Group and Team Dymanics Syllabus Spring 2011

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Queens University COMM 617: Group and Team Dynamics

Spring 2011

Contact Information:

Janet McPherson, Ph.D.E-mail: [email protected]: (336) 970-7371 (cell)Office Hours: By Appointment

Course Meetings:Thursday, 6:00pm-8:45pmMcEwen, Room 215

Course Description: At one time or another, all of us have participated in some kind of a group orteam. Throughout our personal and professional lives, we have functioned insmall groups of various types. Families, social groups, religious organizations,educational institutions, athletic teams, and contemporary corporations of allsizes rely on small groups and teams to organize their resources and achieve theirgoals.

While the concept of a group or team is familiar to all of us, rarely do we look closely at the dynamics that make such teams function well or struggle tosucceed. Few managers or employees really understand how to develop and leada healthy and productive group, which explains why so many of us dread theexperience and find team work to be such an inefficient way of accomplishing atask.

This course is designed to increase your understanding of the theory and practiceof group dynamics. The more you understand about groups and the better youare at recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of groups, the more effectivegroup member and leader you will be. Specifically, we will look at groupdevelopment, norms, leadership, diversity, verbal and nonverbal communication,conflict management, decision making and problem solving.

Course Goals:To understand how we define small groups and teams and thecharacteristics that make them both beneficial and challenging to todayscomplex organizational landscapeTo apply group dynamics theory in organizing and facilitating healthy groups and teams.

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To evaluate existing groups and teams in terms of effectiveness and overallcontribution to the organization

Required Materials:Harris, T. E. & Sherblom, J.C. (2011). Small Group and Team

Communication (5th

ed.). Pearson.Supplemental Readings as assigned. Available in class or online.

Assignments and Grading:Keeping in mind that most participants in this course are full-time, workingadults, I have designed the course to be as straightforward as possible.

Assignments: All assignments are due at 6:00pm on the date provided in the syllabus. Assignments submitted after that date and time will be accepted at thediscretion of the professor and, if accepted, will be penalized by a minimum of

one letter grade for each class meeting the assignment is late. Assignments must be typed and should be double-spaced in 12-point font(Times New Roman, Calibri, or similar) with one-inch margins. Allassignments must adhere to APA Guidelines and include appropriatecitations. APA reference manuals can be found in most bookstores and severaluseful writing guides can also be located online.

As this is a graduate level course, I expect all work submitted to be well- written. That includes writing that is clear, succinct, and free of grammaticalerrors. If you feel like you need additional help with writing, please contactthe Queens University Center for Academic Success Writing Center located onthe lower level of Dana. Please contact Jenn Goddu at [email protected] or704.688.2765 if you have additional questions.

Please note that I will not necessarily correct all assignments for grammaticalerrors. I will, however, make comments regarding the content of the paper. If a paper includes numerous grammatical errors or is difficult to read, yourgrade will reflect the need for improvement in this area.

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Grading:The following grading scale will be used to evaluate all course assignments. A numerical grade will be given for each assignment and all grades will betotaled at the end of the semester to determine the final course grade.

A 100-90 Outstanding work. Paper includes a strong, well-supportedargument, is clear and concise, free of grammatical errors,and appropriately cited. Demonstrates a workingunderstanding of the theory presented in class and in thereading materials.

B 89-80 Good work. Includes most of the elements listed above, butcould improve in one of these areas: ideas, argument,grammar, or documentation.

C 79-70 Acceptable work. Includes some of the elements listed above, but could improve in two of these areas: ideas, argument,grammar, or documentation.

F 69 and below Unacceptable work. Does not demonstrate anunderstanding of the course content and/or reflects a lack of commitment to the assignment.

