Group Communication

How to Be Effective in Groups

In order to be the most effective communicator, it is necessary to utilize the skills that get your ideas and opinions across to the other members of the group. One of the most important skills to keep in mind is to speak concisely. Rather than rambling on about a topic, choose the most important points and state them briefly. If others need more information, they will ask for it. This gives you the opportunity to expound on your ideas while still drawing other people into the conversation.

One of the best ways to effectively communicate in a group setting is to create some sort of agenda by which the group can solve problems. "Reflective thinking" is one such agenda that can help a group communicate amongst its members to create solutions to problems. John Dewey's agenda for reflective thinking includes:

1. Problem identification – The group works together to identify exactly what problem needs to be solved and why.
2. Problem analysis – The group now views the problem in light of the forces that can help and the forces that can hinder. Identifying both types of forces at play in the situation can help identify the root cause of the problem, as well as help determine the solution.
3. Criteria selection – Next the group should determine what outcome they would most like to see. This should include any goals they are trying to reach with their solution.
4. Solution generation – The entire group brainstorms as many potential solutions to the problem as they can. No solutions are rejected at this phase so as to allow for the widest range of possibilities and creative thought.
5. Solution evaluation and selection – Using the criteria created in step three, each of the solutions is evaluated for its potential to solve the problem for the best outcome.
6. Solution implementation – Coming up with the solution to a problem is great, but actually implementing the solution is the desired outcome.

When there comes a time for a group to make a final decision about something, there are several possible methods for coming to an agreement. In some groups, the decision is simply the responsibility of the leader, and he or she informs the rest of the group of the final decision. In other cases, everyone's opinion matters.

When all group members agree on the same decision, it is called a consensus. Compromise happens when the final decision must be adjusted so that everyone in the group has to give up some of their demands. In some situations, a final decision is left to a vote, and the choice that receives the majority of the votes is the one that wins. If a group just can not come to a compromise, an arbitration may take place. In this case, an outside person or group makes the final decision.

Miscommunication

There are three main kinds of miscommunication that can happen within a group, and avoiding them can be key to communicating effectively.

• Non-understanding takes place when a member or members of the group can not properly interpret what is being said. In fact, they may not be able to come up with any interpretation at all.
• Misunderstanding happens when the group member believes that he or she has properly interpreted the speaker's message, but it is not what the speaker actually meant.
• Misinterpretation is when the speaker's words are interpreted to seem as if the speaker has different values than the rest of the group.

It is also possible for a group member to intentionally mislead the others by evading questions, omitting important information, obscuring the issue with evocative language, or simply lying outright. These all function to limit the effectiveness of communication.

The need for effective communication within groups is paramount to their success. Understanding the dynamics involved can give you an advantage in helping steer your group toward a positive outcome in which you reach the best consensus and find the most creative solutions to problems.