There has been an increasing demand on group works especially in different sectors since group interactions have been seen to be effective in attaining certain set goals and objectives. Effective group works increase productivity and the quality of output. However, many people do not have the skills that make a group effective especially in the work place since they might not have used them before. According to , Schwarz (1994), group effectiveness can be described as a set of activities that people engage in a training session as to help them in accomplishing their target activities while working together.
Groups works can be used by students in learning situations, work mates in an organization or even in merry go rounds. Either way, Schwarz (1994) recommends that for a group to be effective there must be a facilitator who acts as a group leader to steer it towards the desired goal. He/she helps in ensuring that the group focuses on that particular task , gives feed back on how the group is progressing as well as pointing out on issues that may hinder the group’s progress. According to Hersey and Blancard (1988), the effectiveness of a group depends on its maturity and in this case, group maturity is dependent on willingness and ability. Ability here refers to the understanding, skills and knowledge that people in a group bring in so as to accomplish a certain activity. It is therefore expected that people in a mature group will perform their given tasks with minimal supervision or without having to be directed by someone. Willingness on the other hand would refer to the enthusiasm or eagerness that people in a certain group have in engaging and completing a given task. People in a mature group do not have to be pushed around since they have the motivation in them. Hersey and Blanchard add that a mature group is more likely to be effective as compared to an immature one. They say that people in an immature group mostly depend on their leader for direction as some are not willing to take responsibility themselves.
Students in colleges and universities mostly use groups to carry out a given activity especially in the end of year assessments, in this case, they are expected to engage in a given task of their choice, discuss ways of accomplishing the task, resources they need and at the end of it all submit the results which determines their grade in that particular subject. Students in a group are expected to participate through discussions, talks and brainstorming. Every member is expected to attend the group discussions and participate accordingly, failure to which one is eliminated from the group. Hackman’s (1990) says that the effectiveness of a group is determined by the teamwork and interdependence amongst the members of that particular group. Here, students understand the fact that everyone has a contribution to make and one should not be intimidated for putting across their opinions or thoughts. Disagreements are made in an agreeable manner while giving reasons for it, discussing openly giving examples that are understood by everyone. Members are also encouraged to accept the fact that the information they relay might not necessarily be correct hence subject for discussion in order to get facts and decisions are made by consensus other than by an individual.
Communication, both verbal and nonverbal is also essential for effectiveness of a group. A two way communication and interaction among members and the leader helps steer the group ahead. In this case, the facilitator has to have knowledge on the task ahead, have good communication skills as well as be a good listener in order to guide others well (Schwarz, 1994). Members communicate with each other clearly and directly and are careful in judging others non verbal communication. The pattern of communication should be understood by everyone such that it is understood who is to talk at a particular time and for how long and the style of communication e.g. questions, gestures etc. According to Hackman’s (1990), group synergy is essential for group effectiveness. The degree of cooperative interaction and endeavor that members put into that task increases the effectiveness of their group. Synergy here is achieved by giving each of the members a task or role to play and encouraging competition in completion of the task. In order to guide the discussion, agendas are used and at the end of it all, one or two members are appointed to summarize the points discussed as well as to ensure that every one has had a chance to contribute. The environment in which a group operates in also determines how it effectively it accomplishes its tasks and how it grows. This means that materials and resources necessary should be available. In a learning situation, facilities like the computers, internet and books are necessary as they act as learning aids.
In conclusion, it should be noted that for a group to be effective, all members should be cooperative with each other. The facilitator’s knowledge and skills, friendliness and open-mindedness are some of the characteristics that are critical for him to steer the group in the right direction. Proper communication, cooperative interaction as well as adequate resources will also ensure that a group achieves its objectives.
Reference List
- Hackman, J. R.(1990). Groups that work (and those that don’t). In: Hirokawa, R. Y. and Keyton J. (1995). Perceived facilitators and inhibitors of effectiveness in organizational work teams. Management Communication 8, pp. 424-446.
- Hersey, P. & Blanchard K.H. (1988) Management of organizational behavior: utilizing human resources (6th Ed). Prentice-Hall, New Jersey
- Schwarz, R. M. (1994). The Skilled Facilitator: Practical Wisdom for Developing Effective Groups, Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco.