Organizational & Group Behavior

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1. How could you use the punctuated - equilibrium model to better understand group behavior?

The Punctuated-Equilibrium Model consists of six different stages of a group's processes. The first stage is the direction set by the group's first meeting. This first meeting covers a framework of the group's direction using goals and assumptions of not only the work to be done, but of the people as well. Group members feel they have so much time to complete the project that they relax and socialize. This 2nd stage of group activity is one of inertia. The transition phase comes at the halfway point of the completion date. A feeling of a "mid-life crisis" is felt. A sense of urgency appears. Problems are confronted. Criticism begins to be taken seriously. Stage four is characterized by initiating the changes developed during the transition, dropping of old patterns, and adoption of new perspectives; the group set new directions for their goals. Following this transition, the fifth stage is once again characterized by inertia. Finally, the last stage of the Punctuated-Equilibruim Model is characterized by accelerated activity. Team members or individuals realize the project is due very soon so they put forth a final burst of energy to complete their tasks with most of the activity occurring during the last meeting. http://www2.tech.purdue.edu/ols/courses/ols388/teammodels.doc.

Knowing that a group is expected to vary in behaviors as it evolves informs the facilitator of what to expect and also helps that person work with the process of group development (instead of against it). Like an organism, a group responds to environmental changes, tolerates some degree of stress, is complete, takes risks/mutates, and finally excellerates and completes the task at hand.

2. What problems might surface in teams at each stage in the five - stage group development model? (See additional attachment)

Have you read the attachments? It actually explains the problems that might surface in each stage -
• Forming e.g., "testing the waters" uncertainty and inertia
• Storming e.g. acceptance of the group, but resistance to the constraints the groups puts on individuality and conflict about who is in control of the group - leaders often emerge, etc.,
• Norming e.g., perhaps some members are still in the last stage with conflict over control lingering, etc.
• Performing e.g., some members refuse to carry their weight, others take over too many of the tasks, some times groups are storming and performing at the same time, etc.
• Adjourning e.g., when the time of the adjourning phase takes members by surprise or sometimes even when it has been known, members have an emotional-psychological reaction to ending the project and experience 'inertia' which impacts performance negatively e.g., do not work at completing the task, and instead cause barriers to completion or might recede to an earlier stage, etc.

3. "Ineffective communication is the fault of the sender." Do you agree or disagree? Discuss.

It could be, but it can also be barriers (physical, sender/message and the receiver/listener). For example, the listener might be resistant to the message or might misinterpret and read into the message things that are not present. This is the variable that the sender has least control over.

However, the sender needs to make sure that the message is clear and communicates what is ...