In Mixed Company Communicating in Small Groups and Teams

by Rothwell, J. Dan; Waters, Michelle

• ISBN13: 9780197756546
• ISBN10: 0197756549
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780197756553
• Edition: 12th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2026-04-20
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• More Book Details

Summary

As the market leader in small group communication, In Mixed Company stays relevant and relatable by delivering theory, applications, and current research through humor and a conversational style. Through vivid examples and personal experiences - including those of our new co-author, Michelle Waters - In Mixed Company captures students' interest. With a grounded, practical approach, real world case studies, and current scholarship, students take away valuable skills in group dynamics that they will use well beyond the course.

Author Biography

J. Dan Rothwell is a Professor Emeritus and former chair of the Communication Studies Department at Cabrillo College. He has a B.A. in American History from the University of Portland (Oregon), an M.A. in Rhetoric and Public Address, and a Ph.D. in Communication Theory and Social Influence. His M.A. and Ph.D. are both from the University of Oregon. He is the author of four other books: Practically Speaking, In the Company of Others: An Introduction to Communication, Telling It Like It Isn't: Language Misuse and Malpractice, Interpersonal Communication: Influences and Alternatives (with James Costigan), and It's All of Our Business: Communicating Competently in the Workplace.

Michelle Waters is a sought-after corporate trainer who designs and delivers business communication programs to leaders internationally. She also taught communication courses at San Jose State University and Cabrillo College for more than 20 years. This is her third book. She is also a co-author on It's All of Our Business: Communicating Competently in the Workplace.

Table of Contents

Brief Contents
Preface
1 Communication Competence in Groups
2 Groups as Systems
3 Group Development
4 Developing the Group Climate
5 Becoming a Good Group Member
6 Roles in Groups
7 Group Leadership
8 Developing Effective Teams
9 Defective Decision Making and Problem Solving
10 Effective Decision Making and Problem Solving
11 Meetings: Standard and Virtual
12 Power in Groups
13 Conflict Management and Negotiation
Appendix A: Group Oral Presentations
Appendix B: Critical Thinking Revisited: Arguments and Fallacies
Glossary

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1 Communication Competence in Groups
Myths about Communication
Myth 1: Competent Communication Is Just Common Sense
Myth 2: Competent Communication Is Merely Skill Building
Myth 3: Communication Is A Cure-All
Myth 4: 93% of Meaning Is Communicated Nonverbally
Communication Defined
Communication as Transactional: Mutually Influential
Communication as a Process: The Continuous Flow
Communication as Sharing Meaning: Making Sense
Verbal Communication: Telling It Like It Isn't
Nonverbal Communication: Wordless Meaning
Communication Competence
Effectiveness: Achieving Goals
A Matter of Degree: From Deficiency to Proficiency
We (Not Me) Oriented: Primacy of Groups
Appropriateness: Following the Rules
Rule Violations: Consequential Effects
Rule Changes: Context Specific
Achieving Communication Competence
Knowledge: Learning the Rules
Skills: Showing, Not Just Knowing
Sensitivity: Receptive Accuracy
Commitment: A Passion for Excellence
Ethics: The Right and Wrong of Communication
Culture and Communication Competence
Individualism-Collectivism Dimension: The Prime Directive
Applying the Communication Competence Model: Several Steps
Self-Assessment: Be Ye Individualist or Collectivist?
Definition of a Group
Groups: More than People Standing at a Bus Stop
Interpersonal Communication and Public Speaking: Ungroups
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

Chapter 2 Groups as Systems
Interconnectedness of Parts
Ripple Effect: A Chain Reaction
Synergy: One Plus One Equals a Ton
Negative Synergy: Results Beyond Bad
Adaptability to a Changing Environment
Dynamic Equilibrium: Regulating Stability and Change
Difficult Group Members: Conflict from Negative Change
Self-Assessment: Are You a Difficult Group Member?
Boundary Control: Regulating Input and Minimizing Conflict
Physical Barriers: Protecting Group Space
Psychological Barriers: Member in Name Only
Linguistic Barriers: Having to Speak the Language
Rules: Permission Not Granted
Roles: Staying in Bounds
Networks: Controlling Information and Interaction Flow
Open and Closed Systems: Setting Effective Boundaries
Influence of Size
Group Size and Complexity
Quantitative Complexity: Exponentially Complicated
Complexity and Group Transactions: Size Matters
An Organization: A Group of Groups
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

