Organizational Group Communication

Group Communication Purposes in Organizations

• Members of an organization communicate to share and exchange information and ideas.
• Communication allows the collection of feedback on any project, policy, or scheme.
• Crucial decisions are made through group discussions on important organizational issues.
• Problem-solving is facilitated when communication addresses the organization as a whole.
• Group communication is used to discuss issues involving the group or for the benefit of a larger audience.
• Communication is essential to get feedback on work-related items.

Forms of Group Communication

• Group communication can be oral or written.
• The specific form depends on the purpose, structure, and characteristics of the communication.
• Common forms include panel discussions, meetings, conferences/seminars, symposiums, and conventions.

Body Language Tips in Group Settings

• Maintain eye contact while speaking and listening for engagement.
• Adopt facial expressions showing interest and enthusiasm to foster a positive environment.
• Restrain emotional expressions during arguments or disagreements to maintain professionalism.
• Small hand gestures are advisable in small groups to respect personal space.
• Arrange venues with adequate space between seats to prevent discomfort.
• Observe non-verbal cues to understand intentions behind verbal cues.

Purpose and Functions of Discussions

• Discussions can be formal or informal depending on context.
• Discussions facilitate exchanging information, views, and opinions.
• Discussions serve to persuade, appraise, make decisions, or solve problems.

Discussions: Participant Roles

• Participants introduce themselves and others.
• Participants lead and direct the flow.
• Participants express opinions and ideas.
• Agreement or disagreement is communicated.
• Decisions and intentions are conveyed.
• Questions are asked.
• Effective feedback is given and received.
• Discusssions allow for delivering negative news and counselling.

Key Aspects of Group Discussions

• Group discussions involve 3-8 people meeting to share, develop, and discuss ideas through oral interaction.
• Group discussions support decision-making and problem-solving across organizations.
• Personality tests and student selection are conducted with group discussions.

Effective Communication Techniques

• Concepts are to be well-defined with immediate explanations of unfamiliar terms.
• Language must be accurate for clarity.
• Clarity and accuracy need to work together.
• Clarity and accuracy suffer when it is difficult to find the perfect word.
• The word choices should correspond explicitly as possible.
• Avoid technical jargon, obsolete expressions, and colloquialisms, as these may be unfamiliar.

Speaking Etiquette

• Connotative words should be used cautiously.
• Sensitive to denotations and connotations which keeps communication clear and protects interpersonal relationships.
• Correct word pronounciation is crucial for avoiding confusion.
• Speech should be natural, because unnatural voices can be off-putting.
• Facial expressions and gestures should match the tone of voice to avoid miscommunication.
• Eye contact needs to be maintained as well as varying tone of voice for engagement.

Problem Solving Techniques

• Indentifying the problem can be difficult at times.
• Problems may be personal, social, physical, mental, organizational, technical, managerial, or business-related.
• In depth analysis and discussion of problem.
• Discuss the problem before talking about it is important.
• Clarification results when problem is well defined.
• Developing solutions starts upon correctly identifying the problem.

Creating a Productive Environment

• Open and free-flowing discussion is easier in an atmosphere conducive to participants
• Friendly environments and cooperation allow for better problems and ideas.
• Each member is responsible for environment
• Friendliness/cooperation allows for a more energetic confident environment.

Benefits of Persuasion in Discussions

• Believing in what a person says leads to them being able to persuade others.
• Persuasion facilitates convicing others in group discussions.

Proper Group Dynamic Etiquette

• Assertion but not aggression facilitates successful group dynamics.
• Satisfying assertion is achieved when one is being firm while being polite.
• A politely expressed view is effective even when disagreeing: Ex. "I am afraid this idea will not work in our system."

Turn-Taking Strategies to Facilitate Group Discussions

• Speaking exchange is known as turn-taking mechanism.
• Members take turns using verbal/non-verbal communication to express views, making it a successful discussion.
• Uneven discussion results from one or two members dominating discussion.
• This process is repeated by members. A smooth discussion will result in the discussion being more useful.
• Consider the various issues related to the topic.

