Informal groups and formal groups

You will be a member of the newly-formed project staff team. This team will need to realize process gains within its first three months. You want to help, not hinder, the team’s progress, so you decide to do some research upfront. You bring up your challenge at your managerial networking meeting. You pose the following questions to the group.

What kind of work group is the project staff team – task force, command group, or friendship group?

What characteristics of the team are likely to contribute to the goal of process gains within the next three months?

What are some sources of potential process losses?

You don’t just listen, you also participate. Go to the Small Group Discussion Board and post your ideas on each of these questions. Respond to at least one other posting.

You’ve benefited from your group’s discussion and you also have time to read an article or two. You still want to run your ideas by your mentor, so draft an APA formatted document that will address each of the following elements.

How did the discussion change, alter or enhance your conception of effective work groups?

Identify elements of group effectiveness that you may be able to influence.

Think about how you would increase the probability of process gains within your project staff team.

Your mentor likes it when you support your position with information from your readings.

The group will submit a consolidated group document for review by the mentor.