Page 292 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

Problem Solving and Decision Making in Groups 275

groups are asked at each step to reflect on the goals of that step and make whatever
adjustments are needed to correct their path to success. A team’s success is intimately
connected to both how well it reflects on its work as well as how it practically makes
changes to adapt appropriately to those reflections. This responsibility falls not just
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on one individual in a group but on everyone. With proper amounts of reflection and
adaptation, both team performance and group collaboration improve.

Tailoring P-MOPS to Fit a Specific Problem

Reflection and adaptation are central to using P-MOPS effectively; otherwise,
P-MOPS is just a list of steps. P-MOPS is meant to remind you of the important func-
tions that need your attention during problem solving. Tailoring this procedure is
easy. For example, if your group is charged with solving a problem that is complex,

Recap: A Quick Review

nderstanding how to use guidelines such as P-MOPS can be useful to groups,
Uwhether the problem is simple or complex.

1. Many groups and organizations deliberately seek out problems to work on; the
problem census technique helps group members identify issues that can be built
into the group’s working agenda.
2. During step 1, problem description and analysis, members must focus on the
problem before they begin to identify solutions; they can help ensure this by
starting with a good problem question as opposed to a solution question, which
narrows members’ thinking.
3. Group members should map the problem by sharing what they each know individu-
ally about it so that they will hold in common as much information as possible.
4. During step 2, generating and elaborating possible solutions, the group’s goal
is to identify as many relevant and realistic options as it can without evaluation.
Techniques such as brainstorming—and its variants brainwriting and electronic
brainstorming—can help members achieve this goal.
5. Step 3 requires a group to evaluate all the options it has identified, while mindfully
creating a collaborative climate for doing so.
6. Critical thinking is important in step 3. Members need to identify symptoms of
groupthink, such as members overestimating their power and morality, becoming
close-minded, and experiencing pressures to conform; they then must work to
prevent groupthink, in part by assigning every member the role of critical evaluator.
7. During step 4, achieving consensus, members are encouraged to share their diver-
gent views, avoid reaching consensus too easily, and avoid conflict-suppressing
techniques such as voting.
8. When consensus is achieved, members should second-guess their tentative choice
by using procedures such as RISK, which asks members and others to help identify
any potential problems they may see.
9. Step 5, implementing their solution, can be coordinated with tools such as PERT charts
that help group members keep track of the many details involved in that implementation.

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