PART II: Encouraging Group Participation and Trust

The four stages of group development (forming, storming, norming, and performing) were discussed during Module I (Part V). During the forming, storming, and norming stages, it’s especially important to encourage group participation and trust amongst group members to maximize their performance levels.

Group Composition and Encouraging Participation

The composition of the group will often determine the connection and participation levels. Larger group sizes can provide a diverse range of talents, skills, and knowledge while small group sizes can encourage quieter participants to become more vocal during the collaboration process. To achieve ideal levels of productivity and participation, a group of 5-7 members is recommended (Cornwall, 1997). Table 2.2.1 below highlights additional insights which connect the number of participants in a group and their corresponding participation levels.

Table 2.2.1: Number of Participants in a Group and Participation Levels (Cornwall, 1997)

Impacts on Trustworthiness in Groups

A study by Breuer, Hüffmeier, Hibben, and Hertel (2020) identified factors impact trust amongst group members in face-to-face and virtual team environments. Breuer, Hüffmeier, Hibben, and Hertel (2020) have “five main categories of perceived team trustworthiness (ability, benevolence, integrity, predictability, and transparency) with most of them being differentiated into two facets (task-related and team-related aspects)” (para.30). These five categories and their respective aspects with subsections highlight characteristics which help build team trustworthiness.

• Task-related ability
  • • Competence
    • Reputation
    • Conscientiousness
• Team-related ability
  • • Proactivity
    • Positive humour
    • Friendliness
    • Feedback culture
• Task-related benevolence
  • • Task support
    • Autonomy
• Team-related benevolence
  • • Emotional care
    • Loyalty
• Task-related predictability
  • • Keeping commitments
    • Availability
    • Consistency
• Team-related integrity
  • • Confidentiality
    • Ethical values
• Task-related transparency
  • • Information transparency
    • Responsibility assignment
• Team-related transparency
  • • Sharing private information
    • Openness (Breuer, Hüffmeier, Hibben, & Hertel, 2020)

To complete the five categories, Breuer, Hüffmeier, Hibben, & Hertel (2020) have also identified “risk-taking behaviours” (divided into categories of disclosure, reliance, and contact-seeking) which may leave the group members vulnerable. These “risk-taking behaviours” are necessary to create an open, engaging dialogue amongst the group.

• Disclosure
  • • Sharing confidential information
    • Discussing mistakes and conflicts openly
• Reliance
  • • Asking for help
    • Forbearance from control
• Contact-seeking
  • • Affirmation of future teamwork
    • Spending leisure time together

In their in-depth quantitative research study, Breuer, Hüffmeier, Hibben, & Hertel (2020) found that “all categories of perceived trustworthiness and risk-taking behaviours were mentioned in virtual as well as face-to-teams” (para.76). Their study also concluded that the emergence of trust was valued considerably more in face-to-face teams compared with virtual team environments.