common problems in small group decision makingjgastil.la.psu.edu/pdfs/gastil - common probs in small...
Post on 10-Mar-2020
2 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
COMMON PROBLEMS IN SMALL GROUP DECISION MAKING
Although every country and culture is different, small group decision making has some of the
same problems across the globe. These problems are serious because they can lead groups to
make flawed or undemocratic decisions, prevent groups Erom reaching decisions, or cause
groups to break apart. A group promoter (GP) who learns to recognize and address these
common problems can help groups improve their decision making process and become
successful, self-reliant bodies.
Among the many decision making problems groups encounter, some of the most
serious are vague or inconsistent goals and procedures, long meetings, unequal group
involvement and commitment, group conflicts, low communication and literacy skills,
different communication styles, extreme power differences, poor memory of the group's past,
and poorly constructed inter-group associations. All of these problems are discussed in this
chapter, and possible solutions are suggested for each.
STEP 1: SETTING GOALS AND ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES
Block 1: Reaching Agreement on Goals
Perhaps the most serious problem in small group decision making is the failure to identify a
clear and consistent set of goals. A group without basic objectives is aimless and
unproductive, but a group with a well-defined purpose can be very innovative and effective.
As explained in Chapter 3, the primary purpose of self-help groups is income
generation. GPs should not assume, however, that group members have a clear and shared
understanding of this goal, nor should GPs assume that this is the only goal that group
2
members have. These assumptions may prove mistaken, and vague or conflicting goals will
limit a group's success.
The Cost of Uncertain Goals
If goals remain vague, the group will probably not focus on creating income generating
enterprises. Instead, group meetings will be disorganized, mixing discussions of future plans
with questions about the group's purpose. The group may also turn from one activity to
another like a ship drifting at sea.
The group will be less effective if group members have different personal objectives
and never agree on their basic goals. For instance, some members may seek emotional
support and companionship during meetings, while others wish to discuss specific plans
designed to generate income.
In extreme cases, member goals may directly conflict. Some members may wish to
form a group that seeks the assistance of non-governmental organizations, but other members
may want to remain entirely self-reliant. Or some members might hope to increase group
income to address immediate needs, whereas other members intend to build up group savings
over a period of years.
Setting Group Goals
Instead of assuming that group members already share clear and common goals, you can
encourage group members to discuss their goals at one of their first meetings. All group
members can state briefly what general objectives they hope to reach by joining the group.
3
Encourage members to speak in simple and broad terms, such as "raising my family income"
or "working together as a community," instead of specifics, such as "building a new fence."
If members have trouble idenwing goals, you can ask what is important to them.
What do they value in their lives? Some groups will reach agreement on basic goals in a one
hour discussion, and other groups may need to meet more than once and talk with friends and
family members to find one or two common objectives. Group members may have the same
goal before the group forms, but identifying that goal in a face-to-face meeting will increase
group commitment and involvement.
Ultimately, the group needs to perform specific tasks, but the initial goals can be clear
without being too specific. If members can agree on a broad goal like income generation,
they can better understand why they are working together. One group member may wish to
plant corn, while another may wish to plant beans, but both can agree on the same general
goal of making their farms more profitable. Later, the group can decide upon more specific
objectives within this broader goal.
Managing Multiple Goals
If group members decide that they have more than one goal, the group needs to prioritize
these goals as clearly as possible. You can encourage group members to rank the goals in
order of importance. Ask members what they would do if the two goals conflicted. If a
government organization offered the group members a valuable agricultural grant in exchange
for partial control of their crop selection, would the group sacrifice self-reliance to increase its
income? Which goal would be more important?
You might also ask if the group should pursue both of its goals at the same time.
Sometimes it is better to work on one goal first. For example, the group may want to
increase family savings and establish a village health clinic, but members may decide that
they should not work on the clinic until annual family incomes reach a certain level. Or if
poor health is severely limiting family income, the group may decide to set aside a portion of
its work hours and initial savings to build the clinic.
Changing Goals
Some groups will always pursue the same goals over the years, but many groups change
course. A group may have formed to generate income and savings, then largely achieve this
goal in five years and turn its attention toward improving community health or the education
of its children. Group members need to decide when and how they will reexamine their basic
goals. A group may choose to reconsider its goals every year, possibly on or near a holiday
that is associated with reflection about one's life and village.
