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Module 3 - BackgroundManaging Groups and TeamsRequired ReadingCommunicationWe begin this module with a foundation of knowledge about interpersonal communication. After all, without communication, group activities and work would not be possible. In gaining this foundation, we will refer to Wikipedia. Although Wikipedia is not considered an acceptable source for academic papers or writing, it is a good place to go if you want a "quick and dirty" overview of a broad topic. However, use caution—the instructor has reviewed this article for the course, but be advised that Wikipedia is a publicly edited site and information can be incomplete, biased, or just plain incorrect.Models of communication. (2012) Wikipedia. discount the value of trust in strengthening communication and improving work relationships with others. One way to build trust is to maximize the part of ourselves that we know and wish to share with others. Conversely, we want to minimize those aspects of ourselves we are not aware of but are readily apparent to others (our "blindspots"). This is accomplished through a combination of self-disclosure and feedback. An excellent model for improving communication effectiveness is the Johari Window. Created in the 1950s by two guys named Joe and Harry (no kidding!), this model is still widely used in business to improve communication between coworkers, bosses and subordinates, and teams.The Johari Window: Using Self-Discovery and Communication to Build Trust. (n.d) Mindtools. Skills You Can't Do WithoutHave you ever wondered why the Trident University teaching model has so much darn writing? Have you gotten frustrated with professors who admonish you for typos and syntax errors? Want to know why communication skills are critical to MBAs? Read this article.Poor Writing Skills Top M.B.A. Recruiter Gripes (2009) Inc. and TeamsThe structure of organizations is rapidly changing and more than ever work is being done in teams. But teams are more than just a collection of individuals working on a single project; team workers need a set of skills that exceeds those of individual workers to allow them to collaborate effectively. Often, employers do not train employees in these skills, and so it is a rare thing when teams live up to their potential. This is particularly true of teams in the United States, where the culture is highly individualistic (as we learned in module 1.)In this part of the module, we will increase our ability to manage teams by learning about what constitutes a team, how to handle conflict, and how to build a high-performing team. Of course, we can only scratch the surface and if you would like to delve deeper into this topic, you would be well served to take MGT508, a course about managing virtual teams.To get an overview of this topic, view this PowerPoint presentation on Group Dynamics and Conflict.The Tuckman model of group development is one of the most widely used tools to understand the dynamics of team formation and development. Read the following short description of the 5 stages of group development.Smith, M. K. (2005) Bruce W. Tuckman - forming, storming, norming and performing in groups, the encyclopaedia of informal education, retrieved from is an interesting example of organizational theory being used to solve practical business problems. This report put out by the Vanguard Investment company is designed to help its analysts avoid group decision-making biases such as groupthink, polarization or "risky shift," overconfidence or composition bias. The practical application of theory demonstrated in this report may be very helpful to you in preparing your case.Mottola, G. & Utkus, S. (2009) Group decision-making: Implications for investment committees. Vanguard Investment Counseling and Research. This article can be found at?? HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ManagementWhen working with groups, conflict is inevitable. Although confict is often vewed as negative, this is not always true. As we learned in the earlier PowerPoint presentation, well-managed conflict can increase team performance and result in better output. One trick is to learn the differences between healthy and destructive types of conflict. Read the following for more information:The Two Sides of Conflict. (n.d.) Team Building. that you can recognize the difference between good and bad conflict, take a few minutes to read about some techniques that can help you mange conflict between people at work (or even at home!) and keep situations from spiraling out of control:Segal, J & Smith, M. (2012) Conflict resolution skills: Building the skills that can turn conflicts into opportunities. . ReadingCommunicationThe International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) is the premier international knowledge network for professionals engaged in strategic business communication management. Examine their website which includes news, events, workshops, a book store, and a research foundation. Find out how you can become an Accredited Business Communicator. and TeamsGroup Dynamics: Basic Nature of Groups and How They DevelopThis site, assembled by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, contains library links to numerous topics in the field, a basic overview to group formation and stages of group development, and information on team building. ManagementThe following articles will help you to develop a deeper understanding of types of conflict and techniques for managing them. ?Beagrie, S. (2004). How to...manage conflict.?Personnel Today, , 25. Retrieved from?, Clive, and Keddy, Jackie.?Managing Conflict at Work : Understanding and Resolving Conflict for Productive Working Relationships.?London, GBR: Kogan Page, 2010. