Page 338 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

patterns and relationships may need to be developed again.11 A summary of factors influencing group
cohesiveness is found in Box 15-1.

1. All members perform worthwhile tasks, see the issues as important, and feel appreciated by the group.
2. Members clearly perceive the group’s goals and consider them to be realistic.
3. Members recognize the group as an entity in its own right and refer to it as such, calling it “the group”

or “our group.”
4. The group develops a history and tradition. All cohesive groups (church, state, family, work, etc.)

perform traditional rites and rituals, passing on to new members the “secrets” of the past and
strengthening the existing ties among the group’s veterans.
5. Group size is small rather than large.
6. Members possess knowledge or material needed by the group.
7. Member participation in the determination of the group’s standards is full and direct.
8. The group is more homogeneous than heterogeneous.
9. Personal interaction among members is based on equality, with no one exercising much authority over
anyone else. Members are not jealous of or competitive with one another.
10. Members share ideals and interests or a common satisfaction of the need for protection, security, and
affection. The group has prestige.

Box 15-1 ■ Factors Increasing Group Cohesiveness

People in noncohesive groups feel unsure in expressing their opinions, argue less, and are more polite.
When there are disagreements, they may feel less secure in contributing. If their own security is paramount,
they do not challenge other group members.

CASE ANALYSIS 4

How should Betty introduce group members?

Consensus

Consensus occurs when all group members agree, support a decision, and commit to it.12,13 It takes time
before all members focus on a task and agree. Multidisciplinary healthcare teams, for example, have to come
to consensus on patient treatment and other issues.9 A consensus of expert opinions on knowledge and best
practices is used to formulate evidence-based practice guidelines.6

Guidelines for Seeking Consensus
The training required to move a group from 25% to 75% efficiency in achieving consensus is based on a set of
guidelines for group behavior. Professionals need to understand, however, that it may take several weeks of
regularly reminding the group of the guidelines and interrupting each time the guidelines are not followed
before the process becomes natural to the group. The following are guidelines for achieving consensus in
groups1,13:

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