Block 2: Reaching Agreement on Procedures
Once a group has a clear set of goals, it needs to decide how to achieve these goals. One
way or another, the group will make decisions, but not all decisions are equally sound and
democratic. Some group members may be reluctant to talk about the decision making process
because such a discussion does not produce immediate results and may seem unnecessary.
Explain to the group that procedural problems can cripple a group's progress.
The Consequences of Flawed Procedures
If a group fails to agree on its procedures, it will reach decisions in a disorganized and
inconsistent manner. Some members may make different decisions on their own, and
members may disagree about whether the group has reached agreement on an issue. The
most persuasive or dominant group member may try to make all of the group's decisions, or
the group may fall apart.
Other groups have problems because they agree upon a procedure that is unfair or
ineffective. A group can choose to let one member make all of its major decisions, but some
members might leave the group because they believe the one member is biased, ignorant, or
corrupt. Another group may choose to use a time-consuming process that slows it down so
much that the group's activities are not profitable.
Finding Fair and Sound Group Procedures
Groups can develop democratic and effective procedures by following a series of four steps.
First, group members need to recognize the kinds of decisions they will make together. For
instance, will they make joint decisions about only general activities, or will they reach
agreement on the details of their projects?
Second, the group members need to decide how much they value fairness and
effectiveness. In the long run, a democratic procedure may also make the group most
successful at achieving its goals. Nevertheless, a democratic process can sometimes limit
short-term efficiency, and group members need to learn to respect group procedures even in
these situations.
6
For example, a group may have to make a quick decision while three group members
are out of town. Should the group wait until the others retum and possibly miss some
deadline or economic opportunity? You can provide group members with hypothetical
situations and ask them what they would do. If they can agree on how to proceed in these
scenarios, the group will know what to do when these circumstances actually arise.
Third, you can help the group weigh the advantages and disadvantages of two or more
basic decision making procedures. There are many different ways of reaching decisions, and
only three simplified procedures are listed here:
* Consensus. Using consensus, group members seek to reach full agreement, and a single
member can block the group from making a decision. Consensus usually involves careful
listening and full member participation in discussions. This procedure ensures full group
support for decisions and protects group minorities from stronger majorities, but it can result
in long meetings and delays.
* Majority Rule. Using majority rule, a group needs the agreement of a majority (51 % or
more of the membership) to reach a decision. Groups often reach majority decisions through
brief and somewhat formal discussion, then a final vote where members raise their hands.
This procedure often moves forward more quickly and creates clearer debates, but it can
result in group factions and a dominant and "permanent" majority.
* Decision Division. This procedure allows groups to "divide" decisions. The members of a
group might disagree about how to spend 100 units of money, with six members wanting to
buy wood and four members wishing to purchase cement. The conflict might be resolved
successfully by spending 60 units on wood and 40 units on bricks. However, this could also
7
result in a half-finished, useless wooden stable and a half-finished, worthless brick storage
room.
Fourth, the group pulls together these three discussions. The group decides which
procedure to use for reaching decisions in different situations. The group may decide to use
the same procedure for all of its decisions, or it may use different procedures for different
decisions. For example, a group that normally uses 5 1 % majority rule may safeguard its
savings by requiring a full consensus (or a 75% majority) to withdraw any of its savings.
Once a group agrees on its procedures, the group needs to record these procedures
(and the group's basic goals) in a written constitution. The final constitution should be read
aloud and discussed before the entire group so that all hear and understand it. If this is done,
members are more likely to take responsibility for the goals and procedures they have set.
STEP 2: SOLVING OTHER PROBLEMS
Clear objectives and procedures will steer a group around many obstacles, but they can not
protect a group from every decision making problem. An effective and democratic group will
continue to experience some difficulties, but it will recognize, address, and sometimes (but
not always) solve these problems.
Block 1: Long Meetings
One of the most notorious problems of group decision making is long meetings. When
meetings last too long, group members become frustrated, impatient, and too tired or
distracted to think clearly. If long meetings become typical for a group, members may begin
8
to show up late or skip meetings. Long meetings can decrease group productivity by delaying
decisions or causing members to make unwise decisions due to exhaustion. Long meetings
can also make the group less democratic because the group members with more stamina can
dominate the members who become tired more quickly.
