Managing People & Organization

MBAZG511

Groups, Team and Communication

BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus Total Slides : 60 Dr. Shikha Sahai
Recap
• Introduction to Group Behavior
• Social Identity Theory
• Stages of Group Formation
• Punctuated Equilibrium Model
• Group Properties
• Roles, Role Identity, Role Perception, Role Expectation, Psychological Contract,
Role Conflict,

• Group Norms
• Appearance Norms, Performance Norms, Social Arrangement Norms, Allocation
of Resources Norms

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Learning Objective

• Group Properties
• Team Effectiveness Models
• Understanding Self
• Communication at Work
• Communication Style
• Life Positions
• Transactional Analysis

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Group Property - Cohesiveness
Cohesiveness
Degree to which group members are attracted to
each other and are motivated to stay in the group.

Increasing group cohesiveness:

1. Make the group smaller.
2. Encourage agreement with group goals.
3. Increase time members spend together.
4. Increase group status and admission difficultly.
5. Stimulate competition with other groups.
6. Give rewards to the group, not individuals.
7. Physically isolate the group.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights

8–4
reserved.
Schachter Study
• Tested the effect of group cohesiveness
and induction on productivity
Pitch fork Productivity Curve
Implications of the Schachter Study

• High Cohesive Groups have very

powerful dynamics (+ve and –ve)

• Performance depends on how the

high and low cohesive groups are
induced
Group Tasks
• Decision-making
– Large groups facilitate the pooling of
information about complex tasks.
– Smaller groups are better suited to
coordinating and facilitating the
implementation of complex tasks.
– Simple, routine standardized tasks reduce the
requirement that group processes be effective
in order for the group to perform well.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

8
–
8

Group Decision Making

• Strengths • Weaknesses
– More complete – More time
information consuming (slower)
– Increased diversity of – Increased pressure
views to conform
– Higher quality of – Domination by one
decisions (more or a few members
accuracy) – Ambiguous
– Increased responsibility
acceptance of
solutions

MBAZG511
Group Decision Making (cont’d)
Groupthink: Panchtantra Story

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Group Decision Making (cont’d)
Groupthink: Panchtantra Story

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Group Decision Making (cont’d)
Groupthink
Phenomenon in which the norm for consensus
overrides the realistic appraisal of alternative course
of action.

Groupshift
A change in decision risk between the group’s
decision and the individual decision that member
within the group would make; can be either toward
conservatism or greater risk.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Symptoms Of The Groupthink Phenomenon

• Group members rationalize any resistance to

the assumptions they have made.
• Members apply direct pressures on those who
express doubts about shared views or who
question the alternative favored by the majority.
• Members who have doubts or differing points of
view keep silent about misgivings.
• There appears to be an illusion of unanimity.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Pause and Ponder
• Do your Groups suffer from
– Social Loafing
– Group Think
• What Can you do to Overcome the
problems of
– Social Loafing
– Group Think

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

1. Group decision making is not always attributed with

effectiveness.
1. True
2. False

14
Teams and Groups - Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG-
FLOi4OOU

15
Case Study – Arctic Mining Consultants
- 4 Member Team: Parker, Talbot, Boyce, and Miller
- Leader: Parker
- Target: 7 lengths by each for 7 days
- Incentive: $300 bonus for each
- Chronology of events
- Day 1: Reached the designated place and made plans
- Day 2: Miller and Boyce: 6 and Parker and Talbot: 8
- Day 3: Miller 5 and a half, Boyce 4, Talbot 7, Parker 8. Parker was angry. Boyce gave
reasons for delay, Miller told he did his best. Parker had not inspected the area. Talbot tells
parker he was harsh and tried explaining difference in terrain. Parker did not accept the
argument
- Day 4: Miler 7, Boyce 6 1/2, Talbot and Parker 8. Parker not very happy
- Day 5: Miller and Boyce 6, Talbot 7 and Parker 8. Anger towards Miller, Miller told he did his
best and did not even stop for lunch. Miller tells Boyce he feels victimized.
- Day 6: Miller raced for breakfast, came last. Miller 8 and ¼. Boyce 7, Talbot and Parker 8
- Day 7: Miler 6, Boyce 5, Talbot 7, Parker 7 ¼
- Day 8: Target 8, Miller 5 ¼, Boyce 7 ¼, Talbot 8, Parker 10. Boyce was helped by Talbot.
Only 2 ½ length was left

