ntment towards the rest of the group, which in return can play a major part in the group dynamics. Attitudes, are defined as “a mental and a neural state of readiness, organized through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence upon the individual’s response to all objects and situations with which it is related.” (6) Group members may bring several attitudes with them to the group. Each of us has our own attitude and it will not always be the same. For example I am usually a positive person and have a good attitude. However that does not always mean I will have a good attitude. Some days I may be in a mood were I am more negative. Other days I may have a negative attitude because I feel the idea you have proposed is not the best way to handle a particular problem. In my current group, I have a Sr. Lead whose attitude can change from a very positive one to a very negative one all in a matter of seconds. It has gotten to the point were I do not even like to bring problems to his attention, for the fear I do not know what his attitude of the minute is like. In all the groups I have ever been in, attitude was the biggest factor in how that person interacted with the group and affected the group dynamics. One person with a negative attitude can rub off on the others and bring an entire group down.Understanding the circumstances and structure that make up the group, plays a major role in the dynamic workings of the small group and are vital if you wish to survive within it. The optimum group size appears to be five. I have been involved in many groups of varying sizes. From personal experience, I believe groups of five are the optimum size. Smaller groups seem to have problems generating ideas, while groups with more individuals start to split off into subgroups within the main group. Larger groups seem to have trouble focusing on a particular goal and reaching a consensus.At Boeing there wer...