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 15 September 2014.Managing conflict. (2007, Feb).?Critical Care Nurse,?, 46-85. Retrieved from? assembled by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, this site includes library links, and various perspectives on conflict (i.e. dealing with conflict, conflict in organizations, etc.) the link to visit the?Conflict 911 website. This is arguably the most extensive collection of conflict-related material on the Internet. There are many interesting links to articles both academic and practical, and you should spend some time browsing this site. Pay special attention to links dealing with conflict styles, conflict resolution, negotiation, integrative and/or distributive bargaining.Required Case ReadingCares, Jeff; Miskel, Jim. (2007). Take Your Third Move First. Harvard Business Review, Vol. 85 Issue 3, 20-21.Required SLP ResourcesThe Leadership Center At Washington State University. (n.d.) Conflict-Management Style. TD ReadingGrant, EA (2008) First, the Merger; Then the culture clash. how to fix the little things that can tear a company apart. . January. Retrieved from 3 - CaseManaging Groups and TeamsBackgroundRead the article referenced below from the Harvard Business Review about a simulation technique used by the Department of Defense to facilitate strategic planning. The author points out how this same technique can be used by a number of businesses as well.Required ReadingThis article can be found in the EBSCOHost collection, Academic Search Complete database.Cares, Jeff; Miskel, Jim. (2007). Take Your Third Move First. Harvard Business Review, Vol. 85 Issue 3, 20-21.AssignmentWrite a 4- to 5-page paper with an introduction, conclusion, section headings, and references that answers the following questions:How can coevolutionary gaming facilitate group decision making? What are its limitations?Keys to the AssignmentThe key aspects of this assignment that should be covered in your paper include:Define the problem: Explain how this strategic planning tool can be used to improve decision making. Be specific and use terminology and concepts from the background readings.Analyze the cause: Discuss how coevolutionary gaming would affect communication processes using the Johari window, and/or how it can impact group decision biases such as risky/cautious shift and groupthink.Propose a solution: Describe a situation in which coevolutionary gaming might impede decision making.Assignment ExpectationsYour paper will be evaluated using the following five (5) criteria:Assignment-Driven Criteria (Precision and Breadth): Does the paper fully address all Keys to the Assignment? Are the concepts behind the Keys to the Assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound logic? Does the paper meet minimum length requirements??Critical Thinking (Critical Thinking and Depth): Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which information derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically evaluated and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does the paper address the topic with sufficient depth of discussion and analysis?Business Writing (Clarity and Organization): Is the paper well written (clear, developed logically, and well organized)? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are section headings included in all papers? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding to the Keys to the Assignment, or is justification/support instead conveyed through excessive use of direct quotations??Effective Use of Information (Information Literacy and References): Does the paper demonstrate that the student has read, understood and can apply the background materials for the module?? If required, has the student demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by student’s use of relevant and quality (library?) sources? Do additional sources used in paper provide strong support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the overall paper??Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate understanding of APA Style of referencing, by inclusion of proper end references and in-text citations (for paraphrased text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have all sources (e.g., references used from the Background page, the assignment readings, and outside research) been included, and are these properly cited? Have all end references been included within the body of the paper as in-text citations? Tips and SuggestionsPlease note the following tips and suggestions:Include a cover page and reference page in addition to the 4–5 pages of analysis described above.You are expected to demonstrate that you have read, understood, and can apply the required background readings for this module in your answer to this case. Be sure to read the required readings carefully, and use the theories and arguments you learn from them to support your analysis.Include headings for all papers longer than two pages (basically all papers).Cite and reference all sources that you use in your work, including those that you do not quote but paraphrase. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes of more than five words, and include citations for information that you have "borrowed" or paraphrased from other sources.Follow TUI Guidelines for well-written papers. (If you are unsure of what those guidelines are, see The Elements of a Well Written Paper).Submit your analysis by the end of this module.Module 3 - SLPManaging Groups and TeamsBackgroundIn this module, you will be assessing your own personal conflict style and considering the situations in which the style might be helpful, and when it might be less than optimal—or even dysfunctional. Begin by logging on to the website below and completing the Conflict-Management Style Survey. Be sure to read the accompanying material that follows the survey.Required ReadingThe Leadership Center At Washington State University. (n.d.) Conflict-Management Style. (Note that you need to have Acrobat Reader to be able to "read" this document. Acrobat Reader is available for free download from .)AssignmentWhen you are done, compose a 2- to 3-page essay that addresses the following questions:What is your primary conflict management style? What is your least preferred style?In what types of conflict is your primary style likely