...The Forgotten Group Member Group Development Working in a group to achieve a high quality group project can be one of people’s most difficult school experiences. Working in a group is tough because there is often someone who does not pull their own weight. “There are five stages to group development, adjourning, forming, storming, performing, and norming” (John & Wiley pg 166). Christine’s group from the Case Study the Forgotten Group Member is in between the Storming and Norming Stages. The Storming Stage “is dealing with tensions and defining group tasks,” while the Norming Stage is dealing with high emotionality and tension among the group members” (John & Wiley pg. 166). Christine and her group could have had better success in creating a solid group paper if she would have focused more on the forming stage at the beginning of their relationship. The forming stage happens “in the initial entry into the group,” during this stage individuals ask a number of questions as they begin to identify with other group members and with the team itself” (John & Wiley pg 166). Group member Mike was the black sheep of the group. He did not complete his assigned tasks and missed group meetings because of work and personal issues. Christine became frusterated because of his absences and his incomplete work. In the beginning meetings of the group, Christine and other groups members could have asked the questions during the forming stage like “What are the potential barriers...
Words: 973 - Pages: 4
...Running head : THE FORGOTTEN GROUP MEMBER The Forgotten Group Member Name School Professor Course The Forgotten Group Member 1 . How could an understanding of the stages of group development assist Christine in leadership situations such as this one ? A group is defined as “a collection of people who interact with one another , accept rights and obligations as members and who share a common identity (Neill , 2007 , “Group Dynamics , Processes Development .In the case of Christine and her group which is composed of her classmates in accounting , their goal is to generate a well-written analysis in reviewing a 7-page case . This 5-member group is a dynamic bunch because of the mix of different personalities . Since there is diversity within the group , it cannot be prevented that a variety of perceptions and work attitudes affect the group processes and development . This is where the “understanding of the stages of group development ‘ can help Christine as a team coordinator to keep the group united and productive as well . In the first place , Christine was not aware of the “stages of group development ‘ which if she knew could have gave her a clue on how to handle the different circumstances of her team mates . Through “orientation (forming , dissatisfaction (storming ,resolution (norming , production (performing ) and termination (adjourning ‘ Christine can help in re-assimilating Mike back into the group to make positive contributions as a group member in an effort to produce...
Words: 506 - Pages: 3
...Case Study wk 3” The Forgotten Group Member” Well after reading “The Forgotten Group Member” I think this has some very good examples for group development and the stages that go with it. I would say it would start with forming storming norming, and performing then adjourning. The forming concept begins as a group is brought together thru some formal selection and initially they talk and get to know one another. They select a leader who gives some direction and have tasks that are assigned for collecting data .There maybe some differences that have to be sorted out and perhaps some sub grouping, but by keeping a set of rules and keeping it simple as to avoid any problems and controversy .Even if there is conflict if it is simple can be resolved efficiently. The key here is to assign tasks and get them done efficiently as possible to avoid any issues and conflicts this can be accomplished if everyone becomes well orientated and works together defining tasks ,how to get it done and grow as a team to accomplish that goal. In Storming this is where the group begins to get ideas for the task defining and organizing getting into a group process. Coming up with ideas .Within the group ideas are tossed back and forth and sometimes so is conflict this is where organizing and setting some ground rules to put the effort into motion has to be set. In the Norming stage the interpersonalizations of a group are characterized by cohesion. In this process members contribute ideas and try...
Words: 957 - Pages: 4
...The Forgotten Group Member Name: Institution: Instructor: Date of submission: Introduction There are five main stages in group development. These are formation, storming, norming, the performing stage and the adjourning stage (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2007). It is necessary for each of these stages to be undertaken by every group; clearly knowing when on stage ends and another begins. Failures to do so, problems occur, that may culminate to poor performance or not completing the assignment at all. An analysis on a research carried out in the University of Ontario, school of business. Students were asked to carry out a group assignment. This paper discusses Problems, causes and possible solutions of the problems in this group. a) The Issue. In Christine’s group, there are a number of issues that stir concern. Mike does not take his part of the assignment seriously. He comes to meetings poorly prepared and enjoys talking about unimportant issues during discussions and misses others. Janet, although hardworking, misses meeting sessions without apology. Christine, as the group leader, does not manage to unite the group members so as to achieve the best results. This does not comply with the mission statement and job description they had earlier signed in the exhibits. Janet’s plan to leave the group and work alone is an indication of the failure of the group to stick together. The major issue in this organization is leadership incompetence...
