Timeout for Leadership-your one-minute leadership idea

Message from the Lead Dog Principal #15

Group dynamics can change rapidly. Are you ready?

Group dynamics are ever changing. That is a fact and a fact that we must get used to. I am a New Jersey guy and have spent most of my career in New Jersey. On Tuesday, hundreds of New Jersey school boards of education changed as we elected new people to these bodies. Some boards will see a drastic change as entire slates of incumbents (usually three members out of nine-member board) have been swept out of office. For me, the message is obvious, namely that the residents of the community are not happy with the status quo.

When these new members officially take office, the way of doing business changes. It does not matter if there is a one person change or a three or four person change. Things will change.

Some people may argue that “how can a one-person change be that impactful?” One person makes an enormous difference. I have been there and seen that. Change is a-coming, for that, I am sure.

To fully comprehend this, one has to have a rudimentary understanding of group dynamics. Bruce Tuckman, a psychologist, in 1965, identified the various stages of group dynamics. He identified them as forming, storming, norming, and performing. Since that time, many have added a step identified as adjourning. All working groups usually end. And sometimes, “the good dies young.”

My purpose today is not to dissect Tuckman’s work. However, my goal today is to impress upon you that every group that changes ultimately travels through these stages, whether or not the group wants to recognize it. And perhaps a more important goal for today is to impress upon you that one person can significantly alter how group works. Ultimately, that one person can change the productivity of that group and the end results.

When a group comes together, they form (stage 1). The group will quickly storm as each person seeks to understand and clarify one’s role (stage 2). Once the storm settles, clear norms for the group should have developed (stage 3). And finally, the group can perform (stage 4). Last, when the group completes its work, it can adjourn.

To effectively progress through these stages, a group has to understand them. This part of the process takes hard work and time. Usually, an outside facilitator, who does not have a personal stake in the group, who can step back and see how the group works, is needed to accomplish this task.

Sadly, many groups never see a need to understand these phases and how the group progresses through these phases. They know it all. I saw my board schedule retreats with outside consultants to get this work done many times, only to cancel the retreat at the last moment. Likewise, I have seen eight out of nine board members commit to this type of retreat and yet have one lone holdout. And this holdout likely needed the work the most.

I have seen this same board over a period, get caught up in the storming phase, never to move past it and never to get anything accomplished.

Groups and, yes, boards of education get bogged down because they clearly do not understand their roles and responsibilities. Besides this lack of understanding, some members cannot check his or her ego at the door. He or she cannot let go of his or her personal agenda. Overall communication skills for the group are poor. Ironically, this same dysfunctional group will look back after a year’s worth of work, or lack of work, and wonder why this occurred.

ONE PERSON CAN SABOTAGE THE WORK OF THE GROUP. Please never forget that. Please understand and internalize this. Lastly, do something about it. Go hire some outside help and get the group moving in the right direction. Everyone in the group must commit to this or the extra work becomes useless. I have also been part of some groups where the group functions at such a high rate that when the job is completed, the group not only adjourns, but it mourns its ending. Those are the groups that I want to be part of.