Group & team dynamics

Question 1

What is the definition of a group?

Answer 1

Social aggregates that involve mutual awareness and the potential for interaction

Question 2

What 5 things does a team need in order to be a team?

Answer 2

Mutual awareness between members
Structured patterns of communication
Shared collective identity
Shared common goal
Mutual interdependence between members

Question 3

What is mutual awareness between group members?

Answer 3

Must know who is in the group

Question 4

What is structured patterns of communication?

Answer 4

Must know who to talk to

Question 5

What is a shared collective identity?

Answer 5

Same ideas, want to stay in the group

Question 6

What is a shared common goal?

Answer 6

Sharing a vision for the team

Question 7

What is a mutual interdependence between members?

Answer 7

Everyone must do their job

Question 8

What are the 4 stages of team development?

Answer 8

Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing

Question 9

What happens in the forming stage of team development?

Answer 9

Individuals come together to familiarise themselves with each other.
Strong dependence on the leader for guidance
Aims are unclear so leader must give strong direction

Question 10

What happens in the storming stage of team development?

Answer 10

Individual members/cliques begin to challenge status of leader. Hostility/stress may cause competition for power.
Clearer focus for team but still many uncertainties.
Must remain focused on goal and not get distracted by relationships. Compromise is key for progress, coach more advice than leading.

Question 11

What happens in the norming stage of team development?

Answer 11

Group more stable. Roles/responsibilities more clear. Members work together through consensus of opinion and display group cohesion.
Recognise need for common goals and gain satisfaction from achieving task together.
Mutual respect, leadership more likely to be shared.

Question 12

What happens in the performing stage of team development?

Answer 12

Clear vision and clear aims.
No interference/participation from leader
Little interference as team members trusted to get on with job.
disagreements occur but are resolved positively.
Team can work and be personable.
Ask for assistance with personal and interpersonal issues.

Question 13

What is the definition of group cohesion?

Answer 13

The total field of forces which act on members to remain in a group.

Question 14

What are the 2 dimensions of cohesion?

Answer 14

Group integration

Individual attraction

Question 15

What is group integration?

Answer 15

Relates to how the members of the group feel about the group as a whole

Question 16

What is individual attraction?

Answer 16

Relates to how attracted the individuals are to the group

Question 17

What are the 2 motivations of the 2 dimensions of cohesion?

Answer 17

Social (like personal interaction)

Task (take part to perform or succeed)

Question 18

What is the definition of actual productivity?

Answer 18

The team performance at a given time during a game/event

Question 19

What is the definition of potential productivity?

Answer 19

Best possible performance of the group taking into account resources availability, ability of individuals and cohesiveness

Question 20

What is the definition of losses due to faulty group processes?

Answer 20

Factors which can go wrong in a team performance.

They impede group cohesion and detract from collective potential of the team.

Question 21

What is the equation for actual productivity?

Answer 21

= Potential productivity - losses due to faulty processes

Question 22

What are the 2 types of faulty processes?

Answer 22

Coordination losses

Motivational losses

Question 23

What is the definition of coordination losses?

Answer 23

A breakdown in teamwork also known as the Ringlemann effect - this means the effectiveness of a team to operate as a group cannot be sustained.

Question 24

What causes coordination losses?

Answer 24

Large group numbers
Lack of timing
Lack of understanding of tactics/strategy

Question 25

What strategies are there to prevent coordination losses?

Answer 25

Allocate clear roles within the team
Repetition of set plays in training
Prioritise effective communication of tactics to team members

Question 26

What is social loafing?

Answer 26

An individuals decrease in motivation causing a withdrawal of effort and coasting through a period of play/whole game.

Question 27

What do you attribute failure to that causes motivational losses?

Answer 27

Internal stable factors, losing and blaming themselves, lack of self confidence low self-efficacy and inexperience

Question 28

What causes social loafing?

Answer 28

Lack of identifiable roles
Efforts not being recognised
Injury
Perception that others aren't trying
Insufficient incentives to work together
Lack of common goals
Task too difficult - (Avoidance behaviour)
Negative effects of an audience

Question 29

How can you reduce motivational losses?

Answer 29

Give credit for personal success
Attribute success to effort
Encourage social support between players and peer pressure
Allocate clear roles to each performer
Punish social loafing