What group work experiences have you had? Thinking back on the
way your group worked together, can you identify these stages in
your experience?
As a team leader, what would you need to consider having the
knowledge that people tend towards conformity?
Encourage diversity of thought
Foster psychological safety
Set clear expectations
Promote critical thinking
Since group think can prevent us from being objective and
considering appropriate alternatives when making decisions, it is
important to mitigate it. What can you do as a leader to prevent
group think?
To prevent groupthink as a leader, encourage open and honest communication, create a safe space for dissenting opinions, and actively seek diverse perspectives before making decisions.
Can you think of a situation where you were affected by group
polarization?
Group polarization happens when people who have similar (but
perhaps not identical) opinions are in a group together. As they
discuss their opinions, those opinions become more extreme
You have to put a group of people together in order to write and
present a research paper. What things will you do from the
beginning to ensure that no social loafing takes place?
To prevent social loafing when forming a group for a research paper, establish clear individual roles and responsibilities, set collective goals with specific expectations, and foster a culture of accountability and regular progress updates.
Which response style would you prefer when handling difficult
communicators and why? Which difficult communicators do you
struggle with most?
• accept the difficult communication style(s), adapt yourself to them, and be
flexible by allowing the team members to guide the meeting or discussion,
or
• interrupt difficult communicators, intervene by controlling the meeting or
discussion and focusing all team members on the relevant issues.
Joker: This person may tell funny stories, make light of the issues
discussed or do silly things.
Choose one of the 5 theories of motivation presented and discuss
how a manager can apply this in the workplace.
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs
Five Levels of the Hierarchy of Needs:
Physiological Needs
These needs are basic survival needs, such as the need for water,
air, food and sleep.
Security Needs
These include needs for safety and security, for example, a desire for steady employment, health insurance, safe places to live etc.
Social Needs
These needs include wanting to belong to groups, be loved and have affection and acceptance. Relationships at work, friendships, romantic partners, other social groups and families help fulfill this.
Esteem Needs
Once the first three categories of needs have been met, esteem
needs become important. These are self-esteem, respect, personal
worth, status, recognition and accomplishment.
Self-actualizing Needs
This is the highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy. Self-actualization means people are interested in personal growth and fulfilling their potential. They are less concerned with other’s opinions.
After reading about Belbin’s roles, which one best describes your
role in a group?
Coordinator
In your opinion, which roles are necessary for a team to be
successful? Does every team need a leader?
Additionally, the "Implementer" is crucial in translating ideas into tangible outcomes. Finally, the "Completer Finisher" guarantees that projects are meticulously executed and delivered to a high standard
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