Group Effectiveness
In today’s common workplace it has become very popular to use workers in groups to achieve many organizational goals. Research over time has proved a group, as opposed to individuals, has a distinct advantage when it comes to problem solving or innovation due to the diverse minds and personalities coming together. Naturally, just by forming a group doesn’t mean the group will fulfill the company’s needs. There are many variables that constitute a proficient group. The following paper will illustrate that although groups are widely used, there are certain facets that can be used to be an effective group; and my specific work group, the 911 NYC transition team, focuses on communication, group development, specified roles, social interdependence, and trust to be effective, thus maximizing opportunity for organizational success.
The 911 NYC transition group is responsible for the provisioning and maintenance of the 911 network for NYC as they relocate and upgrade/expand their on-site equipment and their overall network. This is a huge responsibility as NYC is our largest customer. Our department secured the contract and this customer will ultimately determine our operation going forward. My group has been established to oversee the process as it is one of a kind and very complex. Though there are many firsts and uncertainties involved, my group must make the process run as smoothly as possible. So far we have done an outstanding job as the customer has routinely commended us for our dedication and what has laid the foundation for our group effectiveness has been great communication.
Group communication may be defined as a message sent by a group member to one or more receivers with the conscious intent of affecting the receiver’s behavior; and effective communication exists among group members when the receivers interpret the sender’s message in the same way the sender intended it (Johnson & Johnson, 2009, p. 133). This is the essence of communication within our group. Each member pays close attention to detail when sending a message or receiving it. There is little room for error which, in the world of 911, is not only bad for business but can mean life or death. Whether it is face-to-face, electronic, phone, formal or informal, communication is precise and open. The channel (means of sending a message to another) is always clear, and the noise level (element of sending a message to another) is always minimized (Johnson & Johnson, 2009, p. 135). This is attained as all members work in the same vicinity so information and views can be shared efficiently. Regular meetings and conference calls accentuate this sound communication, and feedback is always welcomed and embraced whether it is positive or negative (constructive criticism). Everyone is even aware of maintaining proper nonverbal communication as body language, gestures, and facial expressions are kept, for the most part, in a neutral or positive mode. Even when a slight hiccup in communication occurs it is addressed swiftly, intelligently and in a respectful manner. Honestly, our group communication is virtually a work of art, it is our key to success, and with this in place it has allowed our group to develop.
Group development is another integral part of our group effectiveness. A natural progression of a group is essential for expected accomplishment. A work team can take up to two or three years to perform up to its capabilities, and what a group is capable of achieving depends on its stage of development (Jones & George, 2007, p. 400). Though there are varying levels and timeframes of development stages for each group, the popular consensus recognizes the five stages of development are: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. My particular group resides at the performing stage. At this stage, group members are motivated, empowered, and have enough responsibility and autonomy to function at a high level; this is where the real work of the group gets accomplished (Jones & George, 2007, p. 401). We have passed through the earlier stages of group development as we have already got acquainted, our value has been recognized, conflicts and disagreements have been addressed, camaraderie formed, and goals have been established. We are fully aware that we must assure our customer that all of there needs and concerns are handled with urgency and care, while making sure that other departments act in the same manner when we need their assistance. It is a challenging task but our group is more than capable. The adjourning stage, or final stage, comes when the project is fully cutover and the customer has moved to their new location, all equipment is functional and the network is error free. This stage may not materialize for quite some time due to an abundance of new components and customer personnel, yet it will eventually take place because of the effectiveness of my group.
With successful group development, proper group structure is formed and this institutes role allocation within the group, another attribute of an effective group. Roles differentiate member responsibilities, while also giving group members direction and guidance. Team performance will be higher when members understand what to do, how to do it, and when it must be done (Yukl, 2010, p.340). Group roles usually consist of two categories: task roles, and maintenance roles. Task roles refer to the actions of individuals that help move the project, decision, or task along; while maintenance roles refer to the actions of individuals that help preserve the relationship in a group (Porteus, 2009). In my group, task roles consist of: members that handle relations with the customers, members that work on what was reported, members that take care of inventory, members that coordinate intra-company responses, and members that document and file all transactions. No specific titles are used, just identification on a work flow chart. These roles can sometime overlap and be exchanged between members. However, for the most part, task roles are defined and assigned. The maintenance role is held by management personnel. It is her job to keep the group focused, educated, and functioning as it should. She is also there to ease any conflict that may arise. As these roles have become entrenched and proved effective, they would not sustain their effectiveness without social interdependence and trust.
Social interdependence and trust solidifies the cohesion of a group. Each trait fosters respect and cooperation among the group members. A group is assembled to tackle a goal or need that an individual otherwise would struggle to execute. Therefore, being able to trust your co-worker while relying on him/her is paramount, as an individual effort and/or mindset is not going to get the job done. Even a talented, well organized team may fail in carrying out its mission unless there is a high level of social interdependence and mutual trust among the members (Yukl, 2010, p.392). Social interdependence defines the ways in which the goals of individuals are related (Johnson & Johnson, 2009, p. 67); whereas, trust becomes the key to being able to work together to achieve such goals. In my group each member is well aware of the overall group and organizational goal which translates into each member performing their role proficiently as the tasks are dependent on each other. With this being the case, having trust as well as being trustworthy is vital. The goal of providing outstanding service to the customer consists of numerous components that each member is responsible for. If one fails, we all fail as social interdependence requires trust of your fellow group members while proving you are worthy of their trust. This mentality is far from easy to master but my group knows the importance of these traits. Social interdependence has become a staple of our group, while trust is the backbone.
In short, effective groups make for effective organizations. How effective each group is depends on elements and principles used in the group’s structure. It is safe to say that communication, group development, roles, social interdependence, and trust can be excellent cornerstones in an effective group. The bottom line to any organization is prosperity. An effective group accomplishes company goals, which ensures satisfied customers, which leads to organizational success.