Confidentiality: At times, you will be asked to reflect upon your personal experience and writeabout actual people and organizations. While confidentiality on all papers andprojects will be highly respected, students are encouraged to change the names of individuals and organizations in their coursework. If you have additionalquestions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Class Attendance: While I recognize the numerous personal and professional demands placed on working graduate students, class attendance is critical to your success in thiscourse. Much of your learning will come from our class discussions and activities,and you will also be working with your classmates in groups and teams on aregular basis. Therefore, your attendance not only affects your learning, but thatof your classmates as well.

You may miss 1 class meeting over the course of the semester with no penalty.However, for each additional absence you will receive a 5-point reduction from your final participation grade.

Over the course of the semester, any student who misses more that 3 classes willreceive a failing grade for the course.

Most importantly, I ask that you communicate with me if you are going to missclass or need to be late or leave early. You can reach me by cell phone or throughe-mail. I may need to re-arrange the order in which we do things in class based

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upon the number of students present for any given course meeting.

University Closings or Cancelled Classes:Queens University offers QAlert, which will provide you with campus emergency notifications via voicemail, text message, and/or e-mail message. Please sign up

for this service at www.queens.edu/alert . You must register as a new user foreach academic year. For more information about this service, please [email protected] .

Should I need to cancel class for any reason, I will notify you by e-mail as soon aspossible. Please check your e-mail prior to coming to campus each week.

Honor Code and Plagiarism:The Honor Code, which permeates all phases of university life, is based on threefundamental principles. It assumes that Queens students: a)are truthful at alltimes, b) respect the property of others, and c)are honest on tests, examinations,term papers, and all other academic assignments.

Plagiarism is representing anothers words or thoughts as ones own, and it is aclear violation of Queens Honor Code. It can take many forms including word-for-word (global) plagiarism, or paraphrasing without providing proper citationof the source (patchwork). To learn more, please visit the Queens Center for Academic Success located on the lower level of Dana(http://www.queens.edu/studentlife/resources/academicresourcecenter.asp ) orthe following website http://www.plagiarism.org . Please contact me if you haveany questions about plagiarism or if you believe a violation of the Honor Code hasoccurred.

Intellectual Property Policy:Queens University of Charlotte faculty and students adhere to the QueensIntellectual Property Policy. See the Faculty Handbook athttp://moodle.queens.edu and the Queens University of Charlotte website athttp://www.queens.edu for more information.

Disability Accommodations:If you are a student with a documented disability and you requireaccommodations, please provide me with the necessary memorandum given to you by Student Disability Services. If you have additional questions or concernsabout Disability Services at Queens University, please contact Sandy Rogelberg,Coordinator of Disability Services, at 704.337.2508.

Course Assignments:

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1) Personal Reflection Paper-Prior Experiences (10%)- Compose a five-pagepaper reflecting on your past experiences in small groups and/or teams and how these experiences have shaped your current perception of group dynamics. Inother words, how do you feel about groups and teams and why do you think you

feel that way? What has shaped your attitude toward small groups? Includedetails of a meaningful or especially challenging group experience that you think influenced your understanding of small groups. This paper is meant to be apersonal reflection, so you may not choose to refer to many outside sources.However, I do expect it to be submitted as a formal paper.

2) Organizational Profile Paper and Presentation (Paper is 15%, Presentation is15%)-With your small group, select an organization that uses groups and teams ina significant or creative way and prepare a short, five-page paper and a 10 to 15minute presentation for the class. Your group must collectively choose anappropriate organization of which you are not a member that relies upon groupsor teams to accomplish its organizational objectives. Consider organizations to which you may be able to gain access and are recognizable to the rest of the class. You will need to let me know which organization you have chosen before you begin your project.

As a group, collect information about the organization including the history,mission, position within the field, involvement in the local community, etc. Then,examine how small groups or teams are used specifically within the organizationand when, how, or why the organization chooses to utilize teams. What are the benefits to the organization? What are the drawbacks or costs? How does it fit (if it does) with the overall mission? In other words, what about this company made you think it was a good fit for this assignment?

