Whatever the size or purpose of a group, they are all prone to complications There are common themes that can either challenge the group or provide opportunities for more effective functioning
• Why? Why is each individual part of the group? What are their reasons for being there? What is the overall purpose and aim of the group? Is the bigger picture clear?
• What? What is the aim or activity of the group? What are the steps towards achieving the purpose?
• how? How is the group operating? What is the group culture? What practical tools are being used? How are the group dynamics?
• When? When are the meetings? How long are the meetings? What are the timescales for action?
• Who? Who are the individuals within the group? What roles do they fulfil? What are their individual challenges and strengths?
These all interlink with each other, and issues with one area can lead to challenges in another Let’s explore each one of these in turn and the patterns of difficulties that occur
Why?
Clarity over the purpose in the group is essential When there is no visible aim and people are unsure of what the group is trying to do, discussions can go round in circles With no clear group agenda, people’s own individual agendas can dominate the group time People may join the group with an assumption of what the group is about that may not be accurate, or people that might have been interested stay away
Everyone will have their own individual reasons for being part of the group; these may be fringe benefits that they are hoping to get alongside the main function of the group, for example improving their skills or meeting friends Being open about these can help to meet them without interfering with the main aim They can be added yields
When the group is aligned to shared values and vision there is a common bond and heart connection that will nurture the relationships and enhance the group’s effectiveness
What?
Obviously, if the aim is not clear then the steps towards it will also be undefined Even knowing where the destination is, groups can be overambitious with what they are trying to do Individuals and the group can over commit, and action points can get left undone, leaving the same items revisited repeatedly When people take on jobs and don’t do them this can lead to conflict
Groups can find themselves being reactive to what is coming their way rather than proactively seeking actions to move them towards their aim Meetings can get filled with business with no room for creativity and visioning
Clarity is needed with the overall functions of the group Creating achievable and meaningful action plans in line with the function – for both individuals and groups – creates a pattern of success
How?
A group becomes a system in its own right, having a life of its own Dynamics evolve in the group and the group develops norms and patterns Having group agreements and protocols in place from the beginning can provide a solid foundation Finding a pace and style of working that suits everyone is a challenge
A group needs to have tools and processes that serve its values, and find a balance between structured organisation and flexible adaptability Poor meeting facilitation and woolly decision-making processes can waste time and be disheartening Ineffective meetings can lead to a lack of cohesion and planning
It is important that there is a clear focus to the meeting, which is aligned to the group’s aim Allowing everyone to contribute to the agenda creates ownership; this can be done either by sending the agenda round prior to the meeting or by making it together at the beginning of the meeting Timings can be given for each point to ensure that all points are covered; the timings need to be stuck to, or else everyone agrees to extend them
Changes in organisation may be necessary as group numbers grow or decline What worked with 10 people may not work with 20 A local permaculture group that has been running well for nearly 10 years is now having challenges as its numbers swell The informal decision-making processes previously used are now cumbersome with so many people Just like moving from a garden to a smallholding, different processes and structures are needed
Working in Groups
When?
When a group meets is an important factor affecting who can attend, people’s energy levels and the structure of the meeting The frequency of meetings will also influence the productivity Too close together they become a burden to attend; if they are too far apart momentum is lost in between or there can be too much to cover in one meeting The container is the size and shape of the meeting Lengthy meetings can bore and irritate people; too short and important things can get dropped off the agenda, decisions are rushed and people may not get the chance they need to speak The whole group needs awareness of the leaks in the container; time and energy that is wasted within the meeting
Realistic timescales for action are needed It is important for the group’s morale to feel that progress is being made At the same time it’s important not to overwhelm people and create an overbearing sense of urgency and need for commitment and action
Who?
The size of the group will affect its functioning If a group is too small, people may feel over-burdened; if it’s too large it is difficult to come to decisions
Groups with rolling membership have their own particular challenges Hierarchies between new and long-standing members can cause issues In order to move forward new members need to have trust in previous work and decisions and long-standing members need to have tolerance and understanding for having to repeat things Often within groups there is an imbalance of effort with a few people working hard to keep things moving This is often accompanied with an uneven taking of responsibility Sometimes one or two people hold great responsibility, become indispensable, feel they can’t leave and are prone to burnout Groups need to have succession of different roles or opportunities within the group and clear entry and exit strategies, as a part of the natural life cycle
If people are attending because they feel duty bound they can be cut off from their imagination, creativity and intuition and the group’s energy can become stale and caught in the mundane The key to a successful group lies in people’s abilities to connect with their own inner resources, where people feel empowered and confident to contribute