Group Development and Motivation - Essay Example

?Running Head: GROUP DEVELOPMENT AND MOTIVATION School: Topic: Group Development and Motivation Lecturer: presented: Introduction Globalization and rapidly changing economic, social and political environment call for new ways of carrying out business activities so as to respond quickly to the changes. Organizations are therefore recognizing the need to incorporate team or group work as they have proved to be effective in achieving business success over the years. Careful considerations are required in forming work teams for them to achieve the intended purpose. Lewis et al (2007, p. 366) defines a group as “two or more individuals who interact with each other and each is aware of his/her membership in the group and is also aware of the others who belong to the group and their interdependence in achieving mutual goals”. A group therefore has a goal to accomplish and each member’s behavior is geared towards accomplishing the goal. The group may be formal or informal depending on its purpose. A formal group is formed through authorization from the management to perform a specific task hence it can be a department, a project group or task force. An informal group on the other hand, is not authorized by management but is necessary in the organization for continuous success. This group is created by individuals with similar interests and needs. For teams to be successful, they should have defined goals, commitment, have best combination of skills, be collaborative, good communication, shared leadership and interdependence among others (Bruce et al. 2006). Group development according to Pamela et al (2007); Bruce et al (2006), undergoes various changes just as a business undergoes through a lifecycle. The stages involved in group development include; forming, storming, norming, performing, and transformation. Understanding each stage of the development cycle is essential in ensuring continuity of the group and eventual success. Leaders perform various roles at each stage to ensure employees are motivated and committed to accomplishment of the set objectives. The paper will discuss how groups and developed and how to keep the group motivated. Group Development To design effect groups, certain factors are put into consideration such as; composition of the group, the size and the goals of the team. The composition of the groups involves analyzing the characteristics of the persons to form a group and combine them effectively. This involves considering group roles, characteristics, and diversity (Lewis et al. 2007). The roles performed by a group can be task-oriented, relationship oriented and self oriented. The skills that are needed to accomplish the set goals and objectives and achieve success are task oriented behaviors. According to Bruce et al (2006, p. 136), includes; asking for information and giving the information to team members. Information acts as the basis of the group functioning. Without the relevant information required to perform the assigned tasks, the group cannot accomplish its objectives. One has to ask for information in order to understand what is required and those with information are willing to distribute to the rest of the members. The information is then summarized to come up with logical conclusions. Some members act as energizers to the group. They encourage others to perform their tasks however challenging they might be. Task behavior also involves clarification of information and putting personal feelings aside to accept consensus. Relationship behaviors are those that encourage positive relations between group members. This involves encouraging others to participate in group activities. When everyone participates, there is a feeling of cooperation and a good relationship between group members. Communication is important in ensuring effective teams as it enables decision making, resolving conflicts and setting of goals (Bruce et al. 2006, p. 137). Directing communication is thus one of the tasks involved in enhancing positive working relationships. Interpersonal problem solving and reaching a compromise also enhances a good working environment for the group and continued existence. These tasks are therefore essential in developing an effective group that appreciates each other and works in harmony. Self oriented behaviors in a group on the other hand, hinder group development (Lewis et al. 2007). These are personal interests or needs an individual pursue in a group while disregarding the opinions of other group members. One thus becomes domineering such that he/she controls all the group discussions without giving others a chance to participate. Group member also likes wasting time and avoid performing tasks but takes credit for group achievements. For a group to work and develop effectively such behaviors should be discouraged. Members should be encouraged to put their differences aside to pursue group goals. The composition of a group also involves considering the characteristics of the members and making the right combination. People have different level of skills, traits and are diverse in nature. The group should therefore have the right combination of those elements to be effective depending on the purpose of the group. Members are of different ethnic affiliations, gender, and age and therefore have different attitudes and values which they bring to the group. Due to diversity, conflicts are bound to happen but proper conflict resolution tactics