The Forgotten Group Member

Case Study - The Forgotten Group Member

Merlin Hahn

GM591 - Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Keller Graduate School of Management

Professor Rich Lochner

9-24-12

Part 1: Group Development

In order to investigate this case study let us take a look at the work development stages. Teams

are only effective when they can control their members to make better decisions.

The first stage is forming this stage can defined as the initial stage where all members are

getting to know each other and shaping opinions base the behavior they display.

The second stage is storming which depicts a strong emotionally high and group tension many

challenges can arise such as hostility and a greater infighting. This can create smaller groups

to form other coalitions. Research shows that must all groups must travel through these stages.

Having an awareness of these stages can help groups to this. Christine as a leader should have

understood the dynamics and the behavioral patterns associated with a team’s development.

The LSI can be used as a tool to get a clearer picture of the group’s personalities.

According to the case study most of the team was willing to do their assigned task.

Clearly Mike fits the characteristic of a social loafer his lack of concern and self

absorbed personality is a classic loafer this is where there is tendency of people to work less in a

group thus having the other members to pull more of the workload.

This group is stagnate and stuck in the storming stage and in order to progress.

Christine as the leader needs to formulate a plan to get out of this rut and go forward.

Part II: Problem Identification

The case states the initial meetings of the group and Mike being primary problem is seen as the

"clown" and not taken seriously when suggestions are