>> Most of the task-oriented groups
you belong to will have a designated leader --
someone with the title
of Chair, President,
or Coordinator who has
special responsibilities
for helping a group
accomplish its task.
Many people believe that
it is the group's leader
who is solely responsible
for how well a group functions.
However, we strongly believe that all members are
responsible for the group,
and that any member can and should supply
leadership behaviors beneficial to the group.
The members of the group you will now observe
are the Executive Committee of the Student Chapter
of the International Association
of Business Communicators --
the IABC.
They are working to put
the final touches
on a Career Day seminar
for undergraduate students,
and to plan publicity
for the seminar.
>> Okay.
It looks like plans
for the Career Day are set.
So now we need to plan for the publicity.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
>> Hold up, Laurie.
We're supposed to review our plans
and see if we forgot anything.
>> Okay, that's right.
Kevin, did you keep notes last time?
>> Yep.
One final check of the plans,
and then we'll move on.
>> Okay.
>> I'll tell you what.
Since we can't read
Kevin's handwriting, I'll keep notes.
>> Good idea.
>> You got to give me the play on that one.
>> Yeah, I do.
>> Okay, let's back up.
Is there anything about the current Career Day
that we've missed or need to go over?
>> Well, the reason
I brought it up is,
we seem to have forgotten
the whole session on portfolios --
you know, getting your résumé,
your photographs --
things you need if you're gonna apply
for a public-relations job.
>> That's true.
>> Wow, that's a major oversight.
You know, that was one of the best
IABC sessions that we attended last year.
It was good.
>> Well, who would do a good job with portfolios?
>> Who did we get last year?
>> Who did we get last year?
>> I don't remember.
>> We had Sharon Malone
from Sherman Public Relations.
But we've got a problem.
She doesn't work there anymore.
She's out of town.
>> Oh.
>> Well, I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll check with Sherman,
see if they can send someone else.
And if not, then I'll check with the faculty
and see if they can find anybody good.
>> Okay, great.
Thanks, Tony.
Okay.
We're gonna add a session on portfolios.
>> Okay.
>> Okay, is there anything else
that we've missed at all?
>> I don't think so.
>> Not that I can think of.
>> No.
>> Okay.
Let's turn to publicity and promotion.
Now, the publicity was overlooked last time
because the prior group
failed to do anything with it,
and I think a lack of students -- you know,
they just didn't show up for the session.
>> I know it.
Kevin, do you know what they did last time?
>> Yeah.
Somewhere I got a list, here.
All they really did was put an ad
in the school newspaper,
and then they sent around this memo
to the faculty about a week ahead of time,
asking us to announce it
in the classes.
>> It was John who was the head of that.
>> See, I didn't even know anything about it.
>> They didn't do anything.
All they did was sit around
and drink beer and all that stuff.
>> They weren't that bad
when he wasn't the leader.
>> So together, you know?
>> They were bad.
>> Okay, I like trashing
these guys as much as you do,
but we are really
getting off track.
For time's sake.
>> Yeah.
Yeah, you right.
So, what sounds good for you?
What kind of publicity do you think, Kev?
>> Well, I don't want to send around
a tacky memo like they did last year.
I think we should do a brochure that we can
send around to all the different students.
>> Wait a minute.
I don't think we need to cut out the faculty.
I mean, they're our best way
to reach the students.
Why should we cut that out?
>> Well, I personally, if I was a faculty member,
wouldn't even respond to a tacky memo like that.
>> Yeah, yeah.
We like.
>> Well, I'll tell you, I think you guys
are not understanding each other very well.
I think, Deirdre, what Kevin is saying, it's not
that he doesn't want to contact the faculty,
it's just that we need to use something
a little bit more professional than just
sticking a memo in somebody's mailbox.
>> Right.
I don't want to send something out
that's going to embarrass us.
We are supposed to be the
communications experts around here.
>> Yeah, you right.
>> Sorry, Kevin.
I misunderstood what you were saying.
>> That's all right.
>> Okay.
Are we all straight on this?
>> Got it.
>> Yeah.
>> Chris?
