Modified Family Feud!
Communicating in Groups & Teams
Purpose: To help students become aware of how cohesiveness evolves in groups
and teams and how communication channels change as we become more
comfortable in a group.
Instructions:
1.) Have the class split up into two teams. Have one team on one side of the room
and the other team on another side of the room.
2.) Explain the rules that each team has to:
a. Appoint a spokesperson; and
b. Agree to the answer to a question, prior to the team raising their hand to
answer a question (just like the TV show “Family Feud”).
3.) Have about 5 questions prepared in advance for the teams to answer (open-
book in-class quiz on the chapter).
a. What are the elements of a small group according to our textbook?
i. Answer: 3 to 15 people; common purpose, members feel a sense
of belonging. (page ref: 207)
b. At Betty’s Weight Watchers meeting, the group frequently discusses the
challenge of staying away from vending machines, passing up donuts at
work, and dealing with the stress of the holidays. What type of group is
described here?
i. Answer: Therapy Group (page ref: 211)
c. Sarah observes that she usually keeps her theater group focused on
rehearsing and that her friend Maureen offers the group innovative ideas.
The pattern of communication observed by Sarah would be group _____.
i. Answer: Roles (page ref: 213)
d. Roles in a group are dynamic because ________________.
i. Answer: We adjust our behavior by listening and responding to
others. (page ref: 213)
e. What is the typical assumption of an individualistic culture?
i. Answer: Individuals should be rewarded for their accomplishments.
(page ref: 225)
4.) As each team gets an answer correct first, reward them with a small candy prize
until all questions have been answered.
5.) When the game is done debrief the teams before sending them back to their
seats:
a. When you were discussing the answers, what communication interaction
pattern did your team tend to follow? (i.e., All-Channel, Chain, or Wheel).
b. Did your team tend to work from a collectivistic or individualistic angle?
c. What were the power dynamics? (legitimate, referent, expert, reward..)
d. Did certain people tend to take on certain roles (initiator/contributor, info-
seeker, opinion-seeker, elaborator, coordinator, critic, recorder,
encourager, harmonizer, compromiser, gatekeeper, aggressor, blocker,
recognition seeker, self-confessor, joker, dominator, special-interest
pleader, and help-seeker)?