Chapter 10: Leadership and Decision Making in Groups

Interpersonal Performance

As you evaluate interpersonal performance, you are essentially determining what type of climate your group has developed. As we discuss in Chapter 8, supportive climates—in which individuals are open to and supportive of one another’s ideas—often have an advantage in being effective and achieving goals.

How would you describe the relationships among the members of your group while everyone is working together to accomplish a task? If these relationships are strained, awkward, or prickly, the group probably won’t function effectively. Observe how group members behave on the following four fronts:

Do they provide positive reinforcement for one another—for instance, by showing appreciation for each other’s contributions and hard work?
Do members seem to feel a sense of solidarity with one another—for example, by sharing responsibility for both successes and failures?
Do members cooperate freely with one another, fulfilling the responsibilities they’ve agreed to shoulder and pitching in when needed?
Do members demonstrate respect for one another—for example, by keeping disagreements focused on the issues at hand rather than on personal character?

If you can answer yes to these four questions, your group scores high on interpersonal performance.