Words: 801 - Pages: 4
...MGMT 591 LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR THE FORGOTTEN GROUP MEMBER CASE STUDY PROFESSOR: JACCI CHRISTOPHER JUSTIN AKUFFO SEPTEMBER 25TH 2012 IDENTIFY AND SUMMARIZE THE STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT Forming Stage- The member in this stage will formally interview each other or ask questions about one another so they can be comfortable. It can range from anything personal to professional. They might want to know what I can offer to the group or what can I benefit from the group. He or he at this level is also learning someone’s behavior and they can be stereotyped as well during the process. This is where Christine was elected to be the Team Coordinator. Storming Stage- At this stage the members seem to be emotional and experience some sort of conflict. For example; Diane seeming not as open as the other members. She was able to suggest some great ideas but only when asked directly. Mike on the other hand had an issue with the meeting because of his television show. Steve seemed serious and wanted an agenda for a meeting they held. Christine was a perfectionist; she gave her all and strived to do the best. These are some examples of the storming stage. Norming Stage-During this stage they seem more together or cohesive and it looks like they are at some agreement. The only person who is not working is Mike; even though Christine set a time that would work for everyone. Performing Stage-This stage demonstrates everyone being more organized and motivated...
Words: 1013 - Pages: 5
...The Forgotten Group Member Darrin Chatman dachatman08@yahoo.com GM591-Leadership and Organizational Behavior November 13, 2011 Professor Jack Murphy The Forgotten Group Member Part I: Group Development The group is in the performing stage of their class project in Organizational Behavior. Moreover, the team can be characterized as an immature team due to team loyalty, cohesion, communications, and use of member’s resources. On the other hand, Christine could have addressed the stages of team development at the beginning of the creation of the group. Furthermore, she could have incorporated the stages during each week of the course. For example, as the “Team Coordinator,” Christine should have begun with forming the group to get to know one another whereby storming to define the groups tasks. Nonetheless, the stage of norming would have contributed to completing the performing stage with minimal conflict. Part II: Problem Identification My opinion the primary problem is the lack of communication within the group. Christine made a suggestion on what time to meet to discuss the project and an agreement was never made. Also, every time she suggested a team meeting there were roadblocks due to other member’s commitment to work and other personal conflicts. Furthermore, the secondary problem within the group is loyalty and cohesion. The group could never perform on the same accord which caused a lack of cohesion. On the other hand, the group lost loyalty when...
Words: 671 - Pages: 3
...Case Study “The Forgotten Group Member” According to Tuckerman’s 5 stages of a team there is forming, storming, norming, performing and in 1976 he added the 5th adjourning. The Team lead by Christine Spencer for her Organizational development course is in the storming stage of development. We are told of how they were brought together and a short summary of their individual characteristics at the start of the team. The basic characteristics of the storming stage is vying for positions both formal and informal on the team, identifying communication plans and learning to solve problems together. This stage isn’t considered completed until the team becomes accepting of one another and starts working together towards their common goal. Christine was unable to pull Mike into the team in an effective way. According to the study, he specifically did not make it to several meetings, he was accusatory when he felt he had been left out of a meeting and he did not turn in his tasks as assigned. Since the next stage of norming consists of a team giving up individual ideas for the success of the team and that all team members take responsibility for the end result; the lack of Mikes participation led me to the conclusion that Christine’s team never made it out of the storming stage of development. One of the primary areas the team failed in immediately is Christine identifying each of the teams attributes and generalizing Mike as the “class clown” biased her working with him forward...
