FACTORS RELATED TO GROUP EFFECTIVENESS 



469 



performance. Results obtained in such sit- 

 uations are likely to have doubtful gen- 

 erality, but they may suggest promising 

 leads. 



Factors Related to Group 

 Effectiveness 



Theoretical considerations and common 

 experience point to the probable importance 

 of various factors for morale or group ef- 

 fectiveness. These are classified here under 

 three heads: characteristics of group mem- 

 bers, conditions of group hving, and leader- 

 follower relationships (discussed in a sep- 

 arate section). These categories obviously 

 overlap, and in their effects upon group 

 functioning the various factors interact with 

 one another in a complex fashion. To a 

 considerable extent, moreover, the relation- 

 ship to group effectiveness is circular; the 

 factors discussed are likely to be both symp- 

 toms and causes of a given level of group 

 effectiveness. Within rather broad limits, 

 however, it would seem to lie within the 

 power of authorities at one or another level 

 in an organization either to manipulate these 

 factors to advantage, or to anticipate their 

 effects and take appropriate action. 



Characteristics of Group Members 



Minimum Prerequisites for Participation 



Certain individual characteristics involved 

 in learning skills and in getting along with 

 people are necessary in all group members 

 if any group within an organization is to 

 function effectively. In mihtary organiza- 

 tions the rejection or special assignment of 

 individuals deficient in these respects is the 

 job of medical, neuropsychiatric, psycho- 

 logical, and security screening agencies. 

 These problems lie outside the scope of this 

 chapter, but we may note their relevance. 



Distribution of Personality Characteristics 

 Within a Group 



If group functioning involves individuals 

 functioning in relationship to one another, 

 then the characteristics of individuals as- 



signed to a group should be considered not 

 simply with reference to their satisfying cer- 

 tain common minimum standards, but also 

 in terms of the way they fit together. Ordi- 

 narily attention is given only to the dis- 

 tribution of special skills needed to fill the 

 roles defined in the formal structure of the 

 group. But conceivably the patterning of 

 other characteristics may be of equal or 

 greater importance. In a paper written for 

 a class assignment one of the writer's stu- 

 dents commented spontaneously on "the 

 Army's haphazard, lackadaisical method of 

 combining ten individuals into an aerial com- 

 bat team, without the slightest regard to 

 personality, interests, physical appearance, 

 age or other characteristics of the crew mem- 

 bers. I have seen much strife and occasion- 

 ally bloodshed among crew members as a 

 result." 



This problem raises some interesting and 

 methodologically somewhat complex ques- 

 tions which research has scarcely touched. 

 Do groups function best when they are com- 

 posed of individuals of similar characteris- 

 tics? Common experience would suggest 

 that with respect to at least certain char- 

 acteristics, such as dominant interests and 

 values, this may be the case. In the case 

 of married couples, some evidence (90) sup- 

 ports this supposition. An American naval 

 observer (96) wrote in 1940 that in the 

 German Army congenial men of similar in- 

 terests were placed in the same units, and 

 that the High Command considered the re- 

 sults "astonishing." AVhether this pohcy 

 continued throughout the war is not known, 

 but it seems doubtful. 



On the other hand, may there not be 

 other characteristics with respect to which 

 some variability is desirable in a group? 

 One might suppose, for example, that a 

 group composed entirely of rather insecure, 

 dependent individuals would not function 

 well, and that neither would one consisting 

 of highly aggressive, dominating individuals, 

 but that a combination of the two might do 

 quite adequately. Again, some evidence on 