>> Brochure for sure.
>> Good.
>> Well, you know what, I think we should
put flyers in all the mailboxes in the dorms,
along with posters.
>> Wait a minute.
I don't know if that's the best way
to reach everybody.
I mean, only 25% of the
population is in the dorms,
and then most of those guys are freshmen.
>> Yeah, I see
what you're saying.
But, see, that's exactly who you want to reach,
because by the time you become a senior,
you're not gonna have time
to put together a portfolio.
And, you know, freshmen need
that kind of stuff.
>> I did.
I could have used it when I was a freshman.
>> Okay, wait a minute.
I'm confused here.
Are we trying to create
and evaluate at the same time?
There is no way that's gonna work.
>> No, you're right.
I'll tell you what --
Kevin and I just got through
doing some practice
brainstorming in our small-groups class,
and what the deal is, you come up
with ideas as you go along,
and write them down,
and then, when you're through,
you go back through your list
and see what'll work and what won't.
>> Sounds good.
>> Yeah, that sounds pretty good.
>> Yeah, let's try brainstorming.
>> Great.
>> I'll take the notes.
And I don't want to hear anybody
talking about how stupid any of them are.
>> Well, just long as we can
read your writing.
[Indistinct discussion]
>> Okay.
Why don't we start with posters,
like we said before?
>> Posters.
>> Yeah.
>> That'll be fine.
>> Put down radio spots, like on campus radio.
>> Yeah.
>> Radio spots.
Okay.
>> PSAs.
>> PSAs.
Hot-air balloons.
>> A sandwich board.
>> Hold on just a second.
>> Sandwich board.
>> Yeah.
>> How about brochures?
>> Got to have that.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
How many things do you have so far,
Kevin, on the list?
>> When I finish writing "matchbooks,"
we should have about 10 or 11.
>> Okay.
What's next?
>> Okay.
What we need to do is, we all need to look
at them as a group --
or actually, as individuals,
because sometimes looking at the list
will spur other ideas
that you didn't have before.
>> Give me the list.
I'll go run us off some copies.
>> Great.
>> Be back in a sec.
>> While Tony does that, we need to discuss how
many people you think we're going to get.
>> Last year there was
75 people signed up, but only 50 showed up.
>> Yeah, or less.
>> Yeah.
>> I think it's because of fees.
>> That should tell you something,
because the people that did commit themselves
didn't feel that they were
committed enough to actually go.
I think we should raise the price so that,
once they make that commitment,
they're gonna want to actually go.
Something that they can -- A little more bite.
>> Yeah.
>> It'll compensate also
for lack of -- >> $5.
>> $5 would be good.
Sure.
>> That's enough to make a difference
in a college dude's pocket.
>> Sounds good to me.
>> 5 bucks.
>> All right.
Here's some copies here.
>> Great.
Thanks, Tony.
>> Hey, man.
While you were going
to get those copies,
we were talking about
raising the fee to 5 bucks.
>> So, I don't know.
Why?
>> Well, we were talking about it,
and we kind of came to the conclusion that,
you know, last year,
we just charged $2,
and I think people
didn't show much interest.
And, really, I don't think $5
is gonna break anybody.
>> No.
>> Mnh-mnh.
>> $5?
$5 sounds okay with me.
It sounds better than $2.
Because, you know, $2 kind of sounds cheap.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> And I bet you they didn't think they was gonna
get anything good out of this, either.
>> I think so, too.
>> Right.
Yeah.
>> Okay.
Let's go through this list
and evaluate what will work.
Deirdre, you're the honest
one of the group.
Why don't you play devil's advocate for us?
>> Okay.
>> You got the horns.
>> Hey, fellas.
Settle down.
First, we need to see what our criteria is,
find out who our target audience,
who we want to reach.
>> Yeah.
>> I think our top priority
ought to be Comm majors.
>> Definitely.
>> Well, actually, IABC members
and then Comm majors.
>> Great.
>> There you go.
>> Yeah.
Another potential source
would be undeclared majors
who could possibly be
swayed to Communication
and are looking for information
on potential jobs,
careers, that kind of thing,
that Communication majors get into.