Words: 1100 - Pages: 5
...THE FORGOTTEN GROUP MEMBER The given case clearly describes possible problems that we (students) can face during group work. Disunity, misunderstanding, lack of time, failure of given tasks and arguments are the points that can be met during the work in the group. Mr. Rasmussen’s approach of teaching isn’t innovative but it is very effective. And it needs a lot of effort as from the instructor’s side and as from the students’ side. In this case we can see how group members communicate with each other, which problems occur in the process of group development and also we can see how it is important to pass through the stated stages (forming, norming, storming and performing) accurately and coherently. While reading this case I brought a few issues, I would divide them into 3 groups according to the source of its origin: I. Janet a. Janet had a lack of time b. She didn’t range her priorities c. She didn’t always inform the group that she would be absent d. She didn’t even try to improve her relations with the group mates e. Without fixing problems with the group mates she went straightly to Mr. Rasmussen II. Christine f. Christine didn’t pay a lot of attention to the group cohesion g. After recognizing that the environment in the group is kind of stressful she just stated it and didn’t try to fix h. She skipped the first stage of group development (establish relationship) III. Group members (Diane, Mike...
Words: 1080 - Pages: 5
...Presentation 4: case study-The forgotten group member 1. Identify the five group development stages (forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning) in the case. Forming -organize group and make relationship between group members. Professor Sandra Thiel had divided the class into groups of five people and had given them a major group assignment worth 30 percent of the final grade. Christine was elected “Team Coordinator” at the first group meeting. The other members of the group were Diane, Janet, Steve, and Mike. Storming - Showing each others’ characters and facing conflict because of different characters. - Diane was quiet and never volunteered suggestions, but when directly asked, she would come up with high quality ideas. - Mike was the clown. - Christine saw herself as meticulous and organized and as a person who tried to give her best in whatever she said. - Steve was the business-like individual, always wanting to ensure that group meetings were guided by an agenda and noting the tangible results achieved or not achieved at the end of every meeting. - Janet was the reliable one who would always have more for the group than was expected of her. Norming - Beginning of teamwork. They actually start to work, and find the differences among members. Actual problems are happened. - Christine had called everyone to arrange a meeting for a time that would suit them all but seemed to be running...
Words: 560 - Pages: 3
... The Forgotten Group Member case study shows the reader how teams fall apart due to a lack of communication. This case proves that knowing how to lead a team is just as important as being a part of the team. It is important to realize that not only does a leader have responsibility to a team but the members have to be involved in order for a project to be completed accurately and effectively. I would consider the team to be in the norming stage still. It seems as if they’re all working effectively on their individual parts except for Mike. This is where Christine is trying to get Mike to sort of add his “creative flowing juices” as well. In the norming stage, the team has their dynamics worked out. Everyone knows their part and place on the team, but not necessarily what to do. This is where the leader comes in. The team is sort of in a state of limbo and they need guidance. If the leader takes over and goes into Director mode, he/she can actually throw the group back into the Storming stage. As a third party, one can see the many problems that were associated with the information provided from the case. The main primary problem is the lack of communication between the leaders of the group. I would say everyone is doing their part and everyone is providing information. As a team member leadership abilities could benefit by having the knowledge of the stages of group development. Everyone needs to know that the team's success will only be possible when every member contributes...
Words: 673 - Pages: 3
...The Forgotten Group Member Melissa T Grice Keller Graduate School of Business Management Leadership & Organizational Behavior GM 591 Professor Carr July 23, 2011 The Forgotten Group Member According to our text, “A team is a group of people brought together to use their complementary skills to achieve a common purpose for which they are collectively accountable” (Schermerhorn, 2010). The case study involving, The Forgotten Group Member demonstrates an excellent example of how teams fail and fall apart related to a breakdown or lack of effective communication between all parties involved. Thus, it is important to acknowledge that a leader has responsibility to lead the team, but the members also must be involved in order to complete the project effectively and in a timely manner. Part I. Group Development After review of the case and data from the textbook, the group begins the storming stage. “The storming stage of team development is a period of high emotionality and tension among the group members. During this stage, hostility and infighting may occur, and the team typically experiences many changes” (Schermerhorn, 2010). Noticeably, hostility and fighting came from Mike and his perceptions about how the group was excluding him from meetings, which wasn’t an accurate perception. One could determine that if Mike would participate in the workload he could become a viable player in the team. Mike hasn’t performed to the degree as other group members have because...
