- Decisions
Because no previous thought was given to which choices are more important
than others, wrong or inadequate decisions are made. Or the priorities are
wrong: too much time is invested in relatively unimportant decisions, which
does not leave enough for the important ones. - Rules
The group has not found the appropriate rules of procedure for the resulting
problem. Problems with seating plans, speaking rules, powers of the group
management, decision-making modes, time, etc. can have a substantial influ-
ence on practical teamwork. - Expressing dissenting opinions
Members of the group are not ready to express views that differ from the
majority opinion; and, if such views are expressed, are not ready to deal with
them appropriately. Often, therefore, great ideas are ridiculed and shouted
down by the “cheap and normal minded.” No one any longer has the courage
to use their potential for imagination and creativity to solve problems. There is
a lack of willingness to participate constructively and to show ego strength. - Courage to likelihood-based decisions
Given a plethora of analyses, the group cannot find the courage to make a
likelihood-based decision. For most problems, there are good pro and contra
arguments. As such, decisions nearly always include an element of risk that
simply has to be accepted. - Time pressure, performance pressure and competitive pressure
There are problems because the group itself is under such severe time, perfor-
mance and competitive stress that they are not able “to see the forest for the
trees.” Especially in high-risk decisions with long-term effects, this can be
disastrous. - Ratio of task roles and maintenance roles
The ratio of task and maintenance roles in the group is not good. Frequently,
goal-oriented task roles receive more attention than the necessary maintenance
roles. This leads to frustration, since private needs and special interests cannot
be satisfied. The willingness to cooperate in finding a group of solution suffers. - Systematic and intuitive working style
The group is dominated by so-called “systematic” people, who always try to
find a logical system for a solution, or by playful, more pragmatically oriented
“intuitive” people. Yet some problems can only be solved quickly and well
through the good interplay of both types. - Conflict resolution
The group avoids conflict resolution. Since the good group dynamic must not
be compromised, the members are anxious to avoid arguments, information
and opinions that might result in a conflict. But conflicts can be conducive to
better group decisions. - Underwhelmed or overwhelmed
The group or individual group members have taken on a task that does not fit
their skills, inclinations and abilities. They will respond to being underwhelmed
4.1 Can Relationships Be Learned? A New Approach to Leadership Development 193