Group Communication

Group communication is the exchange of information and ideas between individuals using interpersonal skills. There are several ways in which groups can communicate for example phone calls, emails, face-to face conversations, and memos. In group communication team member has to actively participate for an effective communication. So in group communication every member must properly listen, deal with conflict, and respect others opinions. Communicating in groups is a skill that is learned at a young age that continues to develop as we grow up. The communication skills that are learned can be used in any group situation whether it is at school, work, and everyday life. Groups are an excellent way to make friends and establish relationships.

Definitions Of Communication Groups According To Experts

1.        McLean (2005)

    Group communication is a dynamic process where a small number of people are involved in a conversation. General group communication is defined as involving three to eight people. The larger the group, the easier it will be to break it into smaller groups.

2.        Brilhart and Galanes (1998)

    Small group communication is the process of using messages to produce the same meaning in a small group of people. Small group communication is one part of interpersonal communication (Pearson, 2011: 20)

3.        Phil Venditti (2012)

    Group communication is the exchange of information between those who are culturally, linguistically, and / or geographically similar

4.        Anwar Arifin (1984)

    Group communication is communication that takes place between several people in a "small" group such as in meetings, conferences and so on.

5.        B. Curtis, James J.Floyd, dan Jerril L. Winsor (2005, h. 149)

    States that group communication occurs when three or more people meet face to face, usually under the direction of a leader to achieve common goals or objectives and influence each other.

Verbal and Non-Verbal Groups Communication

The communication can be both verbal as well as non-verbal.

Both the ways of communicating are equally important because it is through this communication that group members can participate in determining goals, making decisions and solving problems. For example, in a soccer game, a referee uses both his words and hand gestures to communicate the status of the game to the players at various points of time.

Group Communication Functions

1. Working on a complex and independent task that is too complex for an individual to perform and that cannot be easily broken down into independent tasks.

2. Generating new ideas or creative solutions to solve problems that require inputs from several people.

3. Serving liaison or coordinating functions among several workgroups whose work is to some extent independent.

4. Facilitating the implementation of complex decisions. A group composed of representatives from various working groups can coordinate the activities of these interrelated groups.

5. Serving as a vehicle for training new employees, groups teach new members methods of operations and group norms.

Types Of Communication Groups

1.  Formal Groups

Formal groups are created to achieve specific organizational objectives. Usually, they are concerned with the coordination of work activities.

2.  Informal Groups

Informal groups are based more on personal relationships and agreement of group’s members than on defined role relationships. They serve to Satisfy psychological and social needs not related necessarily to the tasks to be undertaken.

3.  Managed Group

Groups may be formed under a named manager, even though they may not necessarily work together with a great deal. The main thing they have in common, at least the manager and perhaps a similar type of work.

4.  Goal Group

The goal group acts together to achieve a shared objective or desired outcome. Unlike the process groups, there is no clear instruction on how they should achieve this, although they may use some processes and methods along the way.

5.  Friendship Group

Groups often develop because individual members have one or more common characteristics. We call these formations of friendship groups.

6.  Learning Group

The learning group comes together to increase their net knowledge. They may act collaboratively with discussion and exploration, or they may be a taught class, with a teacher and a syllabus.