Chapter 3 Group Development
Balancing Primary Dimensions of Groups
Task and Social Dimensions: Productivity and Cohesiveness
Building Cohesiveness: Reducing Likelihood of Conflict
Encourage Compatible Membership
Develop Shared Goals
Accomplish Tasks
Develop a Positive History of Cooperation
Increase Proximity
Nurture Virtual Group Social Relations
Periodic Phases of Group Development
Forming: Gathering Members
Reasons We Join Groups: Motivation
Member Diversity: The Benefits and Challenges of Difference
Storming: Tension and Potential Conflict
Primary Tension: Initial Uneasiness
Secondary Tension: When Conflict May Erupt
Norming: Regulating the Group
Types of Norms: Explicit and Implicit
Degree of Conformity: Strength of Group Pressure
Why We Conform: Fitting In and Avoiding Conflict
Conditions for Conformity: When We Bow to Group Pressure
Addressing Nonconformity: When Groups Get Tough
Performing: Group Output
Motivation to Perform: Social Loafing and Social Compensation
Self-Assessment: Social Loafing
When Groups Outperform Individuals: Three Heads Are Better than One
When Individuals Outperform Groups: No Group Magic
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

4 Developing the Group Climate
Positive versus Negative Climates
Negativity Bias: Short-Circuiting a Positive Climate
Positive Emphasis: The "Magic Ratio"
Competition and Cooperation
Definitions: Conceptual Clarity
Constructive Competition: Tempering Hypercompetitiveness
Cooperative Group Climates: Cultivating Positivity
Communication and Group Climate
Praise and Recognition: Basic Building Blocks
Self-Assessment: Reactions to Defensive and Supportive Communication
Defensive and Supportive Communication: Shaping Climates
Criticism versus Description
Control versus Problem Orientation
Manipulation versus Assertiveness
Indifference versus Empathy
Superiority versus Equality
Certainty versus Provisionalism
Incivility versus Civility
Listening: Enhancing Communication Climate by Shutting Up
Shift Response versus Support Response: Focusing on Me or Thee
Competitive Interrupting: Seizing the Floor
Ambushing: Preparing Rebuttals
Virtual Group Climate
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

Chapter 5 Get Ready for Your Group: Emotional Intelligence
Self-Work for Group Success
Self-Assessment: Are you ready to be in a group?
The Ubiquity of Emotional Intelligence
Travel, Space, and EI
The Four Domains of Emotional Intelligence
Domain 1: Self Awareness- Are We Aware Yet?
Self-Awareness and Mindfulness
Methods for Mindfulness
The Path to Mindfulness Begins with a Breath...Maybe
Beyond Breathing: Curiosity and Nonjudgment
Self-Awareness and Emotional Labeling: Choose Your Words, Change Your Mood
Domain 2: Self-Management and Kindful Communication
Kindful Communication: Kind + Mindful
Part 1: Between Stimulus and Response there is a Space
Part 2: In that Space is our Power to Choose our Response
Part 3: In our Response Lies our Growth and our Freedom
Domain 3: Social Awareness
Emotional Intelligence and Empathy
Three Types of Empathy
Social Awareness and Assessing the Group Dynamics
Domain 4: Relationship Management
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

Chapter 6 Roles in Groups
Influence of Roles
Role Status: Playing by Hierarchical Rules
Role Conflict: Torn Between Two Roles
Role Reversal: When Students Become Teachers
Types of Roles
Task Roles: Focusing on Maximum Productivity
Maintenance Roles: Focusing on Cohesiveness
Disruptive Roles: Focusing on Self
Role Emergence
Self-Assessment: Playing by the Roles
Group Endorsement: Accepting a Bid
Role Specialization: Settling into One's Primary Role
Role Adaptability
Role Flexibility: Adapting to Context
Role Fixation: Failure to Adapt
Newcomers and System Disturbance
Welcome to the Group: The Challenge of Acceptance
Group Socialization: Mutual Adaptation to Change
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

7 Group Leadership
Definition of Leadership
Leadership and Followership: Let's Dance
Leader and Manager: Different Types of Influence
Leader Emergence
How Not to Emerge as a Leader: Communication Blunders
Leader Emergence Pattern: Process of Elimination
Two Phases of Emergence
Virtual Group Leader Emergence
Beware Implicit Theories of Leader Emergence
Developing Competent Leadership
Traits Perspective: The Born Leader View
Styles Perspective: It's Situational
Self-Assessment: What Is Your Leadership Style Preference?
Distributive Leadership: Sharing Functions
Servant Leadership Perspective: Ethical Necessity
Communication Competence Perspective: The Overarching View
Culture and Leadership: Are There Universal Theories?
Virtual Group Leadership
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

