Understanding & Facilitating Effective Groups

WHO SHOULD ATTEND This three-day workshop is designed for those people whose responsibilities require them to work with any kind of work group, training group, or team as well as anyone who has the responsibility of leading groups as a formal leader or as a process consultant. Small- group facilitators who are responsible for helping task groups and learning groups will enhance their skills to diagnose what is going on in a group. Leaders and managers who are responsible for accomplishing task goals through leading other people in work groups or teams should also attend. Trainers who deliver stand-up training in a classroom setting and wish to understand the impact of group dynamics will also benefit from this workshop. OVERVIEW Through practice, lecture, observation, and discussion, participants will increase their repertoire of interventions and conceptual grasp of intervention strategies. Participants become part of a small learning group, ranging in size from five to six, and discuss topics that are critical to understanding group dynamics and group facilitation. They learn to recognize the phases of group development, select appropriate models for observing group dynamics, and study the effects of group norms and standards on members' behaviors. ADVANTAGES FOR PARTICIPANTS Participants have ample opportunity to learn about themselves as group members: about their areas of comfort and discomfort and their skills and knowledge levels with respect to many areas of group work, including communications, observation of group functioning, problem-solving, decision-making, and use of personal influence. Further, this workshop offers participants an unusual opportunity - to receive feedback about what is and isn't effective about their facilitation style and methodology in a supportive atmosphere where all participants learn by doing and by sharing their experiences with each other. ADVANTAGES FOR ORGANIZATIONS Almost all organizations today use the small group as a basic structural unit. These groups make decisions, plan, share information, problem-solve, etc. The effectiveness of such groups is essential to organizational functioning in general, and experience indicates that effective facilitation will lead to superior group functioning. Participants will gain knowledge, skills, and self-insights that will enhance their ability to be productive in work or training groups in their home organizations - as work-group participants, leaders, or facilitators; or as trainers.