Group Behavior and Causes of Conflict - Essay Example

?Running Head: Groups & Conflicts Groups & Conflicts [Institute’s Groups & Conflicts Group dynamics are one of the most pertinent topics of organizational behavior today. This is because in a world that requires complex, multi-faceted tasks to be done in a timely manner, no one person has the skill or efficiency to perform such tasks alone. They need a group of people, to work towards the same goal together, each having different skills and roles, which will play an important part in completing the task. Thus, the importance of groups rises in the world, in corporate as well as other aspects. To understand what makes a strong and successful group, one must first understand the dynamics of group development, as well as the sources of conflict, which can decrease the efficiency of the group. Understanding both of these can help a manager with several practical life lessons, such as how to form groups and how to resolve group conflict. When a group is developing, according to Bruce Tuckman, the group goes through five stages of development. These stages are “forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning” (Singh, pp. 240, 2009). This theory is based on the assumption that when a group is formed, it does not initially perform at an optimal level of production. It lacks the efficiency of a perfectly coordinated team, but with time it slowly learns to work as a team and thus picks up speed while working. This process of development includes getting used to each other’s differences and resolving any conflicts, which may be affecting their effectiveness (Singh, pp. 240, 2009). The first stage of this process is the forming stage. This stage is the initial period when the group begins to work with each other, without fully established norms, guidelines, or roles. The group members often experience confusion in this stage, as their roles and thus their significance in the group is unclear at this point. They are also uncertain of which courses of action to follow as a group, as no solid plan for the group has been established yet. Even the goals of the group are unclear at this point, and thus the members are uncertain about what to do. Furthermore, the role of leadership also stands undetermined at this point. The group has yet to appoint a leader or a manager who will help guide them to their goal. Thus, the group functions without a specific direction or a specified director in this formation stage. The group members get to know each other in this stage, and reveal the expectations each of them has with the group and its outcomes. Furthermore, they familiarize themselves with the goals and objectives of the group and learn of the different rules that the group is governed by. This stage is former to the point where the group members learn to trust each other, and thus it is a delicate time for this group, and thus disagreements should be handled carefully. These different processes of choosing a leader, developing norms, and learning to trust and like each other come in the later stages of group development. The second stage is the storming stage, which is when the conflicts start taking place in the group. Since the members are still relatively new to each other, they may experience disagreements about the goals the team should be working for as well which role each member should assume. The role of leadership often causes conflict, as more than one person may want to assume this role, and several different members may be idealizing distinct leadership strategies for the group. The group is often able to resolve these conflicts and disagreements in an effective manner, which leads to the creation of group cohesiveness. This can be thought of as the social adhesive, which keeps the group together. Bringing about cohesiveness helps change this group of strangers into a group of acquaintances who are willing to work with each other. This stage also encompasses the sharing of doubts and concerns amongst members. They share their criticisms and problems, and work them out. Sometimes, a group is unsuccessful in resolving the conflicts, which leads to the group either dissolving, or adding and subtracting a few members until they have the right amount of cohesiveness and agreeability amongst them. If they do not do this, they remain stagnant at the storming stage, and the group does not develop to the following three stages. The stage following storming is the norming stage. Here, the group members recognize the individual differences each of them have, which differentiate them from each other. They learn about the different expectations each member has from the group, and based on these expectations and differences as guidelines, they establish a set of norms for the group. Apart from this, they divide the groups’ tasks and responsibilities amongst the members, and start planning a routine, which they will follow with their work. Finally, they also start developing a sense of identity, and start viewing them as a proper group (Beverlin and Johnson, pp. 143, 2001). In this stage, the group also learns how to work together and make decisions by cooperating, and is thus an important step for the group’s development. The fourth stage of group development is the performing stage. By this point, the group has established norms and roles and has developed a sense of group cohesiveness. Thus, they are prepared to start performing their tasks and work towards the group’s goals. Group discussions are helpful at this point in resolving any major conflicts that may exist amongst the members. They are also able to move past the emotional side of group