Group Work Analysis: Theories, Activities, and Reflection Report

This report delves into the realm of group dynamics within organizations, examining various group theories, activities, and the practical application of group facilitation. It begins by defining the significance of group work in achieving organizational goals, highlighting the importance of both formal and informal groups. The report then provides an overview of group theories, including system theory, social learning theory, field theory, social exchange theory, and the theory of group development, emphasizing how these theories shape understanding of employee behavior and group interactions. The core of the report focuses on a practical group activity involving investigation, creation, and critiquing, illustrating how these activities foster collaboration, improve efficiency, and build positive relationships among employees. Furthermore, the report reflects on the author's experience as a facilitator, acknowledging both the benefits and challenges of group dynamics, and emphasizing the importance of mutual understanding and effective communication. The report concludes by underscoring the significance of applying group development theories to enhance team performance and organizational outcomes.

WORKING WITH GROUPS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Reflection....................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Working in the group is the sentence used to define the working which is taking place in the
organization in the group of the people who has come together with common motive of
achieving the organizational goal. Groups are central in various contexts from organizational to
therapy which involves coming together of individuals from similar or different diversities to
achieve a central goal. This report highlights the different sort of the group theory used in the
organization. Further this report highlights the group activity which has taken place in the
organization and the best theory which has been understand by the help of the group activity. In
the end report highlights the reflection on the experienced of mine.
MAIN BODY
Reflection
Overview of the Group Theory
Group theory are the theory which are used to study the group in the organization. Their
are two type of the group in the organization i.e. formal Group are the gathering of the number of
the people with the common motive of achieving the organizational goal in the organization.
Informal group which are set up due to mutual relationship between the individual i.e. friend
group (Natvig and Stark, 2016). The main reason why the organization apply the theory at the
workplace is that it helps the organization in understanding the way employee work, what is the
work which is taking place in the organization, Helps the organization in understanding the
possible causes for what we do or observe.
Overview of the Group Activities
Their are many activity which used to take place in the organization within the group.
The main motive of this type of the activity is that the member of the team builds the good
relationship in them and also the other purpose of doing the group activity is to improve the
efficiency of the work in the organization as in the group activity more than one mind look at the
task. The group activity which was done in the group was the investigation, creating and
Critiquing. To perform this activity the group was divided into 3 sub groups, first group was
looking at investigation, second looks at the creating and the last one used to look at the
critiquing (Lyndon and Schupp, 2015). The first group used to investigate the market about what
was needed in the market and what need to be done by the organization to full fill the same and
used to gather the data with the help of the different market research tools. The second group was
3

asked to evaluate the data in a proper way and come up with the idea of creating something new
at the organization so that the need of the customer in the market can be satisfied very efficiently
by the organization. The third and the last group was given the task to regularly evaluate the
activity of the first two group and find out the problem which can be faced by the group in the
future and on the basis and with the help of the all the member of the group need to find out the
solution of the problem which have been identified by the third group (Ribeiro-Soares, and et.al.,
2015). This group activity has helped the organization in applying all the theory on the
organization as this activity includes all the function of the group as it include interaction,
research, development and the Critiquing. This group activity of the organization has helped the
business in building the good relationship among the employee as the employee used to interact
with the each other on the regular basis, it has also helped the employee in building the good
environment in the organization as all the employee are having the clarity of the mind in the
organization. It has also helped the employee in the group activity to feel motivated as their was
a time in the group activity that the creating group member was not finding it easy and
comfortable to work and coordinate with the other member in the team but at that time other
team member of the group motivated the employee by interacting with him and also with the
help of diverting the focus of the individual on the other things which has helped the individual
in increasing the efficiency of the work in the group (Raes And et.al., 2015).
Group Facilitation Theories
In performing the group activity it has include the implication of all sort of the theories in
the group but the group formation theory was the best theory which was understand in the group
activity as the sub group which was developed in the group activity was developed on the basis
of that only. All the sub group which was developed was developed on the stages wise only at
the first stage of the Forming the member of the team was given the hint that they will be divided
in the three sub group to perform the group activity in the organization, the leader who has
divided the group has also opened the room for the question from the member side about the sub
group. At the second stage of storming all the member was known about the group and all the
member used to interact with each other and started building the mutual understanding between
them. At the third stage of the team forming all the group member was assigned the duty which
they need to be performed in the group and the way through which they can perform the activity
in the group. At the fourth stage of the group formation all the team member was having all the
4

