JLBC LESSONS LEARNED

JLBC LESSONS LEARNED

Heterogeneous (diverse) groups tend to be more productive when complex tasks require cooperation between organizations, require creativity, and prioritize thorough discussions over speed. Heterogeneous groups tend to have more conversations, which leads to more conflict. This is not necessarily bad if the competition is constructive, as it can enhance the group's decision-making. A heterogeneous group working on a simple task can take more time than necessary because of the conflicts that arise from the discussions.7

Group Size

A team can be as few as two people and as many as can effectively interact and influence one another. Team size has an enormous impact on team performance. JLBC Cadets, if a team is too small, members may not have the expertise or experience needed. If a team is too large, social loafing may occur. Social loafing is the tendency of some members not to put forth as much effort in a group situation as they would if they worked alone and instead rely on other members to pick up their slack. When this occurs, there usually is a conflict that the team must resolve. This will happen from the other team members, which is preferred and indicates a high-performing team, or the leader who must step in and resolve the conflict.

Group Norms

Group norms are usually established early during the enrichment phase when forming an external team. Group norms refer to the standard against which appropriate behavior is judged. Examples can be either productive or counterproductive. Group members will usually follow the models even if it results in a negative outcome. Group norms are enforced for only those actions the group sees as necessary. High-performing groups obviously will have productive criteria.

Norms serve four purposes in organizations:

● They help the group survive.

●They simplify and make more predictable the behaviors expected of group members.

● They help the group avoid embarrassing situations.

●They express the central values of the group and identify the group to others.

Group Cohesiveness

The extent to which a group or team wants to stay together is their cohesiveness. Cohesiveness is created by the group's attraction, the resistance to leaving the group, and the motivation to remain a member of the group.