Page 196 - Essentials of Human Communication

Essentials of Small Groups and Teams 175

Interdependence In a small group, members are interdependent, meaning that the be-
havior of one member is significant to and has an impact on all other members. When one
member attacks or supports the ideas of another member, that behavior influences the other
members and the group as a whole. When one member proposes a great idea or posts a clever
quotation or photo, that behavior has an effect on all group members.

Organizing rules Members of small groups must be connected by some organizing
rules, or structure. At times the structure is rigid, as in groups operating under parliamentary
procedure, in which each comment must follow prescribed rules. At other times, as in a social
gathering, especially online groups, the structure is very loose; however, there’s some organi-
zation and some structure—for example, comments or questions by one member are
responded to by others rather than ignored, and so on.

Self-perception as a Group Members of small groups feel they are, in fact, members
of a larger whole. This doesn’t mean that individuality is ignored or that members do not see
themselves as individuals; it simply means that each member thinks, feels, and acts as a part
of the group. The more members see themselves as part of the group, the greater the group
cohesion (or sense of “groupness”); the more they see themselves as individuals, separate
from the group, the less the group cohesion. Members in highly cohesive groups are usually
more satisfied and more productive than members of low-cohesiveness groups.

The TeaM
A team is a particular kind of small group. As such it possesses all of the characteristics of the
small group, as well as some additional qualities. Drawing on a number of small group Watch the Video
“Politics of Sociology” at
researchers in communication and organizational theory, the team can be defined as a small MyCommunicationLab
group (1) constructed for a specific task, (2) whose members have clearly defined roles and
(3) are committed to achieving the same goal, and (4) which is content focused (Beebe &
Masterson, 2012; Kelly, 2006; Hofstrand, 2006).

Specific purpose A team is often constructed for a specific purpose or task. After it is
completed the members of the task group may be assigned to other teams or go their separate
ways. Players on a baseball team, for example, come together for practice and for the actual
game; but after the game, they each go their separate ways. After the book is published, mem-
bers of the book team may go on to work on different books with different team members.

Clearly Defined roles In a team, member’s roles are rather clearly defined. A sports team
is a good example. Each player has a unique function: the shortstop’s functions are very different
from the pitcher’s or the catcher’s, for example. In a business setting, the team that is responsible
for publishing a book, say, would also consist of people with clearly defined roles, including the
editor, the designer, the marketing manager, the sales manager, the
photo researcher, the author, and so on. Each brings a unique perspec-
tive to the task and each is an authority in a specific area.

Goal Directed In a team all members are committed to achieving
the same, clearly identified goal. Again, a sports team is a good example:
All members are committed to winning the game. In the publishing
business example, all members of the team are committed to producing
a successful book.

Content Focused Teams are generally content focused. In
terms of the distinction between content and relationship messages
introduced in Chapter 1 (p. 12), teams communicate largely through
the exchange of content messages—on winning the game or creating
the book—and much less through messages about the interpersonal
relationships of its members.