • Authority• Pressure for uniformity• Status differentiation• Disruptive behavior• Incompatibility between individual and collective

goals

• Leadership style should vary with climate of the group. • Directive if task is ambiguous• Supportive if unsatisfying• Participative if group needs control• Achievement-oriented if no motivation

2. Sharing Leadership

• Leadership-- A group may not always have a leader but it always has leadership. • Group members can share the three leadership

functions.

• Procedural Needs– “housekeeping”

• Task Needs– “focus”

• Maintenance Needs– “relationships”

Procedural needs involve “housekeeping tasks”.

• Place and Agenda

• Notes and Handouts

• Summarizing progress

Task needs provide “focus”.

• Analyze

• Delegate

• Collect info

• Solicit views

• Focus

• Devil's advocate

• Criteria

• Reach consensus

Maintenance Needs involve “interpersonal

relations”. • Getting along

• Contributing

• Supporting

• Satisfaction about accomplishments

• Satisfaction about roles

3. Effective Communication

• Effective group discussion takes time. • Balance between

emotional and rational• Sincere skepticism is

encouraged• Group norms are

clearly identified• Some topics not

appropriate

Ineffective Communication

• Ineffective group discussion is more common. • Failure to contribute• Conformity• Poor Environment• Control• Rigid• Lack of Patience• Too much leadership or wrong type

Groupthink Conditions

• Being out of touch

• Being out of order

• Being overruled

• Being out of resources

Groupthink

Symptoms

• Group’s tendency to view itself as powerful

• Closed-mindedness

• Pressure toward uniformity

Minimizing Techniques

• Question self/actions

• Divide into subgroups

• Involve outsiders

• Add diversity

4. Efficient Problem-Solving

• Dewey’s Reflective Thinking Method• Define and narrow the problem• Analyze the problem• Establish criteria for solutions• Generate potential solutions• Select the best solution/s

1. Define the Problem

• Specific

• Open

• Avoid Bias

2. Analyze the Problem

• How Severe?

• How many people are affected?

• What if the problem is not resolved?

• What are the Causes?

3. Establish Criteria for the Solutions

• What must solution achieve?

• What might limit the choice of solutions?

4. Generate Potential Solutions

• Avoid judging while brainstorming

• Individuals record their own

5. Select the Best Solution

• Compare to established Criteria

• Evaluate all solutions

Review: Small group communication takes planning.

• Selecting a Leader

• Shared Leadership

• Discussion

• Problem-Solving