Group Think

1
Group Think

• A mode of thinking that people engage in when
  they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group,
• when the members' strivings for unanimity
  override their motivation to realistically
  appraise alternative courses of action(Janis
  1972 9)
• When the desire for unanimity overcomes a groups
  ability to make rational assessments on all
  available information
• Can include an unquestioned belief in your moral
  correctness religious (give your life to God)
  or political (Nazi Germany)
• Reduces team effectiveness because it can remove
  the ability/need to question or validate

2
Group behaviour

• Group Behaviour -
• Positive and provides for trust, belonging,
  reliance,
• Resulting in being happy at work - better more
  efficient service
• Like minded people with similar ideas
  expectations
• Did not join public service to make a fortune
• Joined to
• serve
• make a difference
• belong
• get self esteem (Maslow 1987)
• Develop identity
• Fitting-in (Baigent 2001)
• Surface acting that develops into deep acting
  (Hochschild 1983)
• Culture can inclusive
• Realise needs (Maslow 1987)
• Avoid alienation (Marx)
• Resisting deskilling (Braverman 1974)
• Culture can be negative
• Racism (Macpherson 1999)

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Formal Public Service Culture

• Weberian Bureaucracy
• Written rules (orders) for everything
• A clear chain of command
• No room for entrepreneurs
• Rationality rules
• An iron cage (Weber)

4
CAMBRIDGESHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE - CFRS
STRUCTURE
CHIEF FIRE OFFICER TOM CARROLL
COMMUNITY SAFETY DIRECTORATE Lawrie Booth
MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIRECTORATE Cheryl Rolph
DISTRICT COMMUNITY SAFETY CAMBRIDGE CITY
DISTRICT HUNTINGDON DISTRICT Dave Warren Peter
Sharpe EAST CAMBS DISTRICT PETERBOROUGH
DISTRICT Dave Robertson Paul Malinowski FENLAND
DISTRICT SOUTH CAMBS DISTRICT Paul
Fredericks Pat Kilby
FIRE CONTROL Elaine Wakerley
PERSONAL ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP Mauric
e Moore
CORPORATE DEMOCRATIC SERVICES GROUP Fiona Fowler
HUMAN RESOURCES Tracy Bennett-Tighe/ Marissa
Reynolds
TECHNICAL SERVICES DIRECTORATE Peter Warner
RESOURCES DIRECTORATE John Hummersone
FLEET EQUIPMENT SERVICES GROUP Frank Laska
COMMUNITY RISK MANAGEMENT GROUP Gerry Dacey
FINANCE CONTRACT MANGEMENTGROUP Matthew Warren
INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
GROUP Martin Scott
NEW DIMENSIONS OFFICER Andy Dunlop
AUDIT OFFICER Mark Bennett-Tighe
PAYROLL TEAM Daphne Baker
PROPERTY ESTATES GROUP Danny Rust
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Forming a society

• Jones (1994) suggests that Durkheim has an
  orthodox consensus view of social structures made
  up of norms, values and rules.
• Durkheim argues we learn about norms, values and
  rules through socialisation
• Norms values and rules serve the function of
  making social life possible
• Each generation of people pass on these norms,
  values and rules to the next (tradition)
• Functionalists believe in a society formed by
  social structures
• Structures that become real in their consequences
  (W I Thomas)
• The argument of functionalist is that any social
  process exists because they serve a function
• For example we have laws because they lay down
  the boundaries of what is acceptable in a society
• Durkheim uses the term social solidarity to
  describe how people achieve social order
• Social solidarity was achieved by collective
  standards and rules of behaviour that make the
  social glue that holds society together
• Social solidarity/order flows from consensus -
  the existence of shared norms, values and rules
• When individuals do not feel they belong in a
  society share the same norms and values they
  feel alienated a situation that Durkheim saw as
  anomie
• Mayo, recognise that workers at Hawthorn suffered
  from anomie they did not feel as is they
  belonged during his experiment he made them
  feel important that they belonged and therefore
  they were happier and worked harder.

7
Durkheim

• A collective way of living/being can be termed a
  culture
• Cultures can be macro gender, ethnicity, class
• Cultures can be micro family, work, teenagers
• Each generation has the ability to change their
  culture
• People have a choice if they comply or not
• In Public Services there are two cultures
• Formal
• Informal

8
These arguments almost make as if culture has a
life of its own

• As a result, it is often the culture rather than
  individuals that is seen as responsible for how
  cultural values get put into practice
• Formal police culture may appear to have
  strength, power and authority, but this is due to
  a combination of group ownership, tradition and
  history, not because it actually exists.
• Police culture is a structure
  accepted/constructed by the individuals who
  operate within it
• Because the culture has to be put into action by
  individuals, there is space for those individuals
  to act differently

9
It is sometimes possible to forget that

• People in the fire and police services have minds
  of their own
• Frequently group behaviour acts like a snowball
  almost forcing people to put their own values on
  hold as they to give up some free will to join in
  with the group
• People in the fire or police services make a
  choice when they join in on cultural practices
• Sometimes choice is not made under circumstances
  that the individual would choose

10
There can be a number of views about public
service culture.

• values that one cohort of public servants pass
  down to the next
• a common form of behaviour amongst public
  servants
• a public service ethos to serve and protect
• values that officers, managers, constables,
  firefighters, soldiers etc. have in common
• something people sign up to because it provides
  for your needs, a sense of belonging, identity,
  purpose

