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Small Group CommunicationSmall group communication is where it all happens.The best new business management training programs, the most effective educational systems and the world's finest military forces are beginning to catch on... We need to work well in small groups! During my incident management training in the fire department, I was taught that the ideal 'span of control' is 3-5 people. Any more, and you can't exercise direct oversight... any less, and you will quickly end up micromanaging. Times, of course, are changing. The workplace is becoming more flexible and management structure no longer follows these rigid guidelines. However, the basic principle still applies (and it's scriptural!) When two or more people work together, things happen. Put too many people together, and it will take for ever to quickly change direction or get anything done. What do you have when several people begin to relate and share a common interest? Small group communication! Whether you are the leader of a small group, an equal member or just a temporary participant... Whether your group meets regularly, infrequently, online, over the phone, in a coffee shop or a corporate boardroom... Whether your group focus is money-making business, spiritual growth or a fantasy sporting team... ...some basic small-group communication principles apply. Small Group Communication BreakdownCommunication breaks down in small groups because of some common Communication Barriers. If you sense that your group's communication is failing, look for some of these barriers...- Mistrust Communication is always hampered, to some extent, by mistrust between group members. This happens whether the entire group is unable to trust one member, or you personally feel uncomfortable with the exchange of information required for communication. In these cases, the environment can become tense, deceptive, even toxic. You can address this problem outright with the other group members, choose to leave the group, or make small moves toward nurturing an environment of mutual trust. - A Lack of Common Goals A group gets things done when it shares a common vision, or a common set of goals. If your group is highly organized and focused, group goal-setting should be a priority. You can use regular goal and progress evaluation to maintain this common vision and your effectiveness as a group. If your group is not focused or organized (like a group of friends who occasionally get together and chat) your goal evaluation will most likely be a personal exercise. Some questions you could ask yourself: Is this group pushing me forward or holding me back from what I want to achieve? Do I feel energized and inspired by this group, or does it drain and exhaust me? Does this group of people support what really matters to me? Is this group able to accommodate and appreciate who I am and who I am becoming as a person? - Differences in Communication Styles In small group communication, every person has a unique communication style shaped by his or her natural skill, life experience, native language, native culture, family upbringing and physical characteristics. We can let these differences define and divide us as individuals... OR we can choose to view them as a valuable feature and rich learning opportunity. The goal in any effective small group is to... learn those differences, learn to appreciate those differences and learn to accommodate those differences. Train yourself to think of each person as a unique and precious creature, placed in your life to push you closer to God. Make a game with yourself... see if you can figure out the best way to communicate with people who don't seem to naturally connect with you. - Personality Conflict Our personality differences are closely related to our differences in communication. You might almost say that communication style is a part of a person's personality. However, communication style can be trained and learned much easier than personality type. Your group may include extroverted speakers, introverted writers, type-A leaders or faithful worker-bees. If someone's personality rubs you the wrong way, there are two general options... 1) learn to live with it if group cohesiveness is important to you or unavoidable, or... 2) leave the group if you can. What you should not do is sit around and complain about someone, gossip, backstab or find other destructive ways to take out your frustration on others. Know who you are as a child of God, rise above those petty actions and learn the true meaning of love. (Christ taught us to love our enemies... now you get to live that out!) Effective Small-Group Communication Skills- Contributing without Overpowering Some of us tend to overpower with our contribution to a conversation or task. If this is true of you, take a step back and see yourself from the other group members' perspectives.Stay alert to ways that other people can contribute. Ask for input from quieter group members, then be patient and wait for it. As a natural leader, you can foster an environment of positive participation in your small group communication. - Listening without Disappearing Some of us are naturally quieter in certain settings. If this is you, it might be time to put your listening and observation skills to use. Start small, by offering a well-placed comment or question during each group meeting or encounter. Your level of respect within the group will grow in proportion to your level of confidence. - Guiding through Suggestion People were not meant to be driven. People were not meant to be coerced. Any small group leadership or guidance that smells of manipulation or heavy-handedness will only lead to more trouble. Guiding through suggestion is the responsibility of both leaders and participants in any group. This allows ideas and opinions to be heard, and lets people make their own decisions about how they will react. The natural, personal decisions that arise from this type of guidance are much more powerful than reactions to coercion or manipulation. - Setting a Positive Tone Life is too short for negative things, and we shouldn't surround ourselves with negative people. This only breeds discontent. (Godliness with contentment is great gain.) Turn the conversation to positive things, focusing on learning experiences rather than problems, unique strengths rather than character flaws. Small Group Communication ExercisesYou can suggest these exercises as a group leader or participant!Exercise 1) Identify the unique communication styles within your small group communication. You can do this on your own, or try to lead the group in this exercise. Keep it positive and constructive, and learn from one another's strengths! Exercise 2) Try to go through an entire group meeting/encounter without complaining (if this is a common problem), gossiping, backbiting, etc. This can be a personal or group exercise depending on your needs. Exercise 3) Start a small group meeting or gathering by sharing one or two personal things with the others. (A recent embarrassing moment or victory, for example) This helps to foster an environment of mutual trust. It may be important for you to initiate and regulate this exercise as a group leader.
If you are interested in improving your small group communication skills, consider working with a life coach!
Click Here for a Free Consultation... |
For further reading,
I recommend... Messages: The Communication Skills Book 
and The Fundamentals of Small Group Communication 
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If you are interested in improving your small group communication skills, consider working with a life coach!
Click Here for a Free Consultation...
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