Words: 794 - Pages: 4
...The Forgotten Group Member The Forgotten Group member is a case study in the Organization Behavior book that creates a scenario about an A student by the name of Christine who faces challenges while working in a group on a project as the team leader. Initially, the group starts in the forming stage because the group members and especially Christine begin to have concerns about how their personal work and the work of the other team members contribute to the project. Towards the end, the group is now in the storming stage. The storming stage is described as a period of high emotion and tension among group members. During this stage, the group may experience uncomfortable pressures and efforts are made to find ways to accomplish team goals while also satisfying individual needs. I believe the group is now in this stage because a difficult member by the name of Mike has not been showing up to group meetings and has only turned in rough handwritten notes. Because Mike has been social loafing, this will cause the group to express emotions about the situation which will cause tension among the group. The group will then realized that because the lack of Mike’s efforts, they will have to come together to do his work. If Christine, the team leader, would have understood the stages of development, she would have realized that her team was not developing at the pace they should have been. She would have recognized the issues at a time where it could have been easier to resolve...
Words: 679 - Pages: 3
...The Forgotten Group Member 1. Christine’s leadership abilities could benefit by having knowledge of the stages of group development. Specific to her situation, it seems that aside from the very first group meeting, Mike was not present for the forming stage of the group. As a result, questions such as “What can the group offer me?”, “Can my needs be met and still contribute to the group”, and other discovery inquiries did not get answered for Mike so he has not felt part of the team so he has withdrawn from the group. As a leader, Christine could have encouraged to Mike the importance of being present for group meetings so he can be part of the team. For example, at the lunch room incident when Mike walked away, she could have talked with him individually and explained to him that she perceives that he does not feel welcome and has been avoiding team meetings. Christine could address the how important it is to attend the team meetings, explain to him the “WWIFM” (what’s in it for me) aspects and the fact that team needs him as he has so much that could contribute and add value to the team. She could also indicate that the team’s success will only be possible when every member contributes. By doing so, she can help ensure that Mike is able to join the group during the forming stage and hopefully move quickly to the norming and then performing stages. 2. Christine should understand that the blend of individual personalities and how people related to one another in groups based...
Words: 531 - Pages: 3
...Case Study of “The Forgotten Group Member” In this case the most of the team appears to be in the “Norming” stage of development. The text (Organizational Behavior 11th ed. Pp167) describes this stage as the “point at which the members really start to come together as a coordinated unit”. Assignments and roles within the group have been defined, and most of the members have made progress on their given assignments. However the major issues in the group’s development that needed to be addressed in the “Storming” stage went unaddressed. During this stage the team may be separated by the forming of cliques, high emotions, and competition for status position within the group. In this case a clique, or at least a perception by Mike of a clique, has formed. This has left Mike feeling excluded and unimportant to the group. If Christine had a better understanding of group development she would have known that during this stage emotions run high, and group members can quickly loose desire to work with the group if it is not properly managed. The primary problem within the group is fairly obvious, Mike’s perception of exclusion from the group. During this stage Mike’s desire to perform was drastically swayed by his perception of exclusion. When he feels that the team is meeting without him, it leaves him with a feeling that his role within the group is unimportant. This in turn affects Mike’s performance in a very negative manor. If Christine had noticed this, at this...
Words: 871 - Pages: 4
...Part I: Group Developments Group development begins with the forming stage where members ask questions, get to know each other and discover acceptable behaviors. The storming stage, or second step, is the period where there may be emotional outbreaks and tension within the group. This progresses to the third or norming stage where team members start to work together as a unit, the performing stage where the team is well integrated and functioning as a team. And lastly the adjourning stage when the team is ending as a group and group accomplishments are celebrated. Darlene thinks Christine’s team is now in the norming stage. Christine’s team first meeting was a forming stage meeting. This is supported by the fact that during this meeting Diane when asked volunteered information, Steve was businesslike and kept the team focused on the agenda, Janet was reliable and contributed more than was expected, and Christine was meticulous and organized. Mike has been the forgotten team member, he does not attend meeting. It is week five and Christine’s team in is the norming stage they have all worked together to accomplish a task and all of the team members has submitted their assignments. Had Christine understand the stages of group development Christine would have been able to analyze what stage the team was in and prepare for possible problems. If Christine recognized when the team was in the storming stage she could have addressed Mike issues of not being available for...
Words: 1181 - Pages: 5