lead to team development as members learn from each other (Hayes, 2002). The organization can choose to form homogenous or heterogeneous groups depending on tasks to be accomplished. Some tasks require diversity of skills and hence a group is formed by combining members from different functions thus innovation and creativity. The group formed should be of an appropriate size. A group of a large size is difficult to control due to diversity of opinions and conflicting interests. Members find it difficult to participate in a large group as there contributions from many individuals. Coordinating the group is also difficult due to communication problems leading to formation of small groups within the group comprising of those with similar opinions. Others take advantage of the large groups to remain inactive but share in the rewards obtained if the group performs well (Lewis et al. 2007). The size therefore is a crucial factor to consider when forming groups so as to achieve member participation and job satisfaction. The goals of the group should be clear and well understood before forming the group. This ensures the right people are recruited into the group and to give a sense of direction. A group without a purpose cannot function properly as there are no clear expectations hence wastage of time and resources. The goals unite the group and enable it to form group norms and avoid conflicting interests. It also enhances motivation and collaboration efforts as the members are aware of where they are heading and the strategies to use to reach there (Parker, 2008). Group Development Stages Group development undergoes through five stages namely; forming, storming, norming, performing and transformation. The forming stage is the founding of a new team. Members are selected considering the mentioned factors of composition, size and goals. At this stage the members start bonding with each other and forming relations. Goals of the group are defined so that member’s behavior is directed towards achievement of the goals. Strategies for achieving the objectives are also set and members given roles and responsibilities. There is a lot of uncertainty at this stage since members have not bonded properly and are not sure if their efforts are valued (Lewis et al. 2007). People also begin to associate with the group and compromise their personal interests. The leader at this stage should ensure members have adequate information to avoid any inconveniences or negative perceptions. The storming stage is the beginning of conflict between members (Bruce et al. 2006). Individuals have to set aside their interests for the good of the group hence conflicts arise before agreeing on what is acceptable and giving up interests that don’t align with group goals. Members also argue about the roles to be performed and the procedures to be used since each member has own way of doing things. Members also compete for leadership roles so as to manage the group. Effective communications skills are therefore essential at this stage to ensure members interact well and goals are understood as well as explanation of roles. Leaders at this stage should not attempt to suppress conflict but should instead encourage it. Conflicts lead to new ideas and positive relations if resolved properly. The norming stage is where the group starts to act cohesively and identify with the team. Norms are values of a group and should not contradict organizational values as this would lead to conflict. Leaders should therefore ensure negative norms are eliminated as early as possible. The members feel connected by their successes in achieving objectives and they help each other to ensure success (Lewis et al. 2007). Maintenance tasks are emphasized during this stage to ensure continuity. Members are encouraged to bond and take on leadership roles so they can feel a sense of belonging. The power of feedback is felt at this stage. The group should be given feedback on its performance so as know their strengths and weaknesses and build on them. The performing stage follows the norming stage. Due to cohesiveness established at the norming stage, the groups perform well. The group has already established its norms which guide behavior hence conflicts are less experienced. The roles at this stage are task oriented to ensure accomplishment of the set goals. The group members also work well since good interpersonal relationships have already been established. Decisions are easier to make and communication flow is constant. There is also collaboration between members (Parker, 2008). The last stage is transforming stage. After accomplishment of tasks the group is disbanded to allow formation of a new group with different goals and different or similar members. The team members at this stage thus have different expectations and Bruce et al (2006) argues that it is the role of the leader to encourage and offer direction to the members once more. There is uncertainty of the future due to new team formations hence support is required. Group Motivation The management should device strategies to keep the group motivated so as to gain commitment and continued success for the group and the organization. To motivate the group, members should be involved in the progress of the organization. Empowering groups to determine their own objectives and strategies in alignment with overall organization objectives makes them have a feeling of ownership hence commitment and motivation. Regular communication is vital