idea why they are doing the work and what will be the benefit of the doing the work in the
organization and what is the end goal which they need to achieved after a point of the time. The
last stage was the Adjourning in which all the employee was given the feedback about the work
which has been completed by them in the group and the motivation was given to them for
completing the task. This theory has helped me in understanding what is the importance of the
group working in the organization and why it is important to apply the group development theory
in the appropriate way as the group can be developed without the help of the group development
theory also. The biggest benefit which is brought by the group development theory is that the
group development theory used to see the human relationship first ad on the basis of that
different group are divided in the organization but in the other way of group separation it is not
done and the group are allotted the task from the initial point itself which does not build the
mutual relationship among the employee.
Different type of the Group Theory
Their are several of the group theory which are applied in the organization as all the
theory used to see the group in the different aspect. System theory is the most common theory as
this theory used to see the group of the member as a independent and the interacting elements,
which creates many challenges to the organization as the Independent member never looks at
maintaining the stability and the equilibrium in the organization. Interacting element used to help
the organization as it creates the good working environment in the organization. System theory
force the business in integration, Adaption, patten maintenance and Goal attainment as it creates
the stability in the organization.
Another theory is the Social learning theory which says that the people in the group
used to learn from the other member present in the group with the help of the observation,
imitation and modelling, which helps the people in the group in learning the new skill set which
is possessed by the other in the group (Kiweewa And et.al., 2018). Social learning theory also
helps the organization in forming the bridge between the behaviour of the human and the
cognitive learning as the social learning theory used to explain the behaviour of the human in
terms of the reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioural, and environmental influences.
This theory generally used to look at the learning which used to take place in the organization.
Field theory is the another theory which looks at the group as a whole and remarked that
the group is the consisting of the different force in the organization which helps the organization
5

in keeping the member together in the organization. The Forces which is highlighted by the field
theory is the Roles, Power, Consensus and the Valence. As the Power is the one which is desired
by all the individual it motivate them to work harder in the group to achieve the power and the
Roles and responsibility is the other force which bind the employee to complete the work given
which eventually help the organization (Hays, 2017).
Social exchange theory is the another theory which is used in the organization as it
helps the organization in understanding the importance of the social behaviour at the time of the
interaction between two parties in the group as the theory believe that the there is a reward in all
type of the social interaction.
Theory of the group development is the another theory which looks at the development
of the efficient group in the organization. This theory used to work in the 5 different stages i.e.
Forming it is the first stage in which there is less amount of the clarity among the team member
about the roles and responsibility. It is the stage where leader decide what and which people are
required in the team. Storming is the second stage in the group development at this stage team
member in the team used to develop the relationship with other member. Norming is the third
stage at which the roles and responsibility are clear to the member of the team and all the
agreement used to take place at this stage. performing is the next stage at which all the member
are clear about the goal and mission and vision of the group and the member used to work
accordingly. Adjourning is the last stage of the theory it is the stage which explains that at the
time of the closure of the group all the member of the group to get appropriate closure as well as
recognition for the work they accomplished.
Working Experience
Working as a facilitator was one of the greatest experience for me as I have found that
working in the group is very good task to improve the efficiency of the work in the organization
but at the same time it also throws many challenges toward the individual. In my thought
working in the group dynamic helps the individual in many ways as it provides the individual
with the guidance and also helps the individual in understanding the point of view of the other
member in the group which helps the individual in solving the problem very easily as compare to
the individual work. As I was working as a facilitator in the group activity I was always asked by
the member about their query and the other member in the team always find it easy to solve the
problem. It was also found that it is not easy to work in the group dynamic as in the group
6

working their some point always occur which creates the uncertainty among the member as the
point of the view in the organization is always different of all the employee as all come from the
different background and having different point of view. It was also found that the mutual
understanding is the main thing which is require in the group working as it never matter how
skill full is the employee but if the individual is not able to coordinate with the other in the group
then it will get difficult for the team to carry out the task and accomplish the organizational goal.
CONCLUSION
After going through above report it has been summarized Facilitator used to play a very
prominent role in achieving the group goals and objectives. After that it has been summarized
that one theory was applied for counselling group activity which is group development theory.
Further this report has summarized the group activity and the benefit brought by that and the
application and the learning of the specific theory.
7

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Lyndon, R. C. and Schupp, P. E., 2015. Combinatorial group theory. Springer.
Ribeiro-Soares and et.al., 2015. Group theory for structural analysis and lattice vibrations in
phosphorene systems. Physical Review B. 91(20). p.205421.
Natvig, D. and Stark, N. L., 2016. A project team analysis using Tuckman's model of small-
group development. Journal of Nursing Education. 55(12). pp.675-681.
Kiweewa, J. M. And et.al., 2018. Tracking growth factors in experiential training groups through
Tuckman’s conceptual model. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work. 43(3). pp.274-
296.
Hays, K., 2017. Adapting Tuckman’s Model for Global Virtual Teams.
Raes, E. And et.al., 2015. An exploratory study of group development and team learning. Human
Resource Development Quarterly. 26(1). pp.5-30.
Online
8

9

10