Comm 101 - Midterm Exam Review- Chapter 15

Help the group focus achieving its goals.

Asks for or gives facts or opinions, seeks clarification of issues being discussed, and presents facts or opinions to group members: "Sales for May were up 10 percent. Do we have sales figures for June?"

Presents new ideas or new perspectives on old ideas, suggests new goals, or purposes new procedures or organizational strategies. "We need to also look at the amount of time visitors spend on our new site."

Gives and tries to work out possible solutions, trying to build on what others have said. "That three- part division worked at ABC and should work here as well."

Evaluates the group's decisions, questions the logic or practicality of the suggestions, and provides the group with both positive and negative feedback: "That's a great idea, but it sounds expensive."

Takes care of various mechanical duties, such as distributing group materials and arranging the seating; writing down the group's activities, suggestions, and decisions. "We have another meeting scheduled..."

Focus on satisfying the varied interpersonal relationships

Provides members with positive reinforcement through social approval or praise for their ideas and mediates the various differences between group member: "Pat, another great idea."

Tries to resolve conflict between his or her ideas and those of others and offers compromises: "This looks like it could work if each department cut back 10%")

Keeps the channels of communication open by reinforcing the efforts of others. "Those were really good ideas; we're on a roll."

Proposes standards for the functions of the group or for its solutions. "We need to be able to increase the number of visits by several thousands a day."

Goes along with members, passively accepts the ideas of others, and functions more as an audience than as an active member: "If you all agree, that's fine with me."

Are counterproductive; hinder the group from achieving its goal; are individual oriented

Expresses the negative evaluation of members and attacks the group:"That's a bad idea. It makes no sense."

Tries to focus attention on themselves, brag about their achievements rather than the task at hand: "The system I devised at B&B was a great success; everyone loved it. We should do that!"