in a group especially in communicating the goals and explanation of roles (Hayes, 2002). The management should give regular updates on the progress of the business so that group members are aware of where the organization is heading hence commitment and motivation. According to Bruce et al (2006), communication can be hindered by personal attitudes and perceptions. Inappropriate combination of members may make some members to feel out of place or a sense of not belonging to the group thus dissatisfaction and reduced morale. Giving feedback to employees on their performance and recognizing their achievements is essential in enhancing staff morale and ensuring group members are satisfied with their work hence motivation to work harder (Bruce et al. 2006).The individual and group achievements should be celebrated by giving individuals rewards and sending them congratulatory notes so they can feel valued. Group efforts can be appreciated by issuance of certificates and other motivational events such as free lunch or get together so that they can interact informally with each other hence fostering positive relations. Teams can also be taken for tours to encourage them to continue performing well or financial rewards depending on the values and attitudes of the group. Performance based pay also motivates employees to improve (Hayes, 2002). Giving the group clear expectations propels it to work towards achieving the set goals. To motivate the group, the management should set challenging goals for the group especially after accomplishment of a task to make them work harder. The goals should be communicated effectively to avoid confusion and continuous feedback given so that the group can know how it is progressing in accomplishing the challenging task. The management should also provide all the support needed to accomplish the task such as sufficient resources, tools, skills and training (Lewis et al. 2007). The group will thus feel valued and purposeful hence motivated. Performance evaluations to establish poor performers and excellent performers and rewarding them can boost morale. Poor performance by an individual affects performance of whole group and hence it should be dealt with appropriately. Some members especially in a large group take advantage not to work hard but share in group achievements (Lewis et al. 2007). This can lower the morale of employees as they feel discriminated or overburdened. The leader should therefore deal with poor performers so as to encourage them to work harder and the rest of the group will feel valued. The members can help poor performers where they are weak to achieve better results and improve organization profitability. If one does not change, he/she can be excommunicated from the group. The group motivation can be boosted if risk taking behavior is encouraged. The group should be rewarded for venturing into risky activities. This encourages them to be innovative and creative hence a feeling of accomplishment. Failure should not be punished but should be seen as a means of developing new skills; people learn through mistakes. Punishing a failure especially if it is first mistake discourages the group from trying new things hence hindering skill development, job dissatisfaction and lack of motivation (Hayes, 2002). The leadership of a company establishes the organization culture which directs employee behavior. The leader should therefore be motivational if the members are to be motivated. The leader should create a good climate for team working so as to encourage member participation (Parker, 2008). The leader should also be a risk taker and have good communication skills to be able to communicate his/her expectations and set a good example to the followers. If the leader is ineffective, then the group will not have the motivation to improve performance. The manager should also believe in team working and stop viewing the group as a threat so as to foster a good working relationship and build trust with group members hence commitment and motivation. Conclusion Effective teams are an asset to the organization as they ensure improved productivity and profitability and enable an organization to remain competitive. However, the management should make their expectations clear but setting realistic goals for the group. Ensuring the group has the right combination of skills and diversity ensures effectiveness. The group should also be of an appropriate size which is easy to coordinate and allows participation by all members and discourage free riding. The group develops through stages of formation, storming, norming, performing and transformation before it can be disbanded and a new one formed. At each stage, the leader has different tasks to perform to ensure success. After building the group, ensuring it remains motivated is essential for continuity and better performance. This can be done by ensuring clear goals, rewarding good performance, encouraging staff involvement, supporting the group and managing conflict effectively. References Bruce, M., Cashel, C., Wagstaff, M & Breunig, M (2006) Outdoor Leadership: Theory and Practice. USA: Human Kinetics. Hayes, N (2002) Managing Teams: A Strategy for Success. UK: Thomson Learning. Lewis, P., Goodman, S., Fandt, P & Michlitsch, J (2007) Management: Challenges for Tomorrow’s Leaders. USA: Thomson South-Western. Parker, G (2008) Team Players and Teamwork: New Strategies for Developing Successful Collaboration. 2ed. San Francisco CA: Joss-Bass. Read More