USC Strategies for Dealing with Difficult Group Members Discussion

What strategies would you apply when dealing with difficult group members? Examine the relevance of each strategy.Consider This: On the surface, it helps to create a win-win situation
By Steven Beebe and John Masterson
Presentations Prepared By:
Renee Brokaw
University of Tampa
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Part II
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Chapter 8
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 An expressed struggle
 Between at least two independent people
 Incompatible goals, scarce resources and
interference
 Achieving a goal
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 Differences between group members
 Differences in tolerance and risk
 Differences in power levels
 Differences in processes and procedures
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 Perception
 Personality
 Knowledge
 Culture
 Power and status
 Procedural expectations
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 Orientation
 Conflict
 Emergence
 Reinforcement
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 Persuasion
 Seduction
 Verbal aggression
 Physical action
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 Conflict should be avoided at all costs
 All conflict occurs because people do not
understand one another
 All conflict can be resolved
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 Pseudo-conflict
▪ People misunderstand one another
 Simple conflict
▪ People disagree about issues
 Ego-conflict
▪ Personalities clash
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 Can be directed toward
▪ People (interpersonal)
▪ Ideas (task)
▪ People & ideas
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 Ask for clarification
 Establish supportive rather than defensive
climate
 Employ active listening skills
▪ Stop, look, listen, question, paraphrase
content, paraphrase feelings
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 Clarify perceptions of message
 Clarify issues
 Use structured problem solving approach
 Focus on issues
 Use facts versus opinions
 Compromise
 Make conflict group concern
 Prioritize conflict resolution
 Postpone decision
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 Don’t permit personal attacks
 Employ active listening
 Call for a “cooling off” period
 Focus on key issues
 Avoid judgment
 Use problem solving approach
 Speak slowly and calmly
 Agree to disagree
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INDIVIDUALISTIC
COLLECTIVISTIC
Individualistic
Collectivistic



Direct, linear
Confrontational
Fact based

Nonconfrontational and
indirect methods
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LOW-CONTEXT
HIGH-CONTEXT
Greater importance on
task
 More emphasis on words


Expressive, emotional
aspects of conflict take
on importance
 Saving face, avoiding
embarrassment
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FEMININE

MASCULINE
Interested in
▪ Equity, empathy, caring and
closeness
Encourage mutual
involvement
 Focus on relationship
issues

Emphasizes goals and
self-interest
 Concerned with equal
rights and fairness
 Focuses on task

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▪ Avoidance
▪ Accommodation
▪ Competition
▪ Compromise
▪ Collaboration
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▪ Separate people from problem
▪
Focus on shared interests
▪ Generate many options to solve
problems
▪ Base decisions on objective criteria
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 Manage your emotions
 Describe what is upsetting you
 Disclose your feelings
 Return to the issue of contention
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 Is the illusion of agreement
 Attempts to reach consensus without
critical testing, analyzing and evaluating
ideas
 Results in ineffective consensus
 Avoids a little conflict, lowering quality of
group decision
 Doesn’t take time to examine positive and
negative consequences of their decision
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 Critical thinking not encouraged
 Members think group can do no wrong
 Members concerned about justifying
actions
 Members apply pressure to those who do
not support group
 Members believe they have reached true
consensus
 Members too concerned with reinforcing
leader’s beliefs
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 Encourage critical thinking
 Be sensitive to status
 Invite someone from outside group
 Assign devil’s advocate role
 Subdivide to consider potential problems
& solutions
 Use technology to gather information &
evaluate ideas
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 Consensus should not come too quickly
 Consensus does not come easily
 Consensus involves emphasizing areas of
agreement
 Groups that achieve consensus are likely to
maintain agreement
 To achieve consensus, some personal
preferences must be surrendered
 Postpone decision if consensus can not be
reached
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 Keep group oriented to goal
 Be sensitive to ideas and feelings of
others
 Promote honest interaction and dialogue
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 Use metadiscussional phrases
 Keep focus on goal rather than specific
strategies
 Display known facts for all to see
 Do not wait until the end of the
deliberations to suggest solutions
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 Give your idea to group
 Do not assume someone must win or lose
 Use group oriented rather than self
oriented pronouns
 Avoid opinionated statements that indicate
a closed mind
 Clarify misunderstandings
 Emphasize areas of agreement
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 Do not change mind too quickly
 Avoid easy conflict reducing techniques
 Seek different opinions
 Involve everyone in discussion
 Use variety of methods to reach
agreement
 Expand the number of ideas using various
techniques
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