Keeping Meetings Short
There are many methods for keeping meetings reasonably short. These include:
* The group chairperson can "facilitate" meetings by encouraging members to stay focused
on the agenda items. The chair might have to interrupt a member who speaks too long or
strays from the issue at hand. It may be helplid for each member to perform the role of
group facilitator once because this makes members appreciate the need for group facilitation
during meetings. Rotating the facilitator role can also teach members to facilitate themselves
by developing their ideas before meetings, speaking only when necessary, listening carefully
to others, and thinking clearly about decisions.
* It is often wise to agree on a meeting deadline before beginning a meeting and never go
more than a few minutes over the deadline. This will give group members confidence that
meetings will end on time, and if they fail to get through their meeting agenda in time, they
will learn the importance of being efficient during meetings.
* For similar reasons, groups may find it useful to limit the amount of time for discussing
each individual agenda item. Otherwise, a group might use all of its meeting time to address
only the first items on its agenda. Setting time limits for individual items also helps the
facilitator pace the group through the entire agenda.
9
* Groups can often shorten their meetings by limiting their meeting agendas. Meeting time
is precious, and groups should use it only for things that have to be done face-to-face as an
assembled group. In general, meetings should be used only for building group cohesion,
sharing important information and ideas, and reaching group decisions. Anything that can be
done outside of meetings should be done elsewhere.
Block 2: Unequal Group Commitment and Involvement
Previous chapters discussed formal methods of ensuring equal group involvement and
commitment. Fining members for missing meetings or failing to pay dues may ensure full
attendance and equal financial contributions, but there is no simple way to make members put
the same amount of energy into all of the group's activities.
When the differences in individual member involvement become extreme, many things
can go wrong. The members who become most active may begin to dominate group
meetings, and the knowledge and energy of the more active members may intimidate other
members. The least involved members might begin to resent, envy, or fear a more involved
member, and they may behave irresponsibly during meetings and feel less responsible for
group decisions.
Balancing Member Involvement
Sometimes unequal member involvement is due to member apathy, but other times it is
caused by one or two members becoming too involved. You need to help the group decide
what amount of involvement is too little and what amount is too much. Ask members what
makes a member "lazy" or "irresponsible"? Can a member be "too eager" or "over-
committed", or is more involvement and commitment always desirable?
Even if members reach agreement on how involved and committed they should be,
some members may continue to show "too little" or "too much" involvement. You can talk to
uncommitted members to fiid out whether they believe in the group's basic goals and
procedures, and it may be necessary for the group to reexamine these issues. Less committed
members might also increase their involvement if they are given clearer and more specific
tasks and responsibilities. Otherwise, it might be appropriate for uncommitted members to
volunteer to leave the group. In talking with "over-involved" members, you might emphasize
the long- term value of relatively equal member involvement.
Block 3: Group Conflicts
Each culture has a unique understanding of conflict. Some cultures encourage open and
emotional disputes, while others value strict politeness and very cautious disagreement. Every
culture, though, makes a distinction between "productive" and "unproductive" conflict. Good
conflicts are those that help the group understand difficult problems and choose among
alternative solutions. Bad conflicts cause only confusion, bad decisions, hurt feelings, anger
(and possibly violence), and the breakup of the group.
Resolving Conflicts
The best approach to destructive conflict is to prevent it from happening. To do this,
encourage the group to devote some of its time to building friendships and group cohesion by
working together, playing games, telling stories, and sharing other common activities.
Once conflicts arise, your actions will depend upon the cultural setting. Openly and
directly discussing the conflict will work best in some cultures, but in other settings conflict
resolution may need to take place outside of the group through a formal ceremony or private
discussion. Learn how members are accustomed to resolving conflicts. Hopefully, members
will all know good examples of successful conflict resolution, and you can build a solution
that draws upon their shared knowledge and experiences.
Block 4: Low Communication and Literacy Skills
In many groups, members will have different levels of literacy and communication skills.
Some members will be better at reading, speaking in public, persuading others, listening, and
thinking during meetings.
When some but not all group members are literate and have experience with group
discussion (or you are the only literate and verbally skilled member), many problems may
arise. The most skilled people may dominate or manipulate discussions, withhold important
information, and cause other members to leave from the group. Illiterate and inexperienced
members may fail to understand group discussions and then make uninformed decisions.
Dealing with Illiteracy and Poor Communication Skills
In most cases, it will be important for you and any other literate and skilled group members
to understand what behaviors can upset other members. The group needs to use the abilities
of its most skilled members, but sometimes verbal abilities are misused for personal reasons,
such as impressing or intimidating others.
