The term 'group dynamics' refers to the interactions between people who are talking together in a group setting. Group dynamics can be studied in business settings, in volunteer settings, in classroom settings, and in social settings. Any time there are three or more individuals interacting or talking together, there are group dynamics. A great deal can be learned by observation. If one sits back quietly in a group - any group - one will begin to see certain behavioral patterns emerge. There will be at least one person who tends to take the lead in conversation, offering his or her thoughts and opinions freely. There will be at least one person who remains quiet, sometimes not even appearing interested in the conversation. There may be someone who tends to interrupt other people, someone who wants the conversation to move along faster, or who wants to focus on a different subject. Another person may be concerned about peoples' feelings and may try to make everyone feel equally welcome. These are only a few of the roles that people assume without even thinking about it when they are in a group setting.
Discussion Prompt
Groups are a common arrangement in today's business environments. Any manager who works with or supervises groups should be familiar with how they develop over time. Perhaps the best-known scheme for a group development was advanced by Bruce Tuckman in 1965. Initially, Tuckman identified four stages of group development, which included the stages of forming, storming, norming, and performing. Later on he added adjourning to his list. Read Bruce Tuckman's Team Development Model. What did Tuckman mean by those four stages? How do you recognize them when you are working with a group? Finally, can a leader form a successful team without going through those stages? Justify your answer.
In your responses to classmates, share what techniques you learned from others' posts that you may utilize in your own career.
Tasks
- Describe Tuckman's Team Development Model, including the five stages.
- Apply the stages in Tuckman's Team Development Model to working with a group.
- Justify whether a team can form with or without utilizing Tuckman's Team Development Model.