Creating Effective Groups: The Art of Small Group Communication

by Randy Fujishin

Overview

This practical book gives students the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to communicate more effectively and interact more productively in the small group setting. With the help of this book, any group member can learn the skills necessary to participate in and lead a task group in an effective, productive, and healthy manner. The fourth edition features new content on communicating within virtual groups and conducting online meetings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538164440
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/01/2023
Edition description:	Fourth Edition
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	7.01(w) x 9.79(h) x 0.47(d)

About the Author

Randy Fujishin is the author of seven books in the fields of communication, human relationships, and ministry. He has taught Communication Studies at the college level for more than thirty-five years. In addition to teaching, Randy has worked as a family and child therapist and is currently a featured speaker for the high-tech industry and religious organizations throughout the western United States. Most important, Randy is a loving husband, dad, and grandpa.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 Working in a Group
Working in Groups
Four Elements of a Problem-Solving Group
The Small Group as a System
The Power of One
Characteristics of Groups
The Power of Diversity
Individual and Group Exercises

CHAPTER 2 Discovering Yourself
Being Open to Self-Discovery
Spending Time by Yourself
Self-Discovery Inventories
Speaking Kindly to Yourself
Accepting Yourself
Accepting Others
Critically Thinking About Yourself As A Communicator
Individual and Group Exercises

CHAPTER 3 Expressing Yourself Clearly
Communication Is a Learned Behavior
Five Roles That Prevent Clear Expression
The Communication Process
I-Statements
Four Levels of Communication
Gender Differences in Conversational Strategies
Guidelines for Speaking Clearly
Reducing Anxiety When Speaking
Defensive vs. Supportive Group Climates
Individual and Group Exercises

CHAPTER 4 Listening for Understanding
The Importance of Listening
The Process of Listening
Poor Listening Styles
Barriers to Listening
Acceptance: A Requirement for Listening
Listening for Understanding: Active Listening
Advantages of Active Listening
Guidelines for Active Listening
Intercultural Awareness
S.O.A.R. Technique
Individual and Group Exercises

CHAPTER 5 Problem Solving in Groups
Myths of Small Group Problem Solving
Decision-Making Techniques
Discussion Questions
The Standard Problem-Solving Agenda
The Circular Nature of Problem Solving
Being More Creative
Individual and Group Exercises

CHAPTER 6 Preparing for Discussion
You Don’t Know Everything
We Can Always Know More
Where to Research
What to Research
Constructing an Information Sheet
Using Visual Aids
Testing Evidence and Reasoning
Recognizing Logical Fallacies
Ethical Communication
Your Time Management
Individual and Group Exercises

CHAPTER 7 Guiding Discussion
Guiding Discussion to a Shared Path
Task-Guiding Behaviors
Social-Guiding Behaviors
Being an Effective Follower
Individual and Group Exercises

CHAPTER 8 Leading a Group
What Is Leadership?
Approaches to Leadership
The Attitude of the Servant Leader
Leading an Effective Meeting
Taking Care of Yourself as the Leader
Individual and Group Exercises

CHAPTER 9 Building a Cohesive Group
The Social Dimension
Feeling Successful
Feeling Connected
Feeling Valued
Feeling Supported
Trusting Others
Groupthink: When Groups Are Too Cohesive
Individual and Group Exercises

CHAPTER 10 Managing Conflict
A Different Approach to Conflict
Myths of Conflict
Advantages of Conflict
Three Types of Group Conflict
Dealing with Procedural Conflict
Dealing with Substantive Conflict
Dealing with Interpersonal Conflict
Specific Interventions for Dysfunctional Behavior
Forgiveness
Individual and Group Exercises

Editorial Reviews

Fujishin's book is packed with useful tips on communicating more effectively. It is concise, engaging, and shares valuable insights for students to care for themselves. Along the way, it provides great small group discussion activities. I highly recommend this text.

Jim Hanson

Fujishin's book is packed with useful tips on communicating more effectively. It is concise, engaging, and shares valuable insights for students to care for themselves. Along the way, it provides great small group discussion activities. I highly recommend this text.” —Jim Hanson, director of speech and debate, Seattle University

From the Publisher

I am grateful to Randy for understanding the “art” of communication and compiling a truly valuable resource for teaching group communication. I will use this text in my consulting practice and recommend it to others facilitating communication courses. The new edition adds a number of valuable sections including, “Critically Thinking about Yourself as a Communicator,” and “Defensive verses Supportive Group Climates.” I look forward to incorporating this new material into my existing course curriculum.

Barbara Thorngren

I've used the previous edition in my introductory small group course for several years. Students find the material practical and easily accessible. He weaves together decades of group-related literature into this concise, readable volume. The book focuses on key aspects of group relationships, something that is too often overlooked or ignored in other small group textbooks. Professor Fujishin has again put together a wonderful resource for students and practitioners alike.

Justin Walton

Randy Fujishin provides a thoughtful framework for successful group work. He diagnoses the most likely ways that teams can fail and provides usable fixes. Fujishin's book introduces students to the complexities of group work and good habits that can help groups succeed; it added concreteness to discussions of successful group dynamics in my seniors’ projects course. Also, you will recognize your own experience in committees in Fujishin's examples, and will be grateful for his ideas about how to avoid problems.

Ben Marsh

I have used Creating Effective Groups in conjunction with a more traditional textbook in my group dynamics course for several years. This is the most approachable book on groups—that is also solidly grounded in research—on the market. Whenever I'm approached to provide guidance to groups who are struggling, I give a copy of this book to the person making the inquiry. Uniformly these individuals have told me that the book made a positive difference in the functioning of their committees and groups.

Betsy L. Morgan

I've been using Randy Fujushin's book for several years now as a supplemental, although required, text for my introductory class in social work practice with groups. The students consistently tell me that this book makes a difference in their professional development and helps prepare them to function as better group leaders and members. The accessible and pertinent content complements and supplements the other, more traditional, group work texts. I'm pleased with the revised edition and will continue to use the text in my teaching.

Debra Nelson-Gardell