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Case Study: Arctic Mining Circle

1. Stages of Group Formation that were present

2. Norms of the Group that developed

3. Cohesiveness in the group

4. Status of Group Members

5. Why do you think they were not able to achieve the goal

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A Team-Effectiveness Model

Caveat 1: This is a
general guide only.

Caveat 2: The
model assumes
that teamwork is
preferable to
individual work.
Comparing Work Groups and Work Teams
Examples of work groups and work
teams

• Lets take an example of workgroups and work teams

– A business may have a client services group, but one
person may focus on local clients, one person may
focus on regional clients and a third person may
assist those individuals.
– Before a small business creates a new product, it
may organize a team composed of people from all
departments – engineering, finance, legal, marketing,
etc. – to consider all aspects of the potential new
product to avoid costly surprises down the road.
Why Have Teams Become So Popular?

• Great way to use employee talents

• Teams are more flexible and responsive to changes in
the environment
• Can quickly assemble, deploy, refocus, and disband
• Facilitate employee involvement
• Increase employee participation in decision making
• Democratize an organization and increase motivation
Types of Teams

• Problem-Solving Teams

– Groups of 5 to 12 employees from the same

department who meet for a few hours each week to
discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the
work environment

• Self-Managed Work Teams

– Groups of 10 to 15 people who take on the

responsibilities of their former supervisors
Types of Teams

• Virtual Teams

– Teams that use computer technology to tie together

physically dispersed members in order to achieve a
common goal

– To be effective, virtual teams need

• Trust among members,

• Communication

• Close monitoring
Review

1. Virtual teams work through computer technologies and

therefore are very reliable and do not need much
monitoring over them.
1. True
2. False
 BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus

Communication
Johari Window

26 or Code
Course Name
 27 or Code
Course Name
Johari Window

28 or Code
Course Name
Effective Questioning

• Close ended
• Closed-ended questions can be answered in only one
word or with a short, specific piece of information.
Closed-ended questions have the potential to end the
conversation.

• Open Ended
• Open-ended questions are those which require more
thought and more than a simple one-word answer.
Open-ended questions have the potential to continue
the conversation.
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Effective Questioning
• Close ended: Examples

• Are you feeling better today?

• Will you please do me a favor?
• Have you already completed your work?
• Can I help you with that?
• Do you like data testing work?

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Questioning

• Closed Ended Question to a New Recruit:

• Did you like your orientation

• Isn't our induction period very long and
boring
• Do you now feel settled here
• Do you have any other question to ask

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Effective Questioning
• Close ended
• You are the maintenance manager of a machine shop.
In Yesterday’s night shift there was a breakdown of an
EOT Crane which caused the stoppage of the entire
line. When the operation people called the shift in-
charge they could not solve the problem. They tried
reaching your mechanical head but his phone was not
reachable. The delay in understanding the problem and
hence addressing it led to the loss in production and
also the image of your department. You reach the site to
find what is the problem. You talk to the operation head
to understand the problem. Ask Closed ended questions
to understand what has happened?

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Effective Questioning

• Open Ended Questions

• What
• Why
• Where
• How
• Who

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Effective Questioning

• Open Ended Questions

• What: What had happened

• Why: Why do you think that it happened
• Where: Where was the problem identified
• How: How do you think we can solve the
problem
• Who: Who identified the problem

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 Effective Questioning

• Open Ended Questions to a New Recruit:

• How was your early experience in your company?

• What are the new HR policies?
• Why do you think safety is so important here?
• When can you start the new assignment?
• Where did you go today for your induction?