Interventions

• Required for group discussion purposes. Such as, correcting an error, controlling unruly behavior, adding more detail, or asking a question for clarification.
• Interruptions are disliked.
• Courtesy required when interrupting, otherwise it may annoy others.

Reaching Decisions

• Decisiveness is achieved with a final/interim decision.
• A conclusion is made when members actively participate, contribute significantly, and reach consensus.

Organizational Group Discussions

• This is used to discuss problems arising in a specific organization.
• Important to ensure all team members are on the same page.
• The following techniques may be used to ensure cohesion in the group:
  • Brainstorming
  • Nominal Group Technique
  • Delphi Technique

Brainstorming Methods

• A method for generating a variety of ideas and perspectives.
• Criticism is not permitted during brainstorming sessions
• This is because it inhibits the free flow of ideas during the session.
• The more diverse a group is, the more likely said group is to come to unexpected insights, ideas and connections.
• Storyboarding and the Lotus Blossom.
• Storyboarding is when major issues are identified and then brainstorming on each of them.
• Lotus blossom is when a core thought is presented, then participants providing the 8 or so surrounding petals.

Nominal Group Technique

• This method restricts communication during the decision making process.
• Participants work independently, writing down their own ideas before group discussion.
• Each member presents ideas, others listen before ranking.

Delphi Technique

• It is complex and time-consuming.
• Problem identified with potential solutions developed anonymously through questionnaires.
• This never allows members meet.
• The first results are transcribed and reproduced.
• Additional questions asked triggers new solutions.
• Consensus happens here.

Group Discussions and Selection Process

• Tool for selecting candidates for job/admission/institution. Used for communicating skills, knowledge and ability to work as the team.
• Part of the recruiting.
• Ability to shoulder the responsibility, work as a team as well as providing in that is looked for.
• Selection discussion is to evaluate that persons playing skills.

How candidates are evaluated

• Normally 8-10 candidates are found to be without leadership. It gives the ability for the team to analyze/discuss.
• A panel of experts briefly explains the case.
• Based on the panel discussion and discretion, the panels finish it.
• It is determined that each candidate provides/counter their own arguments.

Evaluation Skills

• Evaluated into four categories.

1. Group behavior
2. knowledge.
3. Communication skills.
4. Leaderships skills.

Leadership Styles

• Work quality is dependent towards the leaderships style.

Types of Leaderships

• Authorization : Attempts to impose will or values on a team.
• Amicable: Avoids conflict to prevent unpleasant experiences.
• Democratic: Includes others in the discussion fairly.
• Transformational: Care about team. Visionary/Motivates team members.
• Laisses-Faire: Hands-off approach, the group improves on its own.

Meetings

• Involves people sharing notes together to fix particular problems by sharing discussions.
• Has to successful and has to have control. Time-Efficient etc.

Purposes

• To communicate some sensitive issues or important ones .
• To develop some new types of ideas.
• To make some feedback.
• Provides some sort of knowledge and training.

Precautions to Take

• Check if important and if its the right time to host one.

If Called,

• Check time, notice/agenda, duration, venue etc.

Four W's

• Why, who, when, where.

How to Conduct Properly :

• Should get the meet off to a big start and have leadership.
• Should support participation.
• Have a set joining of the discussions.

Procedure

• Injecting humour when injecting some emotions.
• Ending / fixing minutes of some sort.

Conferences

• A type of meeting that helps confer some type of information .
• Have to be with people with similar experiences or opinions.

Significance of Conferences

• Have to be playing the analytical
• Provide good solutions and values.
• Exchange type of ideas and workshops.

Symposiums and Seminars

• Very good/formal when people share expert opinions on.
• Inviting some of the more prominent people is really good.

Seminars

• Helps bring out the most useful type of information there is.
• It gets multiple groups to focus on each type of topic.
• It becomes something that they have.

Negotiations

• Discussing issues and conflicts with the goal of bargaining together.
• Occurs when someone wants something the other already has.
• Helps you influence other people.

Six Steps

• Build understanding.
• Statement to goals.
• Starting something.
• Expression of disagreements/negotiations.
• Compromise.
• Set agreement.

Type of Negotiations

• Formal negotiations. Good when trying to obtain an organization.
• Informal negotiations. Serves its purpose.