To gather this information, you will need to find written material about thecompany, but you may also need to interview members of the organization,particularly those in management roles or members that have seen teams at work over a period of time. It might also be good to ask members of teams within theorganization about their experience. What do they perceive are the strengths andchallenges of a team approach? Is a team approach as beneficial in real life as itappears on paper?

In the end, I want class members to gain exposure to and an understanding of what kinds of companies are using a team-based organizational model and why the organizations are doing so. Your group can communicate the information in a variety of ways, but I want to see that you have worked as a team, done somemeaningful investigation, and drawn some conclusions about teams in todaysorganizations.

3) Case Study Facilitation (10%)- In a small group, you will facilitate one of the casestudies that we examine in class. This includes reviewing the case before class,

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preparing discussion questions that will be relevant and thought-provoking,providing necessary background information for the case, engaging classmates inthe discussion during class, drawing connections to the course material we havealready covered and the material from that weeks lecture, and summarizing theclass thoughts. Special attention will be paid to how you interact with your

group members and how well your group elicits meaningful communication fromthe rest of the group. Make sure you are drawing connections with the material.

Note: All cases studies are taken from: Keyton, J. & Shockley-Zalabak, P. (Eds.)(2010). Case Studies for Organizational Communication: UnderstandingCommunication Processes (3 rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

4) Group Dynamics Consulting Project (40%) You will take on the role of an organizational development discussion hired toevaluate a particular team and build its effectiveness in terms of cohesiveness andoverall performance. You must determine the teams strengths and weaknessesand develop a practical intervention to build an effective team. Finally, you mustdetermine the benefits of your findings for the larger organization and beyond. You may include additional outside research to bolster your findings. The scopeand quality of your research should be appropriate for a Masters level course.

As an individual, you must select a team to study. A team in which you participateregularly is preferable and will make your analysis easier to accomplish. You willconduct field research of the group and submit your findings andrecommendations in a ten-page formal report that applies the theories that wehave learned in class to support your findings.

There are several parts to this project and you will proceed in several ways:

Weekly ReflectionsI will give you weekly reflections in which you will reflect on your teamseffectiveness as it relates to the topic covered in class.

You are not required to hand in these assignments each week. However, youshould type up some notes or a short reflection that you will attach to your finalpaper as an appendix. Making notes of specific examples, quotes, etc. for eachtopic covered in class will greatly improve and expedite your final paper.

You may be asked to discuss your observations and findings with a partner orsmall group in class and you should be prepared to share some examples of theprevious weeks topic in each class session.

Field Research You should use a variety of research methods such as observations and interviewsto analyze your team in order to determine your teams effectiveness. Takecareful notes of your methodology as you will need to include the details in yourfinal report.

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Report (80% of project total) You will submit a 10-page research report that includes the following:

An introduction in which you will describe your team, its history,

characteristics, members, roles, etc. and the organization in which it exists. You will also need to include any long-term or short-term goals or objectives of yourteam. Include any other information that you feel would help an outsiderunderstand the group.

A methods section in which you outline how you conducted your research. Tellme how you gathered your data and organized the information.

A findings section in which you interpret the events and interactions youobserved. You will describe the teams strengths and weaknesses in detail givingexamples and quotes to support your findings. Use the course material to support your findings as well.

A recommendations section that outlines your proposed, practical solutionsfor addressing the specific challenges you found in your team. Remember, theserecommendations must be interventions that could be used in real life. Think realistically and practically. Again, support your recommendations with coursematerial.

A key learnings section that summarizes your main thoughts. Give me the So what? Think about what your recommendations might mean for the largerorganization and how they might be applied in other organizations or fields as well. What could someone who is not a member of your specific team learn from your work?

A reference page . All sources used (course material and outside material) must be cited in APA format.

Presentation (20% of project total) You will prepare a short (10 minute) presentation based on your company,research and findings. Be prepared to give us appropriate backgroundinformation, explain your involvement in the team, and share your methods,findings and recommendations. This presentation, though brief, should give yourclassmates enough background information to understand yourrecommendations and key learnings. Think about what your classmates mightgain from the work you have done. Also, be prepared to make a professionalpresentation, just as you would if you were a paid consultant. Powerpoint slidesare recommended.