The best solution, however, is raising the abilities of other group members. Even if
other members do not have the time or willingness to learn full writing and reading skills,
they can become adept at speaking, listening, and thinking during meetings. The more skilled
members should set good examples for other members, provide instruction when appropriate,
and, most of all, offer reassurance and encouragement to other members.
Some group members may be accustomed to remaining passive and quiet in public,
and some may question the value of learning communication skills. Point out that as each
member develops these abilities, the group will make better decisions and hold more efficient
meetings. Communication skills can also benefit the group in the village and the
marketplace, where a persuasive speaker can win sales and bargains. When one member
becomes more skilled at participating in group meetings and speaking with people in general,
every member of the group benefits.
Block 5: Different Communication Styles
Although every group member may belongs to the same culture, members may play different
cultural roles, especially if your group has both men and women. Different cultural roles
often have different communication styles: some people are expected to be polite and shy,
whereas others are supposed to interrupt and speak loudly.
When group members have different communication styles, they may frequently
misunderstand one another. What sounds like an order to one person may only be meant as a
suggestion. One member may misinterpret another person's silence as agreement when the
quiet member is actually angry and disagrees with the group's plans.
Different styles can also lead to undemocratic meetings. Even if they do not intend to
take over the discussion, group members accustomed to interrupting, speaking directly, and
thinking quickly will often dominate members who speak in a reserved, cautious, and
reflective style. As a result, the more forceful members will make most of the group's
decisions, even though the other members have an equal chance to participate.
Respecting and Blending Speaking Styles
Many people have never recognized and discussed "communication styles", and you can help
the group by simply showing group members how they communicate differently. Once
members understand these differences, it may be easier to respect and appreciate members'
different styles.
If members are willing and able to alter their communication styles, the group can
integrate different styles into a single group discussion process. For example, the group
might decide that interruptions are often helpful but that members should raise their hands if
they wish to interrupt a speaker. Or the group might decide to have fast-paced discussions,
but with a five minute silence in the middle to allow time for quiet reflection.
Block 6: Extreme Power Differences
Group members usually do not have exactly the same amount of power or influence in the
group, but sometimes one or two group members have far more power than other members:
* One member might possess an income or social status that others lack.
* The group chairperson might build up too much executive power.
* The group treasurer might be the only literate member and become the only one that
clearly understands the group's finances.
When power differences are extreme, it is difficult for the group to make democratic
decisions. The powerful members can have an unfair share of influence on group decisions,
and they can intimidate members who feel economically or socially vulnerable. Power
differences can also lead to bad decisions because less powerful members might be reluctant
to raise important issues or suggest good ideas that the more powerful members would not
like.
Balancing Power or Changing the Group
As explained in Chapter 1, it is desirable to form relatively homogeneous groups, and this
problem often can be prevented by forming a group consisting of individuals with roughly
equal wealth and social status. However, extreme power differences can emerge after the
group has already formed.
In these cases, it is possible that the most powerful member has taken on too many of
the group's responsibilities, and you can encourage the group to distribute the group's work
more evenly among the members. Sometimes the most powerful member wants such a
change but does not trust that other members will do their share. Other times the less
powerful group members have become accustomed to doing less work Often the best
solution is redistributing the group's tasks one at a time, slowly building up trust and new
group habits.
15
You can also help the group members distinguish between criticizing a person's ideas
and questioning their status. Explain how personal criticisms are very different from
constructive criticisms of ideas. Both the most and least powerful group members must be
willing to let others disagree with the information and suggestions they provide during
meetings.
Block 7: Poor Group Memory
Chapter 1 explained that an effective group keeps careful and detailed written records in
bound books. When groups fail to keep records, it is more difficult for members to recall
what ideas they discussed, what they decided, and how they implemented their decisions.
Some groups will have good records but so many changes in membership that the members
do not fully understand their recards. In either case, poor memory of the group's past will
limit both group cohesion and the quality of the group's decisions.
Recording the Group's Past
If the group's membership is changing too rapidly, you need to look for the causes of high
member turnover. This may reveal more serious underlying problems, such as low group
productivity or severe member conflicts.
When membership is relatively stable over time, group memory can be improved by
regularly reading and discussing the group's records. Every time the group meets, the
secretary can briefly review the previous meeting. Every two or three months, the group can
reexamine its major decisions and reflect upon its past mistakes and successes. Perhaps the
16
group can draw a descriptive symbol on a wall or in the record book for each important event
in the group's history. In addition, these formal group reflections and symbolic drawings
might be integrated with the participatory monitoring and evaluation process.
