Page 234 - DMGT106_MANAGING_HUMAN_ELEMENTS_AT_WORK

Managing Human Element at Work

Notes Most groups develop a number of norms which they find useful in guiding the members’
behaviour. They coin new jargon, with a meaning unique to their group. They introduce
games, hold parties and invent rituals. In fact, these are very powerful in standardizing
group behaviour. Anyone who fails to meet these norms within the accepted range of
variation is “attacked” and isolated from the group if his undesired behaviour continues.

One cannot see norms. One can only infer them by observing a group’s activities. If one sees
members of a group borrowing tools from one another or helping one another, one infers
that the group has a norm about sharing tools or helping others.

Group Pressure on Individual Judgements
Experiments conducted by Asch provide evidence of group pressure generated on individual
judgements. Researchers have shown that this tendency is stronger in a person in respect of
whom the following conditions exist:

• The object to be judged is ambiguous;
• The subject’s confidence in the correctness of his own perception is low;
• The subject has a high need for social approval;
• The subject is required to express his opinion publicly rather than privately;

• The group is highly cohesive; and
• The quality of the evidence presented by others is compelling. The existence of
unanimity among others is of crucial importance. If the subject finds even one other
person who agrees with him, he is much less likely to yield to the majority.
Similarity among Members’ Environments

Membership in a group determines for an individual many of the things he will see, hear,
think about, learn and do. The nature of the stimuli in the environment of a person is in
a large part affected by his group membership. All members of a labour union, for example,
are likely to be exposed to similar environment in terms of data, knowledge and facts
pertaining to their own union and organization. This similarity of exposure makes people
know, perceive and do things in a similar fashion.
10.5.4 Performing
This is the most advanced stage of group development. During this stage, a hierarchy of
informal ranks (called internal social structure) develops. People in the group silently
observe each other and determine their hierarchy inter se. Five important determinants of
this hierarchy are: adherence to group norms, external status of member, his position in the
group’s communication network, importance of his role and his personality. Group norms
become the benchmark by which the behaviour patterns of every individual member are
measured. Those who follow the group norms closely or enjoy high external status or play
a valuable role in achieving the group’s objectives or occupy strategic positions in the
group’s communication network or possess affable and charming personalities are acclaimed
as informal leaders. Others in the group position themselves in a hierarchy in terms of the
decreasing degrees to which they meet these determinants. In this way, the group comes to
acquire sufficient stability and capacity for collective performance.
10.5.5 Adjourning

The final stage, adjourning, involves the termination of task behaviours and disengagement
from relationships. A planned conclusion usually includes recognition for participation and
achievement and an opportunity for members to say personal goodbyes. Concluding a

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