The study of an effective group is of paramount importance especially in the academic circles. Here a well thought out group implies a great deal of academic excellence among learners and also a good spirit of team work. This is because working in groups makes learners tolerable to other people with diverse ideals and believes.
In this case we are going to look at an academic group at college level of study which is supposed to work out assignments issued in classroom. We will also look at some tips which make this group to produce successful results. Finally, we will also look at how various dimensions of group participation are expressed in our group of interest and also how they lead to the group’s effectiveness.
There are various factors which can be described to be very critical for the group to attain the intended standards of effectiveness. The most interesting point to note is that all this factors surround the leadership of the group. One of the key factors is the information sharing especially from the group leader to his group members.
This can be realized through practicing open and transparent ways of passing messages which are wholly accessible to each and every member of the group with equal regards. In this case members will be in a position to come up with highly valued decisions since all members are quite knowledgeable about all crucial affairs of their group (Weber, 1983, p. 1). Also, with free flow of information there will be little objection towards arriving at final and most critical group decisions.
Secondly, the other inevitable factor for the attainment of an effective group is the group confidence among the members themselves and also towards their leader.
The group confidence implies the faith that they have upon themselves as it regards to the performance of their tasks and responsibilities and most particularly towards their leader. In this case the leadership style will have a lot of influence in shaping the confidence of the members in a group. Here the group leadership which appreciates and values the contribution of its members will lead to an effective group.
This is because the members will participate more on the group tasks and in decision making due to existing good confidence towards the leadership. Also other practices which can increase group confidence includes retention of membership by the previous leaders of the group and practicing democratic form of leadership other than being autocratic (Wageman, 2010, p. 1).
The other factors which can be attributed to attainment of an effective group include also the performance of the group. This implies the rate at which the group is able to give desired results and also the value of such results.
To achieve this, leaders should strive to develop a common vision amongst the members of the group. This common vision should emphasis on efforts of the individual members of the group which stimulates their devotion towards the affairs of the group thus increasing the level of performance of the group.
Lastly, the other factor is group cohesion which implies togetherness of the members and ability to remain united in their efforts to meet the set goals and objectives (Weber, 1983, p. 1). Here members feel a great deal of belonging to the group because they are highly appreciated and this motivates them to participate fully towards the success of the group thus attainment of an effective group.
The group’s effectiveness can also result from the various dimensions of group participation as expressed in our group of interest. Firstly, verbal and non verbal communication is expressed for example through speeches, discussions, taking minutes and writing letters to members.
This leads to information sharing which is very critical for an effective group. Secondly, the group development over sometime is exhibited by the fact that people keep on forming ties as their interests continue to harmonize as a result of increased interactions.
This leads to the development of a shared vision which motivates the members to put more efforts towards the attainment of the set goals thus high levels of efficiency in the group. Thirdly, the roles-task roles and maintenance roles are seen where the members are clearly assigned some duties and responsibilities to undertake for the common good of the group. Here the group composition will be organized in such a way that members with some distinct talents are placed in position where they can make good use of their talents.
For example people with leadership qualities will be assigned leadership positions in the group. This proper composition of the group will lead to good results thus an effective group. Finally, social interdependence and trust is expressed through mutual respect among members as they interact in the course of undertaking their tasks (Cohen, 1997, p. 7). This will lead towards the effectiveness of the group since all members feel free to participate because their opinions are being heard and respected.
From the above, it is clearly seen that group are not just mere gatherings. For a group to be effective a lot of efforts are required from each member. Finally, without devoted leadership in the group, effectiveness can not be realized.
Reference List
Cohen, S. (1997). What Makes Teams Work. Web.
Wageman, R. (2010). Interdependence and group effectiveness. Web.
Weber, J. (1983). Group Effectiveness: Understanding Group Member Roles. Web.