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 Communication
• Expression of Extreme Negative Emotions

• War of Words (Especially in Social Media)

Communication Style

Passive Assertive Aggressive

Definiti Communication style in Communication style in Communication style

on which you put the rights of which you stand up for in which you stand up
others before your own, your rights while for your rights but you
minimizing your own self- maintaining respect for violate the rights of
worth the rights of others others

Implicati my feelings are not we are both important your feelings are not
ons to important important
others I don't matter we both matter you don't matter

I think I'm inferior I think we are equal I think I'm superior

 Communication Style
Passive Assertive Aggressive
Style Not expressing needs Honest, open, Domineering,
Self-devaluing direct insisting
Waiting to be led Recognises own Win / lose
rights Not listening
Listens to others’
needs
Non- looking down or away, relaxed posture, tense, clenched
verbal stooped posture, smooth and relaxed fists, rigid posture,
excessive head nodding movements pointing fingers
behav
iour
Langu Sorry to bother you. I believe/need/I’d like That won’t work
age I can’t seem to … No (when You can’t be serious
It’s only my opinion appropriate) Your problem / fault
Open questions
 Communication Style

Passive Assertive Aggressive

Poten lowered self-esteem higher self-esteem guilt
tial disrespect from others
disrespect from others
Conse Potential consequences
quenc pitied by others respect
es of others feared by
others
anger at self self-respect anger from others
false feelings of inferiority respect from others lowered self-esteem
disrespect from others respect of others disrespect from others
pitied by others feared by others
Scenarios

Scenario A friend asks to borrow your car. This will be a big

inconvenience for you
Passive Umm. I guess that’s fine. Do you need me to fill the tank
Aggressive No Way! Why would I let you borrow my car. I need it
Assertive I need my car. As I have to go some where. But I have time to
drop you off.
Scenarios

Scenario Your boss asks you to stay late, while everyone leaves. You
are always the one who stays late, and today you have some
plans
Passive
Aggressive
Assertive
Scenarios

Scenario Your boss turns you down for a promotion you thought was in
the bag. You know she's made the wrong choice and you're
going to tell her why.
Passive
Aggressive
Assertive
TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS
BLAME GAME

I'm to blame (You are okay and I'm not okay

- 'helpless') You are to blame (I'm okay and
you are not okay - 'angry')
We are both to blame (I'm not okay and you
are not okay - 'hopeless')
• "It's no-one's fault, blame isn't the issue -
what matters is how we go forward and sort
things out." (I'm okay and you are okay -
'happy')
Transactional Analysis
TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS (TA)

• is a method of understanding
communication between people;
• T.A. is a system of analysing and
understanding human relationships;
• Transactional analysis was first
developed by an American
psychiatrist, Eric Berne, drawing on
the theories of psychoanalyst Sigmund
Freud.
Ego States
• Berne believed that when we interact with other people, our
state of mind affects what happens
• He believed that there were three states of mind in all humans,
no matter how old we are, called ego states.

ADULT
PARENT
CHILD
The basic Structure of Human Personality

Parent Taught Concept of

Life

Adult Thought Concept of Life

Child Felt Concept of life

Managing People and Organization

Eric Berne and Transactional Analysis

▪ Parent: when a person thinks, feels &

behaves in ways copied from his/her
parents
▪ Child: thinking, feeling, behaving as one
did as a child
▪ Adult: thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that
are a direct result of current happenings

Managing People and Organization 49

The Three Ego States
• Parent- “Do as I do”
• Child- “What shall I do?”
• Adult- “Based on the data we should
choose option B”
• Key point: people shift in & out of these states
Characteristics of Ego States
• Each ego state has particular verbal and
non-verbal characteristics, which can be
observed, if you are watching people.
• Each ego state has a positive and
negative aspect
Different Ego States

1. It’s not my fault my

drink got spilt on
your new carpet
2. I wonder what
might have caused
that accident CHILD
3. For goodness sake, ADULT
clean up that mess.
4. Let me help you in
your assignment
5. I do not enjoy doing
this project so I will
not work on it. PARENT
Ego states

