GROUP DYNAMICS:

THE INSIDE STORY ON TEAMS AND LEADING THEM

PAT MURRAY

PRESENTATION HANDOUT

THE PRESENTATION IS BASED PRIMARILY ON THE WORK OF:

WILFRED R. BION

CONTAINED IN EXPERIENCES IN GROUPS
(LONDON: TAVISTOCK PUBLICATIONS LTD., 1961)

IN ADDITION, SOME OF THE WORK OF KURT LEWIN AND JERRY
HARVEY IS BLENDED IN TO ENRICH THE OVERALL
PERSPECTIVE ON GROUPS, TEAMS, AND HOW ONE
UNDERSTANDS AND LEADS THEM MOST EFFECTIVELY.

J. P. Murray and Associates	(510) 549-2388 Phone
	(510) 540-6022 FAX

BION PRESENTS TWO THEORIES IN EXPERIENCES IN
GROUPS. THE FIRST THEORY IS THE CONCEPT OF “THE
HERD.”

1.	ALL PEOPLE ARE SOCIAL OR PACK ANIMALS.
2.	INDIVIDUAL ACTION IS A MYTH. THERE IS ONLY GROUP ACTION.
3.	GROUPS ARE A MENTAL CONFIGURATION.
4.	CONNECTION TO GROUPS IS A REQUIREMENT FOR HUMAN SURVWAL.
IF ONE ACCEPTS THE “HERD CONCEPT”, THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION FOR GROUPS/TEAMS IS:

1.	AS A LEADER, YOUR PRIMARY Contribution IS TO MAXIMIZE CONNECTION AND Minimize SEPARATION.
2.	TO MAXIMIZE CONNECTION, THE LEADER MUST HELP THE GROUP 
The Second Theory: Dynamics
SURFACE, DEFINE, AND DEAL WITH ITS “REAL ISSUES.”

CORE ISSUES FOR EVERY GROUP/TEAM:
	1.	PURPOSE	(Shared Fate)
	2.	INVESTMENT	(Risk)	
	3.	PERFORMANCE	(Accountability)

WHATEVER AFFECTS THE GROUP MUST BE DEALT WITH IN THE GROUP. THIS IS HOW TO STRENGTHEN AND ENHANCE THE GROUP.
-Bion

TO CONFRONT ANY GROUP ISSUE EFFECTIVELY IN THE GROUP, IT IS NECESSARY TO COMMUNICATE IN A MANNER THAT IS:

STRAIGHT AND SENSITIVE
AT THE SAME TIME

A RECOMMENDED PROCESS INCLUDES:
1.	NO SURPRISES
2.	REVISIT THE “DEAL”	
-Clarify Expectations
3. SPEAK FOR YOURSELF	 
-I Think
-I Feel
-I Want
4. EDUCATE YOURSELF	
-Be Slow To Understand
                      Ask<<<<>>>>>>Tell
- The Problem You Name Is The Problem You Solve
5.	CLEARLY DEFINE THE REAL ISSUE AND RESOLVE IT

WORK

• To Pursue a Task

-Rational

-Scientific

-Cooperative
-Counscious							
-Controlled
(BAMS)
-Irrational

-Unscientific

-Collusive

-Uncontrolled
-Unconscious

A group unconsciously moves from Work to BAMS to avoid a “Real Issue”

BAMS
(safety/security)
1.	Dependence
a.	Messiah syndrome
b.	Rebirth/regeneration
2.	Pairing
a.	Person or idea
b.	Survival
3.	Fight/Flight

SOME ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:

1.	When a group is in BAMS, and someone attempts to get them back to WORK, the initial response will be PANIC. All that is needed to cope with the PANIC is to OUTLAST it.

2.	VALENCE

(natural tendency when a person becomes anxious and unconscious)
	My scores as an illustration---
	Work-	18
	Fight	12*
	Right-	3
	Dependency -	4
	Pairing -	13 *

Regarding the Reaction to Group Situations Test, the highest non-Work number(s) should be the valence. Ten or higher is a high number.
*J have a double valence for Fight and Pairing.

3.	How to get out of BAMS and back to work.

• BAMS---call it

• What are we afraid of talking about?

• Identify the “real issue” that is being avoided.

• Deal with the “real issue” directly.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A WORK GROUP:
	1. Will Have Rules For Proceeding
	2.	Will Have Common Purpose		
3.	Will Have Common Members
	4.	Will Have Freedom From Sub-groups	  
5.	Will Have A High Sense of Value For Each Member 
6.	Will Be Able To Face And Cope With Its Discontent