to be appropriate? In what types of conflict situations is it likely to be dysfunctional? Explain why.What types of conflict situations are best handled by your lesser preferred styles?What steps can you take to increase your use of your lesser preferred styles in situations where they would be most beneficial, and decrease the use of preferred styles when they are likely to be dysfunctional?Keys to the AssignmentThe key aspects of this assignment that should be covered in your paper include:Complete the assessment according to the guidelines and interpret the results.Include the actual instrument and results.Based on your results, explain how you could improve your conflict management behaviors and under what conditions.Based on your results, explain how improving your conflict managment behaviors might translate into actual behaviors at the workplace? And what might be the results of such an improvement?Assignment ExpectationsYour paper will be evaluated using the following five (5) criteria:Assignment-Driven Criteria (Precision and Breadth): Does the paper fully address all Keys to the Assignment? Are the concepts behind the Keys to the Assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound logic? Does the paper meet minimum length requirements??Critical Thinking (Critical Thinking and Depth): Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which information derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically evaluated and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does the paper address the topic with sufficient depth of discussion and analysis?Business Writing (Clarity and Organization): Is the paper well written (clear, developed logically, and well organized)? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are section headings included in all papers? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding to the Keys to the Assignment, or is justification/support instead conveyed through excessive use of direct quotations??Effective Use of Information (Information Literacy and References): Does the paper demonstrate that the student has read, understood and can apply the background materials for the module?? If required, has the student demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by student’s use of relevant and quality (library?) sources? Do additional sources used in paper provide strong support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the overall paper??Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate understanding of APA Style of referencing, by inclusion of proper end references and in-text citations (for paraphrased text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have all sources (e.g., references used from the Background page, the assignment readings, and outside research) been included, and are these properly cited? Have all end references been included within the body of the paper as in-text citations? Tips and SuggestionsPlease note the following tips and suggestions:Include a cover page and reference page in addition to the 2–3 pages of analysis described above.Include headings for all papers longer than two pages (basically all papers), but do not use headings as "space fillers."Cite and reference all sources that you use in your work, including those that you do not quote but paraphrase. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes of more than five words, and include citations for information that you have "borrowed" or paraphrased from other sources.Follow TUI Guidelines for well-written papers. (If you are unsure of what those guidelines are, see The Elements of a Well Written Paper).Submit your analysis by the end of this module.Group Polarization General Instructions WEEK -1There are many instances where decisions are made by groups rather than by individuals. Some examples include juries, management teams, and departmental committees.? However, groups can be vulnerable to decision biases that do not affect individual decision making. In this exercise, you will be participating in week one with a small group and in week two with the class as a whole.? First, answer the following question on a scale of 1 to 8 to indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statement.? Trident University courses have too many papers. I would much prefer a situation where we had several tests instead of having to write so many papers.? Score your agreement with this statement on a scale of 1-8, and record your score somewhere that you will not lose it:12345678Extremely DisagreeStrongly DisagreeModerately DisagreeSlightly DisagreeSlightly AgreeModerately AgreeStrongly Agree Extremely AgreePlease make an initial posting to this Discussion topic ("Group Polarization General Instructions") to confirm that you understand the directions to participate in one of two concurrent discussion groups (e.g., "I confirm that I understand the directions"). Then move on to your designated team topic below (i.e., Discussion Group A or Discussion Group B) to participate in your group assignment.If you score 4 or less, join Discussion Group A.******If you score 5 or more, join Discussion Group BWeek 2: Group Polarization DebriefingThe discussion this week will involve the entire class. Address the following questions:What was your initial score on the question and what was your score after the small group discussion?What causes people to take a more extreme position after the small group discussion?How do judgments made by individuals compare to judgments made by a group?Does discussion lead groups to make good decisions or bad decisions?Do some research on one of the following topics:? Risky Shift, Cautious Shift, Group Think, Group Polarization, Abilene Paradox, Social Influence, Social Comparison, Conformity.? Would your research shed any light on why the strength of people’s opinions changes after group discussion?? Explain.How can you prevent these types of decision biases?How can you use polarization to your advantage? ................
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