• While all the ego states are present in all

of us simultaneously, only one of these will
be in command at any given moment in
time. Furthermore, the states do not
depend on the individual's age and each
presents positive and negative aspects.
Child Ego State
Child –
• Natural child – spontaneous, impulsive,
feeling oriented, creative & pleasure loving
(Innate Characteristic)
• Adaptive child – compliant, conforms to
the wishes & demands of parental figures
(Response to external stimulus- it could be
compliance or defiance to authority)
Child Ego State
• Natural
– Spontaneous (positive) and Immature (negative).
– Natural instincts of the child from within: Crying,
demanding, being impulsive OR curious, shy,
inquisitive, fantasizing
This is also called as Free Child
• Adapted
– Co-operative (positive) and Resistant (negative).
– Response to the forces from outside: Obedience,
manipulating OR aggression, rebelliousness,
Feelings of guilt and anxiety.
This is called as Adaptive child
 Child Ego State
• The Natural Child behaves as a child would do
naturally, bringing together creativity, intuition
and curiosity. The Natural Child enjoys life,
expresses itself freely. Expresses feelings of
happiness, sadness, anger and fear depending
on the situation, and is spontaneous.
The Natural Child is the state which loves.
• The Adapted Child adapts its behavior under
the influence of its parents, behaving in the
way that its parents would like it to or even
opposite of it, for example, with obedience or
or rebellious.
Some Examples of Child Ego State
• Child cuddling a doll: Nurturing parent
• Not liking the deadlines given by your
boss: Adaptive Child
• Getting Angry for being suspended:
Adaptive Child
• Succumbing to the pressures: Adaptive
Child
• Writing an advertisement: Free Child
 The two levels of the Parent ego state

Nurturin Controlling
g Parent Parent

Managing People and Organization

Parent Ego State
• Nurturing parent - comforts, praises and
helps others But can also Spoil
• Critical parent – finds faults, displays
prejudices, disapproves and prevents
others from feeling good about themselves
but will also provide structure/ Rules
Parent Ego State
• Nurturing - Nurturing (positive) and Spoiling (negative).
• Advice, Train, Feed, Coach, Protect
This is Called as Nurturing Parent (Probably the mother’s role)
• Controlling/ Critical - Structuring (positive) and Critical
(negative).
• Scold, Criticize, Punish, lay down Rules
This is called as Critical Parent
(probably the Father’s Role)
Nurturing Parent
• Advantages: Encourages, train,
develops, comforts others at times of
stress.
• Disadvantages: Can become too
liberal and lenient, allowing people to
be neglectful of the requirement of the
work. He may be taken for granted,
loved but not respected
Adult Ego State

• Use of Reasoning, evaluation, analysis

of data, use of logic, ability to observe
objectively and correctly
This is the ADULT
Transactional Analysis
Transactional analysis - Transactions
between people are seen as having 3
levels:
• Complementary – both people are
operating from the same ego state
• Crossed – the other person reacts from an
unexpected ego state
• Ulterior – two ego states within the same
person but one disguises the other
Types of Transaction