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Alienation not here

• Public Servants love their jobs
• Teamwork can prevent alienation from the work
  process
• Informal culture gives individuals some control
  over what they do
• The process of deskilling
• What do the workers feel

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Tuckman, B. (1965) 'Developmental sequence in
small groups', Psychological Bulletin 63(6)
Forming

• Identifying the task and how to accomplish it.
• Deciding what is acceptable group behaviour and
  how to handle group conflict
• Deciding what information needs to be gathered to
  tackle the task
• Abstract conceptual discussions or some members'
  impatience with these discussions
• No clear focus on task or problem as evidenced by
  irrelevant discussions
• Complaining about organisational problems and
  barriers to accomplishing the task instead of
  focusing on the task

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Storming

• Arguing among group members, even if they agree
  on the issues
• Choosing sides within the group, bids for power,
  drawing divisional lines
• Tension, jealousy, lack of unity, and a perceived
  hierarchy
• Establishing unobtainable goals, increased
  concerns about too much work to be done.

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Norming

• Conflict avoidance in an attempt to promote
  harmony
• Friendlier discussions on a more personal level,
  more discussions about the dynamics of the group,
  begin to confide in one another
• More of a sense of group cohesion and esprit,
  more commonality of goals
• Establishing and maintaining realistic group
  parameters for behaviour and performance
• Organising how team will sanction transgressors

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Performing

• Constructively changing one's self--actually
  changing for the betterment of the group.
• Ability to avoid group conflict and, should
  conflict arise, being able to work through it.
• Much closer identity with the group,
  understanding each other's strengths and
  weaknesses.

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• Self-appointed peer group leaders
• members who protect the group
• Maintain/police behaviour
• Protect the current culture holding the
  accepted norms, values and rules in trust for the
  next generation An illusion of invulnerability,
• We know best
• Optimistic about your power
• Prepared to challenge managers covertly
• Ignore modernisation
• Collectively
• Rationalise your arguments
• Discount warnings
• Avoid reconsidering your assumptions
• Justify what you think
• Stick with past views (traditions)
• An unquestioned belief that the group is right
• Belief in the group's inherent morality
• Ignoring the real, ethical or moral consequences
  of your actions
• Stereotyped views of politicians managers
  public
• Too weak

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Norming and Action theories

• Impression management (Goffman)
• Labelling theory (Becker)
• Deviancy amplification (Cohen)
• What if you are black how might the police
  service label you
• What do the public services think of
  modernisation
• How does the label female affect you if you are
  applying for a job the fire service

19
Macpherson, W. (1999) The Stephen Lawrence
Inquiry, London HMSO.

• 6.44 We heed this warning, but upon all the facts
  we assert that the conclusion that racism played
  its part in this case is fully justified. Mere
  incompetence cannot of itself account for the
  whole catalogue of failures, mistakes,
  misjudgements, and lack of direction and control
  which bedevilled the Stephen
• 6.3 In this Inquiry we have not heard evidence of
  overt racism or discrimination, unless it can be
  said that the use of inappropriate expressions
  such as "coloured" or "negro" fall into that
  category. The use of such words, which are now
  well known to be offensive, displays at least
  insensitivity and lack of training. A number of
  officers used such terms, and some did not even
  during their evidence seem to understand that the
  terms were offensive and should not be used.
• 11.36 The main conclusion that we reach is that
  the inadequacy of the steps taken was as the
  result of the failure of direction by supervisory
  officers. The standard of command and
  co-ordination during the first two hours after
  this murder was in the opinion of the Inquiry
  abysmal.
• The collective failure of an organisation to
  provide an appropriate and professional service
  to people because of their colour, culture, or
  ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in
  processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount
  to discrimination through unwitting prejudice,
  ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist
  stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic
  people.

20
Bain, G. (2002) The Future of the fire service
reducing risk, saving lives, London ODPM

• 10. Personnel policy, procedures and practices in
  the Fire Service give cause for concern. Despite
  clear policies from management and the FBU in
  favour of diversity, in practice only lip-service
  is paid to it. Harassment and bullying are still
  too prevalent.
• The leadership must recognise that urgent action
  is required. An improved programme of HR
  management must be put in place as a matter of
  priority. The work on the introduction of the
  new Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS)
  gives a framework for this improvement programme.
  But the programme itself will not be a substitute
  for real effort by management at all levels to
  tackle the problems. (Bain 2002 V).
• 6.28 We have been told by many including some
  politicians that the leadership and general
  input from local politicians to fire authorities
  is poor. This is disappointing. If only because
  of the spotlight that has now been shone on the
  Service, it must be clear to all that good
  leadership and management have been lacking in
  many respects.

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Positive Action another view

• DB So if there's a positive action day for
  ethnic minorities only, do you think, is that a
  good or a bad thing?
• Ff I think thats racist.
• DB You think its racist?
• LF Yes, absolutely. Its out and out
  discrimination against the white, well, every
  other. It basically says it doesnt matter if
  you apply or not, theyre not interested in you
  as a person or interested in this group or this
  group at this time.

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FireWorksfor equality in the fire service
Barriers of Ethnic Minority Recruitment

• Perceived Barriers
• Cultural sensitivities prohibited some BEM groups
  from applying
• Religious restrictions prevented other ethnic
  groups from applying
• Asians saw the firefighting profession as a
  low-status career
• Problem of recruitment rested with BEM groups

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I think therefore I am

• Fitting-in