Group Communication

Introduction

Communicating within groups is different than communicating one-on-one. There are a variety of dynamics at work in a group that don't come into play in other types of communication. Whether you are speaking in front of a large group or are a member of a smaller team that needs to communicate effectively, there are certain skills that can make your task easier. Simply understanding some of the basic behaviors of humans in groups can give you an advantage when it comes a time to foster communication.

The Basics of Group Dynamics

A "group" is really formed any time there are more than two or more people together, but for our purposes, we're going to talk about groups of three or more. Small groups range up to about twelve people. Most group members share some sort of common identifying factor. Maybe they are coworkers. They could also be fans of the same celebrity, or users of a particular piece of software.

Groups can be categorized in a number of ways. A "primary group" is generally several individuals who have family ties. A "secondary group" is more about having ties through an institution. A "reference group" is one to which an individual feels drawn due to shared interests or values. Reference groups might include cliques, teams, communities, clubs, or even gangs.

Any time several people are put together in order to reach a common goal, they will go through an almost identical process. Being aware of this process can help you anticipate what will happen and adjust your behaviors accordingly. Once given a goal and some basic rules, a group will generally form in the following way:

• Individual group members will seek to interact with others that they perceive to be like themselves based on aspects such as shared interests, similar cultural background, or something else they have in common. These first relationships will generally only involve two or three group members. Some sort of dominance will usually be understood. Once these subsets have been established, individuals may venture out to interact with others but will often return to the original subset. These groups may even become somewhat territorial in the physical space. The smaller subsets will begin to intermix, and larger sets will emerge with approximately six to eight members in each.
• When the larger sets form, there will be a reestablishing of dominance and territory while members learn what their new roles will be. This phase in the group creation will generally include some disagreements and struggles for power and status.
• Once these problems are settled, the group will have been fairly cohesively established.
• Groups that experience a fair amount of aggression have not solidified because dominance has not been established.
• These smaller sets of ten or fewer individuals will often continue to compete with one another for dominance and territory throughout the life of the group.