Building Group Communication Competence

Copyright c 2006 Oxford University Press

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Chapter 5

Building Group Communication Competence

College students report—

Ideal group member• Competent communicator

• Possess desirable relational skills

• Participates in group interaction

Common group member deficiencies• Ability to create relationships with other group members

• Ability to work cooperatively and productively on tasks


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The Effect of your Communication

How you communicate in a group affects

• How others evaluate your worth as a group member

• How your identity and role develops within the group


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Team Member Competencies

Knowledge, skills, and abilities• Task relevant knowledge, technical skill

• Communication competence

Values, beliefs, and attitudes• Degree to which member values teamwork

• Member’s like or dislike of working in groups

Personality traits, cognitive and behavioral styles• Extraversion, cognitive complexity, aggresiveness


4

Your Group Interaction Style

Each group member brings unique set of communication skills

1. Interpersonal needs

2. Communication competence

3. Communication apprehension

4. Attitude towards groups

5. Communicator style


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Interpersonal Needs

Three basic needs1. Inclusion

2. Control

3. Affection

Evident in group interaction1. Can be expressed by you (sender role)

2. Can be wanted by you (receiver role)


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Need Compatibility

Achieved when there is a balance among group members• Who want to express a need

• Who want to receive a need

Number of members expressing and wanting does not need to be equal

Incompatibility must be worked through


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Communication Competence

Ability and willingness to participate responsibility

Effectiveness• Goal is achieved

Appropriateness• Do not violate behavioral expectations or

other members’ self-esteem


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Achieving Competence

1. Can you comprehend the group situation and its dynamics?

2. Are you sensitive to the feelings of others?

3. Do your verbal and nonverbal skills contribute to the group’s conversation


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Communication Apprehension

Fear or anxiety about communicating Real or anticipated May be perceived as shy or reticent Apprehension affects

• Participation in the group

• Others’ evaluation of contributions

• Self-perceptions


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Your Attitude Toward Groups

Grouphate• Negative feelings that cause an individual to

dislike working with others in group settings

• Captures the tension between an individual’s preference for working alone and working with others

• Can be minimized when members have positive group experiences


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Communicator Style

Your verbal and nonverbal impression Sends signals about how to interpret

message content Each characteristic can be effective or

ineffective What’s your predominant communicator

style? • How effective are you?

• How flexible are you?


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Communicator Style Characteristics

Animated Attentive Contentious Dominant Dramatic

Friendly Open Precise Relaxed


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Ethical Group Membership

Caring• Concerned about the well-being of other members

Responsibility• Group members share responsibility for group

outcomes

You are responsible for and to every other group member


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Communicating inDiverse Groups

Differences create variety and multiple perspectives

Individuals differ on multiple dimensions Not all types of diversity affect group

interaction in the same way All differences are not differences that

stem from diversity


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Overcoming Diversity ProblemsOvercoming Diversity Problems

Problems Unequal participation

Deny diversity matters

Practicing segregation

Solutions Monitor your

communication Use decision

procedures Build cohesion Focus on goal Explore similarities Emphasize personal

identity


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Principles of Ethical Group Membership

Be candid and frank Maintain valued relationships vs. saying

what’s on your mind Give information without distortion or

exaggeration Do not cut off other members from

speakingmore


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Principles of Ethical Group Membership

Be trustworthy and extend trust Avoid coercion and manipulation in

decision making Be responsible for defending decisions

of the group to others

Documents

Building Group Communication Competence