Author Description

"Preface OnecentralquestionhasalwaysguidedourresearchandwritingforWorkinginGroups Whatdocollegestudentsenrolledinagroupcommunicationcoursereallyneedtoknow Ourguidingquestionledustoincludebothclassicandcurrentapproachestostudyinghowgroupsworkaswellashowtoworkingroups. UnifiedPerspectiveBalanceandGroupDialectics BeginningwiththefirsteditionofWorkinginGroups,theconceptofbalancehasbeenacentralmetaphorforlearninghowtoworkingroups.Agroupthatreachesadecisionorcompletesataskisnotinbalanceifgroupmembersdislikeormistrustoneanother.Agroupthatreliesontwoorthreememberstodoalltheworkisnotinbalance.Effectivegroupsbalancefactorssuchastaskandsocialrelationships,individualandgroupneeds,andleadershipandfollowership. Wefurtherdevelopedthebalancemetaphorintoauniquemodelofgroupdialecticstheinterplayofopposingorcontradictoryforcesinherentingroupwork.Adialectticapproachexamineshowgroupmembersnegotiateandresolvethetensionsandpressurestheyencounterwhileworkingtogethertoachieveacommongoal.Weapplycontemporarytheoriesandresearchtoilluminatetheninegroupdialecticsthatcharacterizethedelicatebalanceachievedbyeffectivegroups. Thereissomethingnewineverychapter.AsthesayinggoesMakenewfriends,butkeeptheold.Wekeeptheclassic,wellestablished,andcriticalcontentthathasmadeWorkinginGroupsastrongtextbook.Wehavealsoaddednewmaterialthatenricheseachchapter. Ch1Addskeyquestionsforsettingandassessinggroupgoals Ch2Introducestheroleofcollectiveintelligenceandtheneedforgroundrulesasnormsthroughoutthegroupdevelopmentprocess Ch3Synthesizesgrouprolesintosixdistinctrolesandexplainshowknowledgesharingandemotionalintelligenceenhancesmartparticipationandgroupsuccess Ch4AdaptstheBigSixPersonalityTraitstogroupandmemberneedsandaddressesavarietyofculturalbarriersthatcanimpedeagroupsabilitytoachieveitscommongoal. Ch5AddsSharedLeadershipstrategiestotraditionalleadershipmodels. Ch6ReconfiguresSupportiveandDefensiveCommunicationasdialecticoptionsratherthanasgoodorbadbehaviors Ch7IntroducescontemporaryapproachestoHighQualityListening