BUSINESS COMMUNICATION ASSIGNMENT – 2

Q.) Describe how humans behave in a group.

a) Human is different in a group - One must understand human in a group and as an
individual behaves differently. He is as well working as a team member and then
to that extent, the group dominates his individual interest. He may not be as
transparent as he is as an individual. He are obsesses by feelings what team mates
think of him and chances his stance accordingly. He may agree with the majority
even though he may not consider it wise as an individual. He is under pressure of
a team and in most of cases he is either a follower or leader –but hardly equal. The
same people whom you thought to be good perhaps look very much different in a
group. There his role as a follower or a leader is important than as an individual.
When you communicate with an individual, you can safely assume that he will be
different in a group.
b) Communication with individual or group - If you want to communicate with a
group you must decide about group average and then start communicating. As
an individual they might be strong advocates of a particular view point but
generally they mellow down in a group and take a line of least resistance. When
you are talking to an individual belonging to an organization, you must keep all
the time in mind that your communication is for a group. You be certain,
whether you are speaking to an individual or a group; and expect it to be
followed by individual or group.
c) Think of grape vine - One must see what weight an individual carries in a group.
It is his level of acceptance in the group that will decide his role in a group. In all
probabilities your communication to an individual in a group is really a password
to make group aware. The grape vine works very strongly in a group situation.
Most of the people are in reactionary mode and hardly think of long-term future
and that which interests them in short term is more acceptable. Most of the wise
communicator keep away group members from long term thinking and go on
disclosing it from time to time.
d) Steps towards leadership - It is said if you want to establish leadership in
communication, one has to go through states of slavery, paternalism (fatherly
relations) –trust and diplomacy. Diplomacy is respecting others and winning
them. First people are suspicious about you and therefore, you must be slave
and do something for them, then they start looking at you as a child and do not
mind giving some work keeping supervision with them (Paternalistic attitude),
then they trust in you but then there can be number of trusted people and one
has to find a way to establish you as a leader amongst them through respecting
others right to become leaders. This is type of diplomacy which one needs to be
a leader.
e) Negotiate - In a group communication one has to compromise on the results and
expect a reasonable level of achievement and not everything as per your plan.
You require negotiating attitude in a group and negotiations are always give and
take.
f) Avoid divide and rule policy -Try not to divide group and rule. Administratively it
may pay for some time but the chances are you will be ruining the cause of business
itself. Business cannot be divided according to followers’ interest.

g) Communicate with all group members at a time - If you want to communicate

with a group take the earliest opportunity to communicate with the group than
individuals comprising it. Establish a direct contact since indirect contact does not
spread the words in the spirit with which they are spoken. It is then better to use
print media and circulate your thoughts.