5) Participation (10%) You are asked to come to each class meeting on time, prepared and contribute to the

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Please note that the course calendar is subject to change at the discretion of the professor.Date Topic Readings Due Assignments

Due

January 20 Introduction to

the Course Small GroupDefinitions,Characteristics,CoordinatingMechanisms

Systems Theory

H & S, Ch. 1, 2

Supplement:

(2006). Six teams that changed the world. Fortune. [online]. Available:http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/31/magazines/fortune/sixteams_greatteams _fortune_061206/index.htm (January 17, 2011).

January 27 Norms, Roles

and GroupDevelopment

Case Study: NoLaughingMatter by L.Dickmeyer & S.Dickmeyer

H & S, Ch. 3, 4

Case Study

Vesterman, J. (2006). From Whartonto War. Fortune. [online]. Available:http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/31/magazines/fortune/marines_greatteams _fortune/index.htm (January 17, 2011).

Deutschman, A. (2004). The fabric of creativity. Fast Company. [online]. Available:http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/89/open_gore.html?page=0,1 (January 17, 2011).

Personal

ReflectionPaper

February 3 Diversity

Case Study:Where Does ItHurt? by C.Irizarry

H & S, Ch. 5

Case Study

Kirsner, S. (2004). Time [zone]travelers. Fast Company. Available:http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/85/zones.html (January 17, 2011).

Case Study Group #1

February 10

Verbal andNonverbalCommunication,Listening

H & S Ch. 6, 7

February 17

ConflictManagement

H & S, Ch. 12

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Guest Speaker:Dr. L. RandolphLowry, IIIPresident,Lipscomb

University

February 24

Teams

Case Study:Taking Charge by J. Keyton

H & S, Ch. 8

Case Study

Havorson, H. (2010). Many Heads CanBe Better Than One-Especially WhenThey Belong to Women. Fast Company. Availablehttp://www.fastcompany.com/1693415/many-heads-can-be-better-than-one-especially-when-they-belong-to- women (January 17, 2011).

Case Study Group #2

March 3 Decision Makingand ProblemSolving,Creativity

Case Study:Permission to Walk by M.Kramer

H & S Ch. 9, 10

Case Study

Case Study Group #3

March 10 Group ProcessandPresentations

OrganizationalProfile GroupPresentations

H & S, Ch. 11

Weil, E. (1998). Every Leader Tells A Story. Fast Company. Available:http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/15/rftf.html (January 17, 2011).

Organizational ProfilePaper andPresentations

March 17 SPRINGBREAK

NO CLASS

March 24 INDEPENDENT WORK NIGHT-Time

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to catch up on your groupdynamicsconsultingproject!

March 31 LeadershipObservation andEvaluation

H & S, Ch. 13, 14

McLean, b. & Nocera, J. (2010). ThBlundering Herd. Vanity Fair. Available:http://www.vanityfair.com/business/f eatures/2010/11/financial-crisis-excerpt-201011 (January 17, 2011).

April 7 Computer-MediatedCommunication

Case Study: TheDifficulties of Virtual Leaders by A. Lyon

H & S, Ch. 15

Case Study

Malhotra, A. (2004). Using Far-Flung Virtual Teams for ManagingKnowledge in Global Companies. UNCBusiness. Available:http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/news/alumniMag/2004Fall/global.html (January 17, 2011).

Case Study Group #4

April 14 Film andDiscussion

Twelve Angry Men

April 21Last Day of RegularClass

Review,Evaluation of Small GroupExperiences,Catch Up

May 2Final ExamPeriod

Group DynamicsConsultingProjectsPresentations

GroupDynamicsConsultingProject

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Documents

Group and Team Dymanics Syllabus Spring 2011