Page 23 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

6 Chapter 1

Why is group work successful? Groups are usually better problem solvers, in the
long run, than solitary individuals because they have access to more information than
individuals do, can spot flaws and biases in each others’ thinking, and then can think of
things an individual may have failed to consider. Moreover, if people participate in plan-
ning the work of solving the problem, they are more likely to work harder and better at
carrying out the solution. Thus, participation in problem solving and decision making
helps guarantee continued commitment to decisions and solutions (see Chapter 9).
Second, just because we often participate in groups, we cannot assume we participate
effectively. Unless we know something about why a group is unproductive, we won’t be
able to assess what is happening in our groups or know what to do with that assess-
Grouphate ment to help the group improve. Grouphate captures a negative attitude toward groups
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The feeling of anti- that can get in the way of effective participation in groups. In spite of recognizing
pathy and hostility the central role of groups in our lives, we often have mixed feelings about them, due in
many people have large measure to the tradeoffs involved. In return for meeting our needs, we give up
about working in a autonomy and the ability to do whatever we want, whenever we want. For instance,
group, fostered by students often complain that group grades do not reflect their superior individual
the many ineffective, performance. Some people may even loathe being a member of a group. Interestingly,
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time-wasting groups grouphate is partly caused by lack of training in how to communicate effectively as a
that exist.
group member. It is in your best interests to get over any feelings of grouphate because
students with negative feelings and attitudes about participating in groups have been
less successful academically than those with more constructive and positive orienta-
tions toward group work. 16
Strong communication skills are central to effective discussion and productive
teamwork. Donald Petersen, former CEO of Ford Motor Company, initially envi-
sioned himself as a solitary engineer designing cars, yet discovered that his success
came from interaction and teamwork. “Communication skills are crucial. And I mean
that in both directions—not only the ability to articulate . . . but to listen.” 17
Third, groups provide the vehicle by which the individual can make a contribution to
the organization and the society as a whole. Larkin postulated that humans have a moti-
vation to give. The basic ingredient cementing social cohesion is not the satisfaction
of needs, but rather the availability for contribution. What best binds individuals to
groups may not be so much the pressure to obtain necessities as the opportunities to
give of oneself to something beyond merely self-interested acquisition. The dignity of
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individuals, Lawson states, comes from people’s contributions to something greater
than themselves. People who give of their time, money, energy, and other resources
live healthier, happier, and more fulfilled lives; they report that their lives are more
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meaningful than those who do not. This is confirmed in research by Strubler and
York, who found that team members felt a greater sense of participation and believed
their work within the organization was more meaningful and worthwhile than
non-team members. 20
Our focus is the communicative dynamics of group members—what people say
and do in groups. While we will draw upon findings from other disciplines, we will
concentrate on the process of communication among members and how group
members can influence this process. The groups we examine will cover a range
of group settings: educational, religious, political, corporate, entertainment, health,

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