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Case Study - the Forgotten Group Member

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Case Study: The Forgotten Group Member

MGMT 591 – Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Christopher Declerk

1/27/2013

Group Development
5 Stages of Group Development 1. Forming Stage: In the Forming stage, personal relations are characterized by dependence. Group members rely on safe, patterned behavior and look to the trainer for guidance and direction. Individual learners have a desire for acceptance by the group and a need to know that the group is safe. They set about gathering impressions and data about the similarities and differences among people in the group, and forming preferences. 2. Storming Stage: This stage is characterized by competition and conflict in personal relations. As the group members attempt to work together on the task, conflict inevitably results - healthy debate or slight disagreement. Individuals may need to adapt their feelings, ideas, attitudes, and beliefs to suit the group. 3. Norming Stage: In the norming stage, interpersonal relations are characterized by cohesion. Learners are engaged in active acknowledgment of others' contributions, community building and maintenance, and solving of group issues. Individuals will be willing to change their preconceived ideas or opinions on the basis of facts presented by others, and they actively ask questions of one another. 4. Performing Stage: The performing stage is not always reached by all groups, however if learners are able to get through this stage their capacity, range, and depth of personal relations expand to true interdependence. In this stage, learners can work independently, in subgroups, or as a total unit. Their roles and authorities dynamically adjust to the changing needs of the group and the individuals within it. 5. Adjourning Stage: This final stage, adjourning, involves drawing the task to a close and disengagement from

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