Chapter 10- Decision Making and Leadership in Groups

Question 1

brainstorming

Answer 1

• groups generate ideas by brainstorming
• members offer ideas and create a list of all ideas before debating
• brainstorming can enhance creativity if members feel free to share their ideas
• piggybacking off of ideas is encouraged

Question 2

nominal group technique (NGT)

Answer 2

• groups use nominal group technique to generate ideas
• when using NGT, members generate their ideas silently and independently and then combine them and consider them as a group
• NGT can encourage members who might feel inhibited by brainstorming

Question 3

ideawriting

Answer 3

• groups generate ideas by using ideawriting
• each member generates ideas
• each member selects an idea from someone else and offers to comment on it
• members retrieve their original ideas and respond to the comments made about them
• the group creates a master list of ideas worthy of additional discussion
• creates a safe space

Question 4

unanimous consensus

Answer 4

• uncontested support for a decision
• everyone agrees
• ex. jury
• stalemate- if not everyone agree there is a stalemate
• false consensus- everyone says they agree but they dont actually (feel pressured)

Question 5

majority rule

Answer 5

-majority of the group decides

Question 6

minority rule

Answer 6

• used when you need to make a quick decision

- small amount of the group is making a decision for the larger portion of the group

Question 7

expert opinion

Answer 7

-relying on the opinion of an expert to make a decision

Question 8

authority rule

Answer 8

-leader makes the decision for the whole group

Question 9

cultural content affects group decision making

Answer 9

• individualism- authority rule- dont care about the whole community
• collectivistic- group consensus- they care about everyone’s opinion
• power distance
• high power distance cultures are differential to authority rule (possibly expert opinion)
• lower power distance- refer to unanimous consensus
• monochronistic (care about time)- refer to minority rule or authority rule
• polychronistic (dont care about time)- unanimous rule
• time orientation

Question 10

specific traits of a leader: physical

Answer 10

• sex- male
• height- tall
• appearance- masculine features
• psychosocial traits: self-esteem, self-monitoring, extroversion, introversion (communication apprehension)

Question 11

referent power

Answer 11

• based on the desire to comply with request made by people we like, admire, or find attractive
• ex. celebrity endorsements

Question 12

democratic leadership style

Answer 12

-everyone has the right to take a part in decision making

Question 13

autocratic leadership style

Answer 13

-no opinions are taken into account

Question 14

laissez-faire leadership style

Answer 14

• hands off
• let people do their own things
• as long as they are doing what they need to
• great if you have a strong group
• not great if the group has conflict or cannot problem solve

Question 15

how do you know if you are using the best decision process to make a decision

Answer 15

• depends on the importance of the decision
• does it require expert knowledge?
• how soon do you need the decision by?
• if you need a quick decision dont go for unanimous decision -> maybe go for authority rule

Question 16

reward power

Answer 16

• derived from the ability to reward someone for doing what the leader wants
• requires the ability to provide a sufficient reward
• only works if you have a sufficient reward

Question 17

coercive power

Answer 17

• derived from the ability to punish someone for not doing what the leader wants
• requires the ability to issue a sufficient punishment
• only works if the punishment is sufficient

Question 18

referent power

Answer 18

• based on the desire to comply with request made by people we like, admire, or find attractive
• we do something for someone we like
• ex. celebrity endorsements

Question 19

legitimate power

Answer 19

• based on having a status or position that gives the right to make requests with which other must comply
• a department head ordering her subordinates to work certain hours for instance
• ex. boss (not coworker)
• someone who as the ability to ask you to do something

Question 20

avoid groupthink

Answer 20

• groupthink occurs when members seem unanimous in agreement despite individual doubts
• because they are not examined critically, decisions reached by groupthink can have disastrous effects

Question 21

listen carefully

Answer 21

• recognize barriers to effective listening in groups

- practice listening effectively

Question 22

informational power

Answer 22

• based on the ability to control access to information
• usually greatest when the information is valuable and scarce
• ex. socialist, communist
• mange information

Question 23

blake and moutons 5 conflict styles

Answer 23

• balancing needs
• competing- high concern for their own needs and low concern for the group -> leads to resentment
• avoiding- avoids conflict
• accommodating- sacrificing for the other parties benefit (collectivistic culture)
• compromising- moderate concern for everyone in the group-> best way
• collaborating- both parties sacrifice and try to arrive at a compromise-> not the most effective or efficient