Chapter 8 Developing Effective Teams
Standard Groups versus Teams
Distinctions: The Foremost Four
Level of Cooperation: The Working Together Imperative
Diversity of Skills: Looking for Complementarity
Group Identity: Operating as a Unit
Time and Resources: Commitment to the Team
Definition of a Team: A Special Kind of Group
Team Members
Team Slayers: Members' Bad Attitudes and Bad Behavior
Egocentrism: Me-Deep in Omnipotence
Cynicism: Communicating a Can't-Do Attitude
Communicating Abuse: Incompetent Behavior Kills Teams
Team Builders: Choosing and Developing Team Members
Experience and Problem-Solving Abilities: Core Competencies
Communication Training: Developing Members' Competence
Developing Teamwork
Developing Team Goals: The Four Cs
Clear Goals: Everyone on the Same Page
Cooperative Goals: Interdependent Challenges
Challenging Goals: Denting the Universe
Commitment to Goals: A Passion to Succeed
Developing a Team Identity: Unifying Members
Symbolic Convergence: Communicating Fantasy Themes
Solidarity Symbols: Unifying Nonverbally
Team Talk: The Language of We
Designating Roles: Room for One Quarterback
Team Empowerment: Enhancing Members' Capabilities
Definition of Empowerment: Four Dimensions
Hierarchical Organizations: The Enemy of Team Empowerment
Self-Managing Work Teams
Impediments to Team Empowerment: No Buy-In
Establishing Individual Accountability: Providing Feedback
Self-Assessment: Small Group or Team?
Competent Team Leadership
Nurture Empowerment: A Shared Responsibility
Requiring a Psychologically Safe Environment: Killing Fear and Ego
Develop Supportive Rules
Virtual Teams
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

Chapter 9 Defective Decision Making and Problem Solving
Information Overload
Scope of the Problem: The Information Avalanche
Consequences: The Downside of Information Overload
Critical Thinking Impairment: Finding Treasure at the Junk Yard
Indecisiveness: Conclusion Irresolution
Inattention: Difficulty Concentrating
Diminished Creativity: Preoccupation with the Mundane
Coping with Information Overload: From Firehose to Straw
Ruthlessly Filter Information: Scan for Spam
Eat the Frog: Tackle the Unpleasant Tasks First
Shut Down Technology: Hitting the Off Switch
Become Selective: On a Need-to-Know Basis
Limit the Search: When Enough Is Enough
Discern Patterns: Recognizing Irrelevant Information
Focus: Don't Multitask
Information Underload
Fixed Mindsets: Critical Thinking Frozen Solid
Confirmation Bias: One-Sided Information Searches
The Problem: Poor Decisions and Solutions
Combating Confirmation Bias: Research, Confront, and Challenge
False Dichotomies: Either-Or Thinking
Collective Inferential Error: Uncritical Thinking
Prevalence of the Problem: It's a Group Thing
Sources of Inferential Errors: Distortions and Correlations
Unrepresentativeness: Distorting the Facts
Correlation Inferred as Causation: Covariation
Self-Assessment: The Uncritical Inference Test
Error Correction: Practicing Critical Thinking
Group Polarization: Extremely Uncritical Thinking
Polarization: From Gambling to Guarded
Why Groups Polarize: Comparison and Persuasion
Combating Group Polarization: Necessary Steps
Groupthink: Overinflation of a We-Orientation
Conditions: Excessive Cohesiveness and Concurrence Seeking
Identification of Groupthink: Main Symptoms
Overestimation of the Group's Power and Morality: Arrogance
Closed-Mindedness: Clinging to Assumptions
Pressures toward Uniformity: Presenting a United Front
Preventing Groupthink: Promoting Vigilance
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

Chapter 10 Effective Decision Making and Problem Solving
Group Discussion Functions and Procedures
Phases and Functions: General Considerations
Multiple Sequence Model: Phases of Decision Making
Functional Perspective: Being Systematic
The Standard Agenda: Structuring Group Discussion
Step 1: Problem Identification- What's the Question?
Self-Assessment: What's the Question?
Step 2: Problem Analysis- Causes and Effects
Step 3: Solution Criteria- Setting Standards
Step 4: Solution Suggestions- Generating Alternatives
Step 5: Solution Evaluation and Selection- Deciding by Criteria
Step 6: Solution Implementation- Follow-Through
Who's on First? Role Clarity and Decision-Making
Assigning Decision-Making Roles: RAPID
Assigning Task Roles: RACI and DACI
Decision-Making Rules: Majority, Minority, and Unanimity
Majority Rule: Tyrannical or Practical
Minority Rule: Several Types
Unanimity Rule: Consensus
Evaluating Information: Countering "Truth Decay"
Credibility: Is It Believable?
Currency: Is It Up to Date?
Relevance: Looking for Logical Connections
Representativeness: Reflecting the Facts
Sufficiency: When Enough Really Is Enough
Creative Problem Solving
General Overview: The Creative Process
Creative Techniques: Systematic Procedures
Idea Generation: Several Techniques
Framing/Reframing: It's All in the Wording
Virtual Groups and Decision Making
Pace of Decision Making: Synchronous and Asynchronous Media
Virtual Creativity: Finding Your Comfort Zone
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

