Group Dynamics for Teams

Q 1

Forming stage

The orientation stage acts as the commencement of a group characterized by uncertainty and anxiety among members. The forming stage encompasses achieving compression of a group's purpose, determination of group organization, and assignment of responsibilities (Levi, 2015). The phase entails outlining rules that govern the project achievement based on schedule and available resources. 

Storming stage

The stage entails high competition and dispute among group members. This phase of group formation results in concerns about the group's leadership, rules, authority, norms, policies, structure, responsibilities, reward system, and evaluation criteria (Levi, 2015). The progress of the group depends on addressing the members' concerns. 

Norming stage

The normative phase of a group involves active cooperation and integration, resulting in sufficient dispute resolution as compared to the first and second stages for group formation (Levi, 2015). The stage promotes effective team performance to accomplish the goals of the group. 

Performing stage

Entails the stable and precise structure of the group. Group members exhibit significant commitment in achieving the group's mission (Levi, 2015). Consequently, the stage involves an organized and effective functioning of the group. 

Adjourning stage

The phase entails achieving various group goals with an emphasis on recording the efforts and outcomes. The presence of a group's committee with continuous responsibilities may result in the recruitment of new members, causing the repetition of the storming stage of the group. 

Q 2

Productive team members operate collectively towards achieving a common goal based on shared values such as integrity, honesty, and empathy. Clear visions or goals that synchronize shared values promote the engagement and motivation of team members (Rankin & Shumack, 2017). Team goals that are specific and consistent with the abilities, attitude, and purpose of team members inspire collective accountability and responsibilities. 

Q 3

Group norms help achieve the group's objectives by regulating the obligations and responsibilities of members in a group. The standards of conduct in a team foster sufficient cohesion and relationship among members. However, violation of norms in a group results in sanction based on the significance of the violated standards. Standards of conduct suggest the unacceptable and acceptable behaviors or attitudes in a group, subsequently, promoting adequate comprehension of members' experience (Rogers, 2016). Consequently, norms help in improving the harmonized operation of a group. 

Q 4

Social loafing refers to a phenomenon where group members apply minimal effort in group work compared to the effort used in a personal task. Elimination of social loafing requires the establishment of performance measurement for group members, creating a sense of significance for the group task, and limiting the group size to a manageable number (Conte & Landy, 2019). Sufficient group cohesion promotes the participation of members resulting in the elimination of social loafing.

Q 5

A group that constitutes persons with a shared goal, experience, or problem promotes members' cohesion. Group cohesion promotes participation or engagement, coordination, and conformity of members in achieving the shared goal(s) (Levi, 2015). Cohesion inspires collective responsibilities, and accountability promotes effective production. 

References

Levi, D. (2015).  Group Dynamics for Teams . Sage Publications.

Levitt, G. (2016).  Team Planning for Project Managers and Business Analysts . CRC Press.

Rankin, D. S., & Shumack, K. A. (2017).  The Administrative Professional: Technology & Procedures . Nelson Education.

Rogers, A. T. (2016).  Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Mezzo and Macro Contexts . Routledge.