When people join a group, he or she may give up his or her independence because of the person was used to working alone and currently has to work within a group to accomplish a goal. To develop a good group there are five stages of development, which are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. The first step is forming, which occurs when the group first meets, and there can be uncertainty about his or her roles, group goals, and who will lead the group. At this stage the group gets to know one another and start thinking together as a group.The second stage is storming, which occurs when the group members test one another for who has more authority and who will be a follower.
This stage can be a long process because conflicts can occur and subgroups form. The third stage is norming, which occurs when the group is in agreement about how the group will run. The group comes together and becomes more of a family, which allows the group to have commitment to the task (McGraw-Hill Education, n. d.
). The fourth stage is performing, which occurs when the group is focused on solving task problems and getting the goals accomplished.Also conflict at this stage is minimum and if there is a problem the conflict is solved without disrupting the whole group (McGraw-Hill Education, n. d. ).
Because the group is like family at this stage the group can achieve the goal, which is more that can be done individually. The last stage is adjourning, which occurs when the task is complete and the group moves onto other activities or tasks. At this stage the group members will have a sense of sadness because of the group breaking apart (McGraw-Hill Education, n. d. ).
At this stage the group can also have a party or award ceremony to show the ending of the task. At this party or award ceremony the leader of the group can discuss the lessons learned and praise the group for their hard work. Barriers to Group Communication One important aspect about this management role is the introduction of new employees to a new group, focus on a proper introduction and time for the new member to interact with other members will be critical; it is important to make the addition of the new member to the group as seamless as possible to avoid any communication barriers.If the new member does not feel accepted by the group there will be apprehension about contributing ideas or opening up to other members.
Conflict within the group can be a barrier to effective communication between group members; however, the ability to discuss freely without inhibitions can turn conflict to a positive outcome. “Because people are unique, their different attitudes, beliefs, and values will inevitably surface and cause conflict. ” (Beebe, Masterson, 2009, p. 152)Active and uninhibited discussion should be encouraged to resolve conflict, and move forward to accomplish the goal or make a decision.
Attitudes toward diversity within the group can also cause misunderstandings and ineffective communication. Gender biased communication can cause conflict in the group discussion and will take time to diffuse and return to discussing strategy and goals. Group members have to develop an understanding of each individual in the group to ensure communication is focused on achieving goals.Other barriers that could distort communication would be an uncomfortable environment, noise; distractions, cramped quarters, and poor lighting contribute to ineffective communication.
A poor meeting environment will only have the members wanting to get the meeting over and not really listening or contributing to the meeting. The majority of the barriers to communication within a group are based on understanding, tolerance, and discussing freely; without these three characteristics the group will not resolve issues or achieve goals.