development and start making judgments and decisions based on their goals rather than their feelings. In this stage, they move from forming and preparing, to actually executing their plans and initiating work, thus making this a vital process in the group’s development. The final stage of group development is the adjourning stage. After the group is formed, settled and is done performing their tasks, it is adjourned. This process, however, does not apply to every group, since some groups are made permanently and do not dissolve after they accomplish their goals. Examples of such groups can be the groups formed in the workplace to cater to monthly recurring activities. This stage is often accompanied by feelings of sadness and hesitation to part for the members. These members then go their separate ways, and the group stands adjourned (Kim, pp. 152, 2006). These stages of development are only one of several theories, which organizational psychologists have presented to explain how a group develops. However, Tuckman’s theory of the five stages remains one of the most popular group development theories, especially due to its realistic assumptions and practical life application. In addition, it maps out a systematic process, predicting the processes the group will go through in order. This helps one observe a group and determine how close it is to beginning the pursuit of their goals. While the development of a group consists of several problems and adjustments before it can start performing its tasks, one of the most important problems is the conflicts, which arise amongst the group. Their importance springs from the fact that these conflicts, if not resolved properly, can disrupt the harmony of the group and make it less effective. The conflict in the group can arise on several different levels. It may arise in between one member and the rest of the group, or it may arise in between two factions within the group, created by a disagreement. There are several factors, which can cause conflict in the group, each of which require a unique approach to conflict resolution. One of the main sources of conflict arises when there is a scarcity of resources in the group. If two or more people need to use the same resource, which can only be used by one person at a time, it can lead to conflict in the group over who gets to use it. Often this is a difficult conflict to resolve, as resources are often too expensive to duplicate for the purpose of everyone’s use. A better solution is to construct a schedule, which helps everyone gain access to the resource at different times (Hannaway and Hunt, pp, 49, 1995). However, no matter how this type of conflict is resolved, it is almost inevitable for most groups to experience it at some point, as resources allocated to a group are usually limited. Thus, it is important for managers to manage the limited resources carefully so that they may avoid this type of conflict. Another very common source of conflict occurs when the members have opposing values or opinions, and cannot come to an agreement with each other. This is a major source of conflict, as it relates to a more personal aspect of group dynamics, which is more difficult to solve than work-based conflicts. The group often familiarizes itself with each other’s values and expectations in order to be able to form a proper set of norms, which suit everyone and which can govern the group’s behavior in a manner agreeable to everyone. Thus, if the values are too different for them to agree on one set of norms, then it can lead to conflict (Hannaway and Hunt, pp, 49, 1995). Apart from this, there are several other sources of conflict, which can disrupt the harmony of the group. If the members know that they have been assigned unsuitable roles, which they either cannot perform nor do not wish to perform, resentment, and dissatisfaction can arise, which will lead to conflict. In addition, if the goals that the group sets do not match the actual expectations of the members, this can cause conflict. This conflict can result in de-motivation towards the goals of the group and a hesitance to conform the duties and tasks assigned to the members. Finally, power conflict can also disrupt the peace of a group. If the members are not satisfied with the amount of power they have been given, or if they think that another member has been given too much power, this can lead to a power struggle, which will inevitably cause conflict (Fisher, pp. 3, 2000). All these conflicts indicate very different sources and are yet very similar in how they affect the cohesiveness of the group. They also obstruct the effectiveness of the group and can often hinder the group from delivering the desired results. Each of these sources are highly probable in an average work setting, and thus management should ensure that all such conflicts are controlled and resolved before they damage the team’s performance. This step will ensure that the group functions effectively and without hindrance. References Beverlin, Michael and Johnson, Douglas. 2001. Team development - Volume 5. Emerald Group Publishing. Fisher, Ron. 2000. Sources of Conflict and Methods of Conflict Resolution. International Peace and Conflict Resolution, School of International Service – The American University. Hannaway, Conor, and Hunt, Gabriel. 1995. The management skills book. Gower Publishing, Ltd. Kim, Jungtae. 2006. The effectiveness of test-takers' participation in development of an innovative Web-based speaking test for international teaching assistants at American colleges. ProQuest. Singh, Kavita. 2009. Organizational Behaviour: Text and Cases. Pearson Education India. Read More