Chapter 11 Meetings: In-Person, Virtual, and Hybrid
Meeting Preparation
The Purpose Precedes the Plan: Getting Clear About Getting Together
Create an Effective Meeting Agenda: Simple Steps x
Get There First: Set Up and Solve Problems
Conducting a Meeting
Type of Meeting: Formal or Informal
Begin on Time; End on Time: Punctuality Is a Virtue
Communicate Ground Rules: Avoid Chaos
Use the Best Process: No One-Size-Fits-All
Stay on Track: Parking Lots, Jellyfish, and Perception Checks
Concluding the Meeting: End on a High Note
After the Meeting: Clean-Up Time
Participating in Meetings
Be Prepared: Don't Act Like a Potted Plant
WAIT: Avoid Stage Hogging
Be Attentive: Monitor Your Nonverbal Communication
Recognize Cultural Diversity: Is Silence Golden?
Increase Participation: Constructive Engagement
Virtual Meetings
Self-Assessment: Virtual vs. In-Person Meeting Preference
Types of Virtual Meetings: Audio and Visual
Pros and Cons: A Mixed Bag
Facilitating Virtual Meetings: A Leader's Reminders
Virtual Engagement: Tending to Potted Plants
Virtual Meeting Participation: A Few Unique Considerations
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

Chapter 12 Power in Groups
The Nature of Power
Forms of Power: Dominance, Prevention, and Empowerment
Communication Indicators of Power
General Indicators: Defining, Following, and Inhibiting
Verbal Indicators: Language Choices
Nonverbal Indicators: Silent Exercise of Power
Status Cues: Virtual Groups
Power Resources: The Raw Materials of Influence
Information: Good and Plenty
Expertise: Information Plus Know-How
Legitimate Authority: You Will Obey
Rewards and Punishments: Pleasure and Pain
Personal Qualities: A Powerful Persona
Consequences of Power Imbalances
Bias Against Women and Ethnic Minorities: Leadership Gap
Bullying: Verbal and Nonverbal Aggression
Power Distance: Cultural Variation
General Description: Horizontal and Vertical Cultures
Communication Differences: With Whom May You Communicate?
Balancing Power: Prevention Strategies
Defiance: Digging in Your Heels
Resistance: Dragging Your Feet
Sluggish Effort: How Slow Can You Go?
Strategic Stupidity: Smart People Acting Dumb
Loss of Motor Function: Conscious Carelessness
The Misunderstanding Mirage: Confusion Illusion
Selective Amnesia: Fake Forgetfulness
Tactical Tardiness: Late by Design
Purposeful Procrastination: Deliberate Delays
Balancing Power Positively: Enhancing Empowerment
Developing Assertiveness: Exhibiting Confidence and Skill
Alliances: Forming Coalitions
Increasing Personal Power Resources: Benefiting the Group
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies

Chapter 13: Conflict Management and Negotiation
Nature of Conflict
Definition: Incompatible, Interconnected Struggle
Benefits of Conflict: Dissent Can Be Productive
Destructive and Constructive Conflict: Differences
Communication Styles of Conflict Management
Self-Assessment: Communication Styles of Conflict
Collaborating: Problem Solving
Confrontation: Directly Addressing the Problem
Integration: Seeking Joint Gains
Smoothing: Calming Troubled Waters
Accommodating: Yielding
Compromising: Halving the Loaf
Avoiding: Withdrawing
Competing: Power-Forcing
Comparing Styles: Likelihood of Success
Situational Factors
Task Conflict: Routine and Nonroutine
Relationship Conflict: It's Personal
Values Conflict: Deeply Felt Struggles
Culture and Conflict: Communication Differences
Negotiation Strategies
Positional Bargaining: Hard and Soft Negotiating
Principled Negotiation: Interest-Based Bargaining
The Four Principles: Appropriate Rules
Remaining Unconditionally Constructive: Sound Judgment
The BATNA: Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement
Anger Management
Constructive and Destructive Anger: Frequency, Intensity, and Duration
Managing Your Own Anger: Taking Control
Managing the Anger of Others: Communication Jujitsu
Virtual Groups and Conflict
Questions for Critical Thinkers
TED Talks and YouTube Videos
Video Case Studies
Appendix A: Group Oral Presentations
Appendix B: Critical Thinking Revisited: Arguments and Fallacies
Glossary
References
Index