The Ways of Group Behavior
The ways in which people behave in large or small groups are referred to as group behaviors. Group behavior is made up of three components: group thinking, group shifting, and deindividuation. A group grows through four stages: the forming stage, the storming stage, the norming stage, and finally the performance stage. The following paper will define these stages in greater depth and outline strategies for improving group performance.
The Forming Stage
The first stage is when the group begins to form and comes together; it is characterized primarily by paranoia owing to uncertainty and anxiety. Members are on edge about the way they behave around the other members out of fear of being unaccepted by the others hence they try to avoid conflict, controversy and personal opinions (Champoux, 2016). In our group, during this forming stage, we will focus on getting to know each other and assigning responsibilities to the members in relation to the goals.
The Storming Stage
Storming, unlike the forming stage, is characterized by conflict and competition. Members feel more confident, since they have a general understanding of the members of the group letting them air out their opinions about the tasks, roles, and responsibilities. At this stage, we will try to avoid conflict by striving to understand each other's differences and accepting other group members the way they are (Champoux, 2016).
The Norming Stage
Norming is the third stage; this is when the group members are most focused to achieve the targeted goal. Each member puts their talents, skills, and experience to work towards the common goal; also, at this point, members trust each other. The performing stage is the last in the list, and is marked by the groups' high productivity. The members form a supportive unit hence they are loyal to each other (Champoux, 2016). It is also at this stage that the competence of the members is observed, thus permitting higher levels of independency when it comes to making decision.
Improving Group Performance
Other than that, the performance of the group can be improved through defining and communicating vision, encouraging recognition, delegating and empowering each other, supporting innovation, and encouraging continued education.
References
Champoux, J. E. (2016). Organizational behavior: Integrating individuals, groups, and organizations. Routledge.
