MediaSpace Wiki

Public Speaking Spr2010 S10

Group Problem solving

There are advantages in doing work in groups
- More resources means more people to get work done
  - That makes groups good for big jobs
  - especially where there is interdependence between multiple skills and/or tasks (synergy)
- And more people who can come up with ideas and identify problems
  - That makes groups good where decisions are complex
- And ways to foster commitment not just to the group, but to the larger task
  - That makes group effort a good prelude to getting things done
And there can be disadvantages
- A group isn't just one relationship
- Its a lot of relationships
- So there are lots of opportunities for disagreement
This is perhaps most easily illustrated using juries as an example
- "Twelve Angry Men" exemplifies a set of problems that can happen in any group.
- When everybody has to agree, there is lots of room for conflict
There is a process to group problem solving
- A set of stages that groups generally encounter
  1. Orientation
    - To each other
    - To a task
  2. Conflict
    - As you work through rules, roles, relationships, and the problem the group is working on
    - Disagreement is the norm
  3. Emergence
    - Of group decisions
    - But also of rules, roles, and interrelationships
  4. Reinforcement
    - Making the decision the group decision
    - Turning the decision into practice
- A structured approach that can be used to solve problems
  - Identify a problem
  - Analyze it
    - Turn it into a question
    - Gather information
    - Identify the forces (usually groups of people) who have the ability to affect a given solution
  - Develop creative solutions
    - Brainstorming is a great technique at this point
      - Illustrate brainstorming in a class exercise
  - Evaluate solutions
  - Implement Plan
  - Follow up

Working Effectively in Groups

Like all social structures, groups evolve rules and roles
- The important think is that groups generally negotiate rules and roles
  - Most often tacitly
- And that people have preferences in terms of the roles they play
  - and the way that they like groups to operate
  - These preferences can be a source of conflict
- There are well documented roles people play in groups
  - Task Roles include
    1. Coordinator
    2. Orienter/Summarizer
    3. Procedure Developer
    4. Diagnostician
    5. Secretary
    6. Evaluator/Critic
    7. Energizer
    8. Initiator/Contributor
    9. Elaborator/Clarifier
    10. Information Seeker
    11. Information Giver
    12. Opinion Seeker
    13. Opinion Giver
  - Social Roles include
    1. Gatekeeper
    2. Supporter/Encourager
    3. Harmonizer
    4. Tension Reliever
    5. Conciliator
    6. Feeling Expresser
    7. Follower
  - Dysfunctional Roles (roles that typically hurt a group) include
    1. Joker
    2. Cynic
    3. Dominator
    4. Aggressor
    5. Blocker
    6. Recognition Seeker
    7. Deserter

the process of a meeting
- before (if possible)
  - set an objective
  - set an agenda
    - where do we stand
    - what should we do
    - how should we do it
    - deciding
  - decide who will participate
  - make sure people have what they need to prepare in advance
- during
  - leaders should enable the meeting
    - keep things on track and moving
    - without being overbearing
  - deal with the subject
  - deal with the people
    - control the vociferous
    - draw out the silent
    - protect the weak
  - encourage the clash of ideas (but not of personalities)
  - don't squash ideas
  - close with a summary of accomplishment and a statement of what's next

Both Rules and Roles Emerge through a process of negotiation
Groupthink is a dysfunctional form of group behavior that results from such pressures
Brainstorming provides a way out
- Encourage ideas and objections
- Encourage impartiality, objectivity, and open-mindedness
- Parallel groups to encourage multiple solutions
- Encourage interaction outside the group on group ideas
- Bring in outside experts for input and feedback
- Make somebody responsible for ensuring that all sides of issue are explored
- Divide into subunits and come back
- Set up later meeting specifically to discuss concerns and doubts

Assignment: Group Presentation
- The Assignment
  - A ten minute group presentation
  - In which everyone participates
  - And which uses Powerpoint or Open Office visual aids
  - Propose an online service (a web site)
  - Construct a presentation that covers the following:
    1. The name of the service, its logo, and other marketing collateral
    2. A description of the service. What does it do?
    3. What audience(s) will be targeted by the site? What makes it different?
    4. Who would be a competitor? Who could be a competitor?
    5. How is it going to make money? Why should I invest in it?
  - Things that remain to do:
  - Your audience is a "venture capitalist" who you are seeking funding from
    - So this is a business presentation
  - For Tuesday
    - Construct a formal outline of your presentation. Include references. Bring 10 copies to class.
    - Construct a powerpoint presentation. Bring it to class on a USB drive.

-- Last edited February 23, 2010

Go to Main Topic list

Unless otherwise noted, the contents of this page were written by participants on the Media Space Wiki, operated by Davis Foulger, and should be cited accordingly. For example (APA):
Foulger, D. and other participants. (February 23, 2010). Public Speaking Spr2010 S10. MediaSpaceWiki. Retrieved on from http://evolutionarymedia.com/wiki.htm?PublicSpeakingSpr2010S10.