>> Definitely.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> You know, also business majors,
like Marketing and Advertising students.
>> I think so.
>> Is there anybody else, possibly?
>> I think that covers it.
>> All students, correct?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah.
>> Well, I tell you, actually,
I've been thinking about it here,
and shouldn't we prioritize the order?
I mean, like, IABC members, Comm majors,
potential Comm majors, and then allied majors.
I mean, we might end up with more things
on our list than we can afford to do.
>> I think we're confused
about what you mean, Chris.
>> Well, I'll tell you.
What I'm trying to say is,
the way I've looked at it here,
we can end up with about 50 things
on our final list of promotional activities.
And if we prioritize these things --
you know, IABC members, then our Comm majors,
and then everything else, you know,
we'll have a rational way
of making our final decision.
>> Good.
They does sound good.
>> Thank you.
>> That does make sense.
>> Good.
>> Great.
So, then, should we
start with brochures?
>> Yeah.
I think brochures should be
our main way of getting it through.
We can get our whole
target audience that way.
Plus, if we go down
to the copy center,
we can get 2,000 copies of the same color
for about 10 cents each.
>> Sounds pretty good.
>> That's good.
But, Kevin, how should
we distribute them?
I mean, last year, they were
all over the floor.
Nobody really paid attention to them.
It was like, you know,
trash all over the floor.
>> I mean, people were just -- if they weren't
wadding them up and throwing them down,
they were either making airplanes
out of them or writing their notes.
They were even using them for bookmarks.
>> Yeah.
>> Bookmarks!
That's a great idea.
We could do that for real cheap,
and we could get those to everybody.
>> Yeah.
Good idea, man.
>> Put it on the list,
and we'll evaluate it.
But we need to stick
with brochures for now.
>> Right.
Okay.
Okay.
>> I'll volunteer to do the design.
The computers in my desktop-publishing class,
it'll be real easy to do.
>> Cool.
Good.
>> Hey, you know, and Campus Copies use a dayglow
for their promotional stuff.
And, see, like last semester,
they put these things in the students' boxes.
And I think if we talked to them and put
that appetizer on the back of our brochures,
they might even
reduce our price.
>> Okay.
>> That's a good idea.
>> Yeah, good idea.
>> I'll tell you what, I've got to go over there
anyway to copy notes from my persuasion class.
>> Because you didn't go?
>> 'Cause I didn't go.
>> They had a test today,
I want you to know.
>> I know.
I'm going.
I'm gonna fail it.
But anyway, I'll talk to the manager
and see what she thinks about the brochure idea.
And if they don't like that,
maybe they'll go for the bookmark thing.
>> Sure. Okay.
>> Bookmarks.
>> Bookmark.
>> Okay.
Next, should we go over
the public-service announcements?
>> Wait.
Chris and i have
a class right now.
And I know, Tony, you said that
you had a meeting to go to.
Now, we've covered pretty well
most everything on the list.
There's a few other things
we need to check on.
So why don't we try to meet again on Wednesday,
next Wednesday, at the same time?
>> Okay.
>> But hour max.
>> Wednesday.
>> I can do it.
>> All right?
>> Yeah, that's good.
>> Okay.
I'll get a memo out to remind everybody.
>> Hey, Chris, why don't you run
over the list of what everybody's committed to?
>> I've got --
>> Good, yeah.
>> Tony is checking
with Sherman Public
Relations to see if they will send
someone to do the portfolio.
>> Right.
>> Right.
>> Deirdre volunteered
to design the brochure.
>> Good.
>> I'm gonna check with Campus Copies
to see if they'll underwrite the brochure
for their free ad on the back.
And Laurie's gonna send us a reminder
about the next meeting.
>> Right.
Okay.
Is there anything else we need to be doing
between now and next Wednesday?
>> Yeah.
Somewhere amongst all this stuff
that I got from two years ago,
I got a list of all
the businesses in the community
that have IABC members doing
professional internships.
What I'm hoping is that I can
get them to help pay for this,
maybe throw in some materials
or something like that.