Block 8: Forming Inter-group Associations
As explained in Chapter 2, more mature groups often benefit by forming or joining inter-
group associations (IGAs). IGAs have many advantages, but they can also create new
problems. The IGA might require the group to use procedures that conflict with the group's
own decision making process, and the IGAs goals may not match those of the group.
Working with other groups might result in too many conflicts or power imbalances, and joint
projects might prove more inefficient than separate group enterprises.
As groups enter into IGAs, you can prevent many of these problems by making
certain that groups agree on goals, procedures, and other details:
* Reach Agreement on IGA Goals. Just like small groups, IGAs must have clear purposes.
Individual groups need to discuss their own goals and look for any broad objectives they
share. Group members must understand exactly how an IGA will help them pursue their
goals. Bigger is not always better, so the group must have one or more clear reasons for
becoming part of an IGA. To develop such reasons, groups should carefully discuss the issue
during their meetings.
* Reach Agreement on IGA Procedures. The groups forming an IGA also need to learn how
their decision making procedures differ. If possible, they should reach agreement on the
procedures they will follow when making IGA decisions. If a group is joining a previously
17
formed IGA, the group should not join until it understands and accepts (or asks for changes
in) the IGA's procedures.
* Reach Agreement on Details. Most of all, IGAs can lead to confusion about
responsibilities and the coordination of group activities. You should make certain that the
groups forming an IGA make clear decisions about its committees, its constitution, and all
other issues, such as the sharing of IGA income.
GROUP PROMOTER TRAINING ACTIVITIES FOR DEVELOPING GROUP DECISION lMAKING
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
These activities and discussion questions are designed for training group
promoters (GPs). These materials can complement the written chapter, "Common
Problems in Small Group Decision Making," by drawing upon GPs' personal
experiences and cultural knowledge.
All of these activities are appropriate for small to medium sized classes or
study groups (4 to 30 GPs) with one or two teachers. The topics covered include
(1) group decision making versus individual decisions, (2) setting group goals, (3)
choosing group procedures, (4) guiding group discussions, and (5) diagnosing
common group problems.
Group Decision Making Versus Individual Decisions
For a t least four reasons, group decision making is often preferable to individual
decision making. First, groups have more of information and ideas. Second,
groups can integrate this knowledge and insight into new and creative solutions to
problems. Third, reaching a decision as a group usually results in greater member
commitment to decision implementation. Finally, a fair and honest group
procedure is more democratic, and people may find democracy valuable for its own
sake, regardless of the quality of the decision reached.
People are often skeptical about the wisdom of group decision making, and
it may be useful to discuss these (and other) advantages of group decision making
in a class discussion. The following activity serves this purpose.
Class Activity
Provide the GPs with a list of five questions, such as the following:
1. What game should I play this Friday?
2. What career should I choose in life?
3. Should a group share its profits with families outside the group?
4. In which bank should a group invest its savings?
5. Should our village encourage tourism?
These decisions differ in important respects. The first one is an individual
decision about a relatively trivial matter, and the second question is personal but
has important implications for one's family, friends, and others. The third
question is a group decision involving moral issues, whereas the fourth question
requires more technical expertise. The fifth question is concerns more than a
small group and involves both moral and technical issues.
Ask each GP to write which of these decisions should be made by an
individual, which should be made by a committee, and which should be made by a
group meeting of all people directly concerned. Some GPs might decide that all of
the decisions should be made the same way, and some will disagree about how
different decisions should be reached. Ask the GPs why they answered as they
did and discuss the differences in their answers.
Discussion Questions
1. When should a person have the autonomy to make a decision by himherself?
2. When are groups more effective a t reaching sound decisions than single
individuals? What kinds of decisions are decided best by a committee, rather than
the group as a whole?
3. When would it be undemocratic for an individual to make a decision on behalf
of a group? What forms of representation are democratic?
4. How can a group ensure that it draws upon individual members' technical
knowledge?
5. Should experts make moral decisions on behalf of a group?
Setting Group Goals
The PPP materials stress income generation as the central goal of GPs' groups,
but GPs need to decide whether this goal is too vague for individual groups. GPs
also need to consider what other objectives might complement or contradict this
goal.
Class Activity
Ask each GP to make a list of the different specific and general goals that
individual group members might have. Write some of these goals on a chalkboard
or flip-chart. Ask the GPs to identify the one or two common goals that will give
the group the clearest sense of purpose.
