MPBL Course in Supervision

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MPBL Course in Supervision

• Session Three, Part Two Group Dynamics
• Frances Jørgensen, PhD

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Group Dynamics

• Introduction to Group Dynamics in Project Work
• Models for understanding Group Development
• Community Building
• The Supervisors Role in CB
• Group Conflict

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Group Dynamics in Project Work

• Two issues involved in group work
• Task (rational, task oriented)
• Group process (mechanisms for functioning as a
  group basic assumptions behavior)
• Explicit management of the group processes
  provides the opportunity for the whole to be
  greater than the sum of the parts.
• Synergy is only possible when group dynamics are
  managed

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Models of Group Development

• Blanchard
• Directing
• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Delegating

• Peck
• Pseudo- community
• Chaos
• Emptying
• Community

• Tuckman
• Forming
• Storming
• Norming
• Performing

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Community Building

• Pseudocommunity Stage stage of pretense
• Avoid personal vulnerability
• Focus on belonging showing control
• Builds safety, trust and respect.
• Chaos Stage
• Learning about and sharing differences
• A highly creative disease!
• Increased talk, especially by a few
• Norms develop through testing
• Avoidance behavior
• Supervisor as scapegoat!
• Projecting own insecurities and rules on others

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Community Building (2)

• Emptiness Stage
• Sharing the authentic self
• Listening intently respect for personal truths
• Community
• Sense of ease
• Acceptance of differences
• Supervisor likely to rate community lower than
  students

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The Supervisors Role in CB

• Allow the process (dont force!)
• Observe behaviors provide the group with
  challenges for reflection
• Intervene only in dangerous situations
• Take groups frustrations in stride
• Dont react by explaining or meeting demands to
  lead
• Allow group to develop own (individual)
  leadership qualities
• Remember your own power situation

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Understanding Conflict

• Conflict is inevitable in groups, whether
  expressed or not
• Aggressive behavior can result from personal or
  group issues, even imagined danger or threat
• Conflict may result in higher cohesion
• Space for venting
• Scapegoating
• Shared mission

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References

• Tuckman, B.W. Jensen, M.A.C. (1977) Stages of
  small group development revisited. Group
  andOrganizational Studies, 2, 419-427
• www.kenblanchard.com
• Dr. M. Scott Peck, The Different Drum (Simon and
  Schuster New York,) 1981