Disfunctional characteristics of the FIS project:
Absence of trust: Team members are afraid to be vulnerable, which prevents them from
building trust. They conceal weaknesses and mistakes, hesitate to ask for help.
Fear of conflict: Team members are afraid to have conflict.
Lack of commitment: Team members lack commitment.
Avoidance of accountability: Team members avoid taking own accountability.
Inattention to results: Team members prioritize individual interests over collective
goals. They may not be focused on achieving results at the overall project level
These characteristics can undermine collaboration and indicate a lack of mutual respect among team
members.
Group Development of FIS team:
Group development in group dynamics is the process that a group goes through as it matures and
becomes more capable. Psychologist Bruce Tuckman first described the five stages of group
development in his 1965 essay, "Developmental sequence in small groups":
Forming
Team members get to know each other, learn about the group's goals, and begin to work on tasks,
but this was totally lacking among the FIS team members. They got into small groups within
themselves
Storming
Team members may have conflicts due to differing personalities or opinions. They may also try to
establish power and status, like how Rishi was treating Sara
Norming
Team members resolve disagreements and become more comfortable asking for help. They develop
a shared goal and take responsibility for the team's success. But in FIS, the team members outside of
Rishi’s group didn’t feel comfortable asking for help. Rather they went against it by Phyll advancing
the deliverable dates for Sara
Performing
Team members are motivated and knowledgeable, and they work together to achieve their
goals. They are competent and can make decisions without supervision. In FIS, though the team
members individually were competent, they didn’t show understanding each other and couldnot
perform collectively
Adjourning
Also known as the mourning stage, this is the final stage. Here, the escalation by client to Roy
regarding poor quality of project materials can be attributed to this stage.
The size of a group can also impact its dynamics. Smaller groups may have more opportunities for
participation and stronger relationships, while larger groups may have more diverse ideas and
opinions
Poor Cohesiveness as a reason for failure:
Poor cohesion can be a reason for group dynamics failure:
Difficulty meeting challenges
When a team lacks cohesion, it's harder to meet workplace challenges, especially in high-pressure
situations.
Poor communication
A lack of trust and support can lead to poor communication, finger-pointing, and avoiding complex
issues.
Decreased morale
Poor cohesion can lead to decreased morale, inefficiency, and poor performance.
Conflicts and misunderstandings
When a team has low cohesion, members may experience conflicts and misunderstandings, which
can result in a lack of trust and understanding between team members.
Delays in completing projects
Poor team dynamics can lead to delays in completing projects and affect the quality of the work
produced.
Group cohesion is the extent to which group members are attracted to the group and its goals. When
a team has a high level of cohesion, the members are more likely to be motivated and committed to
achieving the team's goals.
Leadership Issues in this case:
Here are some leadership issues that can affect group dynamics:
Poor leadership
A leader who is unable to define goals, assign roles, or evaluate progress can lead to poor
group dynamics. Rishi and Phyl, both did not portray these characteristics of a leader
Avoiding conflict
Leaders who avoid or ignore conflict in their teams can lead to poor group dynamics. Phylly
was ignoring attending to conflict between Rishi and sara and with other team members who
are not part of his group
Social loafing
A member may not be motivated to contribute to the team if they don't feel their
contribution will be recognized. Here Sara was singled out and they advanced her delivery
dates etc
Lack of communication
A lack of open and effective communication channels can make it difficult to share ideas,
resolve conflicts, and maintain transparency. Both Phyll and Rishi were not transparent in
communication with team members who were outside of their small groups
