Introduction
An organization is composed of people from different backgrounds who will display varied characters and behaviour. It is hence common to find people grouping themselves according to interests, positions, characters and status. However many principles a company may adopt, it is inevitable to do without groups in organizations. A company can however employ measures that will prevent employees from entering into destructive groups by ensuring constant communication (Johnson, 47).
Groups may have both positive and negative impacts on an organization and it mainly determines how and for what reason the groups have been formed. In this paper, we will critically look at some of the most likely groups in an organization and their impacts. We will discuss the role of the groups and how the management can effectively utilize them for the good of the company.
Key factors regarding group behaviour
Group behaviour will usually depend on the objectives behind such a group formation. People that have similar characters will find themselves in the same group. An individual can find themselves in more than one group in the organization depending on their nature and character. Career groups are usually composed of people from the same department. This is mainly because they find themselves together during working times and hence share a lot. There could also be social groups that are formed from the cultural backgrounds of the people. For instance, people who share a similar culture and speak a similar language are likely to form a group basing on their cultural affiliations.
The third group is the political group which is based on political affiliations. People that love a certain kind of leader are likely to converge together due to their political interests. Even though the social and political groups may seem irrelevant to the organization, the impacts they have on the working environment can not be ignored. One spectacular thing about groups in an organization is that they do not want any interference from an intruder (Johnson 24). Whenever they come together for their talks and someone else intrudes, they will keep quiet until such a person leaves.
Work teams communication
Groups within an organization have a unique language that they communicate with which makes it easier for a person to distinguish them. For instance, those that are affiliated with a certain political party will use names, signs and symbols when referring to each other. They will also make fun of their opponents and despise their affiliations (Mullins, 67). The social groups are probably the most sensitive in the organization and unless handled carefully they will cause a lot of trouble (Johnson 32). People of a certain social group will not want to mix with others, they have a certain regard for themselves that may not allow them to freely mix and interact.
It may be too serious that they feel uncomfortable mingling with their colleagues especially in a similar department. The individuals may only feel safe when they are close to people of their social status which may, in turn, affect their performance. Career groups have been identified to be the most significant in the organization (Johnson 38). They have never been a source of conflict in the organization as they will always work for the good of the organization. The management feels good whenever they see colleagues in a certain department together.
Leadership
Leadership is a vital role in the organization that determines how the people being led will behave. It is the influence that a leader has on the people that will prompt them to engage in certain practices. People are always looking out for their leaders to see if there is any unique desirable quality that they can adopt. They will observe how they work when they arrive at their places of work, how they communicate and associate with people for them to adopt the same. A leader is usually required to lead by example rather than by simply speaking. It will be very difficult for the leaders to make the people practice what they are not able to practice.
Whenever people realize that they have a leader who is capable of performing certain responsibilities, they are usually obliged to practice the same even if they find it difficult. On the other hand, an employee that has the capacity of doing a certain thing but does not see their leader doing it may not do it. Leaders are hence required to display character and performance for their followers to adopt the same.
Power and politics
Politics and power in an organization are sensitive especially when it comes to the place of promotion (Johnson 42). Every employee is usually looking forward to the time when they will be elevated to a higher level. It is usually considered to be a prestige that has some added advantage. Apart from the responsibilities that come with power, there is usually a feeling within the concerned of how much influence they will have among their colleagues and how they can utilize the position for their good. Apart from the desire for one to attain such a higher level, every employee usually has a preferred candidate especially for the higher position (Ian Brooks, 39).
Whenever such a position is left vacant, they will show a clear preference for a certain candidate quoting certain reasons. Due to the difference in opinion, some employees may show dissatisfaction whenever a certain person has been considered by the management for a certain post. They may hence not submit to them or not give them the support they need which makes it very difficult for the leader.
Conflict and negotiation
Conflicts are normal happenings in an organization that need to be handled accordingly. There are moments of conflict that the management gets to know its staff better. It is usually said that a person’s character is displayed when they are exposed to pressure. Conflicts may arise due to differences in opinions or when they are dissatisfied about a certain occurrence. Conflict may be displayed in different forms of which some may be violent while others were silent. Whichever form they may take, a conflict will always have negative consequences on an organization unless urgent corrective measures are taken (Barker & Angelopulo, 67).
Negotiation has been identified to be the best method that can be used to find a solution to a problem. Negotiation means that the conflicting parties assume equal positions and talk about their issues in a friendly manner. They give each other a chance to air their issues to come up with a solution that will be fair to both of them. In negotiation, no party is considered a winner and the other one a loser, they both have to compromise on some of their demands and agree to adopt a reasonable solution to their problem.
Conclusion
An organization is usually an environment that exposes people to different situations and circumstances. As people come together, they realize how different they are and how much they need to be patient with each other. In their efforts to adapt to one another, they may have both good and bad experiences that will determine how they get along. Leadership in an organization plays an important role in bringing people from different backgrounds together.
It is their reaction towards their behaviour that will determine whether they get along well or not. An organization can always create a working environment and schedule that will ensure that employees get along with each other by adapting regular communication. This will help them to get rid of any groups that may prove disastrous to the organization.
Works Cited
Barker, Rachel and Angelopulo, George. Integrated organizational communication. California: Juta and Company Ltd, 2005.
Ian, Brooks. Organizational behaviour: individuals, groups and organization. London: Prentice Hall, 2009.
Johnson, Thomas. Exploring corporate strategy: text & cases. London: Pearson Education, 2008.
Mullins, Laurie. Management and organizational behavior. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2007.