Complementary Transactions
This is a
P P complement
ary
A A transaction
because the
employee
C C accepts the
child ego
DIRECTOR EMPLOYEE state
assigned to
“You’re three “I’m really sorry, I
him by the
hours late, I want slept through the
director and
an explanation.” alarm, it won’t
responds in
happen again, I
child ego
promise.”
state.
Complementary Transactions
• 1:
– A: Its Lovely Weather for this time of the year
– B: Yes, isn't it nice to see the sun
• 2
– A: Ow! I’ve cut my finger
– B: Oh Dear, Come here let me clean it up for you
• 3
– Have you written the report
– I am about to email it to you
• 4
– Would you like to skip this meeting and go watch a movie
instead
– I would love to I don’t want to work anymore
• 5
– You should have your room tidy by now
– Will you stop hassling me? I’ll do it eventually 65
 Crossed Transaction
This is a crossed transaction
P P because although the
manager, parent ego state,
A A attempted to address the
employee as a child, the
employee refuses this ego
C C state and responds in adult
ego state to the manager’s
DIRECTOR EMPLOYEE ego state.
“You’re three “Oh, didn’t A crossed transaction is any
hours late, I you get held transaction where the person
want an up by that being spoken to refuses the
explanation.” accident on ego state they are assigned
the road as by the first speaker.
well?”
Crossed Transactions
• 1:
– A: Can you tell me what time is it?
– B: Why are you always rushing me?
• 2
– A: Can you tell me what time is it?
– B: You are always late anyway. Why do you care
• 3
– A: Have you written the report
– B: Will you stop hassling me? I’ll do it eventually !
• 4
– A: If you don’t change your attitude you will get fired
– B: I am you most productive employee you can’t
• 5
– A: Is your room tidy?
– B: I’m just going to do it actually
67
Ulterior Transactions

• Operating at different ego states

• Negotiations
• Sales
• Recruitment
• Boss-Subordinate
• Couples

68
Stroking
• What is Stroking
• Giving Strokes is OK
• Taking Strokes is OK
• Asking for Strokes is OK
• Saying No to Strokes is OK
– Positive Stroking
– Negative Stroking
– No Stroking
Positive Strokes

Give Positive Refuse to Give Accept Ask others for

Strokes Positive Positive positive
Strokes Strokes strokes

Usually
Always
Frequently
Often
Rarely
Almost Never

70
Negative Strokes

Give Positive Refuse to Give Accept Ask others for

Strokes Positive Positive positive
Strokes Strokes strokes

Usually
Always
Frequently
Often
Rarely
Almost Never

71
Recommended transactional analysis books

• Working Together; Organizational Transactional Analysis

and Business Performance - Anita Mountain & Chris
Davidson (Gower)
• TA Today - Ian Stewart & Vann Joines
• I'm OK You're OK - Thomas and Amy Harris
• Staying OK - Thomas and Amy Harris
• Games People Play - Eric Berne
• What Do You Say After You Say Hello - Eric Berne
• Scripts People Live - Claude Steiner
• The Total Handbook Of Transactional Analysis -
Woollams & Brown
• Transactional Analysis For Trainers - Julie Hay
• The Transactional Manager - Abe Wagner
 Case Study
Rohit, is an executive in the finance department. He has been with the company for five
years, and in this department for six months. Divya is her immediate supervisor. Divya told
Rohit to prepare minutes of the meeting for a meeting that Divya had with one of the
important bankers. Divya had asked him to do this as her secretary was absent that day.
After the meeting, when Divya asked Rohit about the minutes, he replied he was a
Chartered accountant and would not do the job of a secretary. Divya replied, “All jobs are
important and in a meeting like this recoding the finer minutes of the meeting were
required”. Rohit became angry and abusive, calling Divya a number of names in a loud
voice and refusing to make minutes of the meeting even in future. All employees in the
department heard Rohit’s comments. Divya remained calm and asked him to lower down
his voice, she explained that denial to work amounts to insubordination and is not a
welcomed behaviour from an executive. She also explained how Rohit could have learned
about requirements of the bank and the process of funding if he had made those minutes.
Diya believed that all employees should be willing to share responsibilities and not
compartmentalise and restrict their contribution to the organization. Later, she spoke to all
employees in a weekly departmental meeting and also with each employee individually to
discuss the importance of multi-tasking and responsibility sharing. The only objection
came from Rohit.

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 Case Study

1. What is the communication style (Aggressive/ Assertive/

Passive) used by Divya and Rohit? Give reasons to support
your answer.
2. From Transactional Analysis perspective, what is the ego
state exhibited by Divya and Rohit? Give reasons to support
your answer.
3. From life position perspective, which life position do
Divya and Rohit exhibit. Explain.
4. From the reinforcement perspective, suggest a suitable
reinforcement that Divya can use after Rohit’s emotional
outburst.

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 Thank you
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Pilani Campus