Group Process
2.1 Group process: inclusion
A cornerstone for facilitators is to understand what happens to people in groups. To do this, we need to look both at what people set out to achieve, the task, as well as how they get along – the processes of group activity. People often behave quite differently in groups and teams from one-to-one settings. Some people become quiet, others turn into bullies or tormentors, some become jokers. For the facilitator who has to rely on others for getting the job done, this can be daunting. Why is it that a meeting feels electric one moment and awkward the next? Why do some people refuse to communicate while others do all the talking? It becomes easier to understand the process level if we take a practical example. Imagine that you are in a team meeting and two people start arguing. Do you feel embarrassed? Do you try and stop it? Do you join in? When people work together in groups all sorts of things go on – allegiances are made, cliques are formed, feelings are acknowledged or overlooked, reactions are triggered – and this all makes up the group dynamic or process. If we try to pretend it doesn’t happen, doesn’t matter or doesn’t belong in the workplace we are fooling ourselves. Such behaviour is the lifeblood of the group or team and the facilitator who develops an understanding of such activity is in the best position to help the team overcome any difficulties. As facilitators, it is useful to have a theoretical map to navigate through this minefield of group behaviour. A useful model here is that provided by Will Schutz who used three simple words to sum up what takes place in team or group dynamics at a deep level – inclusion, control and openness (see model overleaf). This section and the following two sections explore these issues in more detail and give ideas for interventions that will help facilitate the group process in the arenas of inclusion, control and openness. Inclusion and exclusion issues are typically unspoken and form part
A cornerstone for facilitators is to understand what happens to people in groups. To do this, we need to look both at what people set out to achieve, the task, as well as how they get along – the processes of group activity. People often behave quite differently in groups and teams from one-to-one settings. Some people become quiet, others turn into bullies or tormentors, some become jokers. For the facilitator who has to rely on others for getting the job done, this can be daunting. Why is it that a meeting feels electric one moment and awkward the next? Why do some people refuse to communicate while others do all the talking? It becomes easier to understand the process level if we take a practical example. Imagine that you are in a team meeting and two people start arguing. Do you feel embarrassed? Do you try and stop it? Do you join in? When people work together in groups all sorts of things go on – allegiances are made, cliques are formed, feelings are acknowledged or overlooked, reactions are triggered – and this all makes up the group dynamic or process. If we try to pretend it doesn’t happen, doesn’t matter or doesn’t belong in the workplace we are fooling ourselves. Such behaviour is the lifeblood of the group or team and the facilitator who develops an understanding of such activity is in the best position to help the team overcome any difficulties. As facilitators, it is useful to have a theoretical map to navigate through this minefield of group behaviour. A useful model here is that provided by Will Schutz who used three simple words to sum up what takes place in team or group dynamics at a deep level – inclusion, control and openness (see model overleaf). This section and the following two sections explore these issues in more detail and give ideas for interventions that will help facilitate the group process in the arenas of inclusion, control and openness. Inclusion and exclusion issues are typically unspoken and form part