ABSTRACT
Coming together in a group with the goal of accomplishing a task is not an easy endeavor. Individuals bring to the group their own thoughts, feelings and ideas which may help or hinder the progress of the group. Resigning individuality to a group while retaining the uniqueness that enables one to contribute is not simple. Yet teams of individuals are important because they maximize effort (Garrison & Bly, 1997). In order to accomplish the job at hand, a group leader must be aware of and understand the dynamics involved in both the individuals that make up a group and the group itself. How a group of people interacts has a large impact on the success or failure of a group or the task the group is seeking to accomplish. The proper development of a group at its onset can prevent conflict, increase productivity, and ease the burden on the group leader and the individual group members. The concept of synergy indicates that the group cohesion, group morale and level of group productivity will impact one another and as these components are enhanced, they will positively affect each other. Conversely, when they are lower, they will negatively impact each other (Fuoss & Troppmann, 1981). Therefore impacting one "ingredient" to group success will add to the "recipe" for success. Understanding and developing group dynamics enables a team to communicate, problem-solve and resolve conflict to ensure the success of the task. A leader who facilities group cohesiveness through tcam building exercises
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124 Preparing Participants for Inter generational Interaction: Trainingfor Success
and communication skill development will find that the synergy level will be raised and team conflict will be reduced (Russell, 1986).