Discussion Questions
1. Which of the goals on the list are too specific? Are any too vague?
2. How do these goals conflict or complement one another?
3. How could a group prioritize these goals?
Choosing Group Procedures
Every culture has a diversity of decision making procedures that are used in
different settings. If GPs have to make a group decision together without any
bylaws or guidelines, they may discover both common procedures and differences
in the way they deliberate in groups.
Class Activity
Ask the class to reach two hypothetical decisions, such as whether to spend a loan
on a new school house or a health clinic. If these problems are too abstract, ask
them to reach decisions about specific aspects of the PPP program. Allow ten or
fifteen total minutes for the group to reach the two decisions. Assign two GPs to
observe the class' decision making process, but explain to them that they can not
intervene or facilitate the meeting. You should also remain a passive observer
until the group uses all of its allotted time. Afterward, ask the observers to report
on the meetings by describing the processes the class used and how these decision
making procedures succeeded or created problems.
5
Discussion Questions
1. What procedures did the group use? How are these similar to or different from
the procedures groups typically use?
2. Was the process democratic? What exactly is a democratic process? What
could have made the process more democratic? Does a democratic process produce
better decisions? Do local cultures value the democratic process?
3. Did the procedure produce sound, well-reasoned decisions? How could a group
change these procedure to reach better decisions? Do local cultures value sound
decision making?
4. Did the group use majority rule, consensus, or some other form of decision
making? Did the procedures suit the problem at hand? Would these procedures
have worked well with any kind of problem?
5. What kinds of decisions will the GPs' actual groups have to reach, and what
kinds of procedures will make these decisions fair and sound?
Guiding Group Discussions
At least initially, many groups need structured discussions to reach sound
decisions. GPs might benefit from participating in a structured discussion that
leads them through five steps.
Class Activity
Draw on a chalkboard or flip-chart the following discussion stages:
1. Identify the problem, its causes, and its consequences.
2. Decide what an acceptable solution must accomplish.
3. Determine what solutions are available.
4. Weigh the costs and benefits of each solution.
5. Choose the best solution.
To challenge the group, pick a somewhat vague problem with both moral and
technical aspects for discussion. If possible, choose a local or national issue with
which all GPs are familiar. Then facilitate a fifteen to thirty minute discussion
wherein the group tries to go through the five discussion stages. If the group is
very large, you might have four to six volunteers sit in the middle and discuss the
issue while the others listen but do not participate.
Facilitate the discussion by helping the group go through the five stages one
at a time. You may wish to give the discussion even more structure: you can ask
members to think silently for one or two minutes prior to a critical; at the
beginning of each stage, you can ask members to take turns speaking for one
minute each before having an open discussion; you can also set time limits on each
7
stage of discussion. For the fifth stage, you should specify a decision making
procedure (majority rule or consensus) in advance.
After the discussion has concluded and the group has reached a decision,
discuss the process they went through. If only a portion of the class participated
in the discussion, encourage the other GPs to give their insights as well.
Discussion Questions
1. Were the five discussion stages in a logical order? In a less structured
discussion, would the stages probably overlap?
2. Do groups ever skip any of these stages? Why? What happens when they do?
3. How can structure improve a discussion? What problems can it create? Are
structured discussions quicker or more time consuming?
4. What other ways could a GP or group facilitator structure a group discussion?
Could a group go through a structured procedure without a facilitator?
Diagnosing Common Group Problems
Most GPs already have a wealth of experience in group decision making, but they
may have never discussed their experiences and reflected upon the lessons they
have learned. This activity tries to pool their experience and insight.
Class Activity
Ask a GP to tell a story about one of the most memorable groups in which s h e
has participated. The GP's story should be factual, not hypothetical, and the
8
group described can be successful, so long as the GP believes it encountered a t
least some serious problems. ARer telling about the group, the storyteller must
silently listen as the other GPs discuss some of the problems that the group
encountered. Ask the other GPs how the group could have addressed these
problems. Then ask the GP who told the story what s h e thinks the group's
problems were and what the group did to address them. If you wish, repeat the
exercise and discuss other GPs' experiences in groups.
Discussion Questions
1. What are the key symptoms of different group problems?
2. What effects do these problems have on group democracy and effectiveness?
3. What are the most common group problems in our culture?
4. How can we solve the group decision making problems we are likely to
encounter?
top related