>> That'd really cut out costs.
>> Yeah.
>> I'll take care of that,
and I'll have that done by next week.
>> That's great.
I think we've gone over,
and probably will accomplish
everything on the list.
Is there anything else before we quit?
>> Nada.
>> Mnh-mnh.
>> Okay.
>> Nothing.
>> Good deal.
See you next Wednesday.
>> Great.
>> All right.
>> Good deal.
>> All right.
>> Going to hit happy hour?
>> Happy hour!
>> This group is on its way
to planning and publicizing a successful seminar,
in part because the group
has good coordinating leadership
both from the designated leader, Laurie,
and from the other members, as well.
When groups perform successfully,
that usually means that two kinds of important
group needs have been met adequately --
task and interpersonal needs.
All the members of this group worked
to meet those needs on behalf of the group.
Let's recall some specific instances.
Laurie, as designated leader,
does a good job of paying attention
to the group's processes
and procedures.
For example, she keeps the group on task,
she spend a great deal of time asking questions
that will spur the rest of the members
to think about issues,
and she brings the group back
on track after digressions.
She keeps track of the group's time.
She also helps members clarify what they mean,
as when she asked Chris to explain his idea
about making a priority
listing of options.
She doesn't control the group, but she does help
guide it and structure its use of time.
However, the job of staying task-oriented
does not fall to Laurie alone.
All the other members
provide task-oriented functions
to help the group progress.
For example, Deirdre, who serves
the group well as critical evaluator,
reminds the group that
their first order of business
was to review the decisions
they had made the previous week
and see if anything
needed to be changed.
Deirdre volunteers to design a brochure,
and several times she asks good questions
that helps members evaluate
an option more completely.
Chris performs both task
and relationship functions.
First, he volunteers to
keep notes for the group.
Did you notice how important it was
for the group to have this written record?
Several times, members referred
to Chris' list to jog their memories,
as when Chris summarized
the discussion for Tony
when he returned
from making copies.
Chris mediate an incipient
misunderstanding between Kevin and Deirdre.
Because he was listening carefully,
Chris perceived that the other two
had bypassed each other,
and he helps them work
through their misunderstanding.
Tony helps the group
by providing several good ideas,
such as the reason for trying
to recruit freshmen to the Career Day,
and the possibility
that Campus Copies
might underwrite
the cost of brochures
in return for advertising.
He also makes copies
of the brainstorming list,
and volunteers to find someone
for the portfolio session.
Kevin also provides
several task-oriented functions,
and help members enjoy
working together.
His creativity and enthusiasm --
remember his reaction to bookmarks?
-- helps keep the other members uplifted.
If this group is successful --
and there's every reason to believe it will be --
it's because all the members
provided leadership to the group.
Laurie demonstrates what a
group-centered democratic leader does --
guides but does not control,
provides structure but doesn't dominate.
We saw her behave as a completer, who jumped in
when she saw that something was needed,
such as when she realized
the members were confused
by Chris' suggestion
for a priority listing,
or when they needed to be
pulled back on track.
Mostly, though, she encouraged
the others to be responsible
for the effectiveness
of the group.
What we have seen in this segment
is distributed leadership,
where members perform
needed functions,
the leader coordinates,
and serves as completer
by providing the functions
not being supplied by the others.
This takes both mature
leaders and mature members.
Both the group member
and leader together are responsible
for effective group
problem solving.
If you perceive that the group
needs something,
you should try to provide it,
even if you aren't the designated leader.
>> The following are guidelines
for both leaders and members.
The ideal group leader
focuses on the process,
and make sure the group
is receiving what it needs,
provides structure for the group,
but doesn't dominate,
pays attention to the
interpersonal relationships,
helps the group move
forward toward its goal,
encourages the full
participation of all members.
The ideal group member
listens open-mindedly to what others have to say,
participates and willingly
shares ideas and opinions,
demonstrates responsibility
for and commitment to the group,
pays attention
to the group process,
and provides whatever
functions the group needs,
demonstrates sensitivity
to and patience
with the other members.