A group can be defined as a number of people who come together to complete a common goal. We have already noted that members of this group can be motivated by the task (or goal) of the group; by the process of working with other people; or both.

The group is therefore dynamic and will go through a process as it forms and moves to a conclusion. Tyson (1989:5) says:

"Groups are living organisms: like the human life-cycle (birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age, death) they have a beginning, a middle and an end."

As in any process, there will be regressions and jumps, as different influences play their part upon the process. It is, however, useful to understand the usual ebb and flow as a group, as it can help you, as leader to predict and understand the behaviour of individuals and the group as a whole. Corey & Corey (1987:73) agree with this when they say:

"Knowing about typical patterns in the evolution of a group will give you a practical perspective. You will be better able to predict problems and to intervene in appropriate and timely ways. Knowledge of the critical turning points in a group lets you help the participants mobilise their resources so that they can successfully meet the tasks facing them at each stage."

The Basic Stages:

There are a number of ways of remembering the basic stages of group development. Griffiths (cited in Thompson, 1991) refers to:

• gathering

• groping

• gripping

• grasping

• grouping

• graduating.

Tuckman (1965) has developed the most well-known model of:

• forming

• storming

• norming

• performing

• adjourning

However you choose to remember the stages, the important elements are that when the group comes together it will begin in a tentative manner as members get to know each other. As they become more familiar with each other and grapple with the task, tensions are likely to occur and the leader is likely to need some conflict resolution skills. As these tensions resolve, the group establishes its own rules and understandings between group members and there follows a period where the group runs itself as the members ‘get on with the job’. Finally, the group ends and members cope with the concept of finishing the task or relationships or both.

Let’s go through each stage in a little more detail:

Forming

As the group is formed, there is usually apprehension on the part of the leader and the group members. Whilst we usually seek out others for company and join groups for companionship, we often forget about the costs of group interaction. These can include:

• Tension. A feeling of unease in being in a new situation with strangers.

• Personal investment. The time and monetary commitment to a group can be high, and some members will join under sufferance or resent this cost.

• Risk of social rejection. My five year old is very nervous about going to birthday parties ("What if they don’t like me, Mum?). Of course I push him out the door, before reflecting upon how anxious I get around people I don’t know who might not like me!

• Interference from others. When we are in a group, we have to give up some of our personal goals for the good of the group. This can be hard.

As a leader it is therefore important to understand these negative factors and acknowledge them in the forming stage. Ultimately, however, the group members will choose to stay or leave the group and you should expect some early drop-outs. It is important when group members make the commitment to stay, that they be discouraged from harping on the negatives and are encouraged to move into the group as it progresses to the next stage.

Storming

It may seem strange but I am always happy to have some conflict in a group. To me, it means that the group is an entity and somebody cares enough to be concerned about it. So, if someone is questioning your leadership or wondering where the group is going, you know you have moved on from the forming stage and are progressing nicely into a little storm.

This is the stage where familiarity can breed contempt. As the group members get to be more comfortable with each other, they begin to air their differences of opinion and challenge the leader. Such behaviour may be uncomfortable for some, but if you view this stage as natural and use clear communication methods, you should come out of it fine.

The next chapter goes into conflict resolution in more detail, so we won’t get too carried away here.

Norming

After the storm subsides, a period of evenness and calm often prevails. Group norms are developed. Norms are the accepted standards and behaviour patterns of the group and its members. These have usually been negotiated and accepted as part of the conflict resolution process, and so now everybody is on their best behaviour to conform to the group norms.

During this stage the group members negotiate roles and the rules of the group. Group roles are particularly important as you will need to help those who are more people/process orientated to take socioemotional or group maintenance roles; whilst those who are more goal focussed will do best in task roles.

Those who undertake task roles will be concentrating on getting the job done. They will organise others and ensure that the detail is attended to (they sound rather right-brained to me). The maintenance role experts will concentrate on ensuring that the group processes are attended to and that everybody feels good about the group and the completion of the task.

As a leader, you will need to be able to recognise the importance of each type of role and encourage group members to fulfil them. Remember that if you are naturally more inclined towards task or maintenance roles yourself, you may need to ensure that there is a leader of the opposite inclination to provide leadership balance to the group.

Performing

This is easy. Everyone knows their roles and the rules and the group now motors along towards achieving its task. The real danger here is a leader who thinks that the group should still revolve around her. The reality is that this is a mature group, and as leadership is determined partly by situation, this situation requires a more retiring sort of leader, who can bring out and encourage the leadership of others.

Adjourning

This can often be a difficult time. The group is motoring along perfectly and everyone is enjoying themselves and the task is being completed. Now it’s time to stop. Believe it or not, some group members will not want to stop - they are getting a lot of positives out of this.

As a group leader you can find yourself being coaxed into ‘just one more meeting’ or trying to achieve task perfection which was never really warranted in the first place. If you find yourself leading a group which is past its use-by date, it is a good indication that there are some separation issues which need to be worked on.

The best way to end a group is to plan for the finish at the beginning. This means having a clear time-span or objectives which can be measured. It is then important to keep talking about the finish of the group as it progresses. The end then becomes an anticipated event which is controllable and planned. Signify the end of the group with a special outing or sharing food or graduation ceremony. This sort of ritual is often used in our society to signify endings and allows people to express their feelings and thoughts about the situation.

The table on the following page gives a good guide to the stages of group development and can be used as a handout to assist in explaining group dynamics to the group as it goes through its various stages.

References and Further Reading:

Crawley, J. (1978) "The Life Cycle Of The Group" Small Groups Newsletter, November.

Corey, M.S. & Corey, G. (1987) Groups: Processes And Practice. Brooks/Cole, California.

Tuckman, B.W. (1965) "Developmental Sequences In Small Groups. Psychological Bulletin, Vol 63, Pp384-399.

Tyson, T. (1989) Working With Groups, MacMillan, Melbourne.