Background Nonverbal Communication Say Whaaat? Creative Writing Trends and Patterns Problem Solving Creative Thinking Say It – Do It (Scientific Writing) Three Dimensional TANGOES * Negotiation (Basic) Supply and Demand Monopoly Teamwork PDCA Cycle Beyond Disabilities Group Decision Making Dynamics	Group Decision Making Dynamics Summary/Suggested Uses Use this exercise with high school students during units related to group dynamics or management styles in office co-op or business preparation courses, speech/debate classes, or related subjects. It can serve as an introduction to the unit or as an energizing midpoint review. Allow 30 minutes for this exercise, plus preparation time (can be homework or class time). Objectives Participation in this exercise will help students to: Examine the various ways in which group decisions are made Identify at least three styles of group leadership and explain how each may affect group actions Analyze the effect competition can have on group dynamics Practice resolving conflict within a group Materials Two sets of TANGOES pieces Deck of TANGOES cards Background information sheets for Company A and Company B Directions Divide class into 3 groups: 3-5 students to represent Company A, 3-5 students to represent Company B, and the rest of the students to act as the Executive Board. Explain to the group that Company A and Company B are the finalists in a bid to sell plans for a multimillion dollar power plant that will provide all the electricity for their town. The Executive Board will hear their sales presentations and decide which plan will be used. Distribute a set of TANGOES Ò pieces, one-half deck of cards, and the background information for their company to the representatives of Company A and B. Instruct the representatives to choose an image from their cards suitable to represent their product and learn to quickly assemble it with their TANGOES Ò pieces. (You may want to allow students overnight to prepare their cases, depending upon the level of presentation you desire.) Have Executive Board students arrange the room as their Board room and choose a Chairman and Co-Chairman while the Company representatives prepare their presentation. Flip a coin to determine whether Company A or B presents first. Remind students that each company will be allowed 10 minutes for their presentation and that the Board must then come to a decision, but otherwise leave rules for procedure up to the Executive Board. Observe the processes and dynamics of the group for discussion later. Debrief and Transition What we just did simulates the way decisions are frequently made in business groups. Let’s look at the process we went through... ASK Did the executive group establish any rules of operation? If so, how were these rules determined? Did everyone agree with the rules or just go along? If there were rules, how well were these followed by members of the group? What factors in the sales presentations had the most effect on your personal choice as to the best plan? Why? How did the competition between Company A and Company B affect their presentations? How did it affect your decision? Who emerged as leaders among each of the groups? How was that behavior demonstrated? What did they do to convince others that their plan or decision was the best one? How did the executive group make their decision? Is voting the same as reaching a consensus? What indications were there that group members had differing opinions about the best plan to choose? How were dissenting opinions handled by the group? If your plan was the one not chosen, how did it feel to have to accept one that you didn’t approve of? Any time a group must make decisions, leaders – either formal or informal - will emerge. Their style of leadership will affect the group’s dynamics tremendously. What styles of leadership were demonstrated here today? (Take input – if using this as a review, remind students of the styles and characteristics of each that were previously taught. Students typically will demonstrate 2-4 styles depending upon the size of your class. If you have only one clear leader, use the group’s other experiences to identify alternative styles.) How a leader handles dissenting opinions and conflict is especially important, because people usually invest part of their ego in "winning." For most people, this ego investment is just as important as the facts when it comes to making a decision. Positive, effective leaders are able to structure the situation so that the decision is seen as a "win" for all parties, instead of a "win" for some and "lose" for others. Did you see examples of conflict resolution during this exercise? Take input. If students do not identify examples, provide some from your observation. Expand discussion to include examples of win/lose and win/win resolutions in other situations, such as staying out late, customers they deal with at work, and others. Transition to regular lesson plan. GROUP DECISION-MAKING Fact Sheet for Company A Your group is composed of design engineers from the best schools in the country. You have designed a new power plant which will meet the needs of this community for the next millennium using a new power source. If your design is chosen, each of you will receive several million dollars and be famous. If your design is not chosen, you will probably spend the rest of your career teaching high school physics and collecting aluminum cans for spending money. Your research to date indicates that your design is absolutely the best. However, you must convince the Executive Board of this fact. You will be allowed 10 minutes to make your sales presentation. From the cards you have been given, select the design you will use and decide how your group will conduct their presentation. Use the following facts as necessary to make your case: Your design produces fewer waste products Your design has greater earthquake resistance Your design uses proven technology in an innovative way Your design has a longer projected useful life Your design requires a less highly trained operating crew Your design costs less to build Your design has more peak capacity Your design uses a cheaper fuel Your design has great public acceptance More government funding is available for your design GROUP DECISION-MAKING Fact Sheet for Company B Your group is composed of design engineers from the best schools in the country. You have designed a new power plant which will meet the needs of this community for the next millennium using a new power source. If your design is chosen, each of you will receive several million dollars and be famous. If your design is not chosen, you will probably spend the rest of your career teaching high school physics and collecting aluminum cans for spending money. Your research to date indicates that your design is absolutely the best. However, you must convince the Executive Board of this fact. You will be allowed 10 minutes to make your sales presentation. From the cards you have been given, select the design you will present and decide how your group will conduct their presentation. Use the following facts as necessary to make your case: Your design produces cleaner emissions Your design is better adapted to the location Your design uses "state of the art" technology Your design uses all materials made in the USA Your design requires only half as many people on the operating crew Your design is more efficient Your design is easier to slow down or shut off in an emergency Your design is cheaper and easier to maintain Your design paves the way for the future Your design is cheaper in the long run