A Nevispages.com weekly feature by Curtis Morton Sr
As we associate with our fellowmen on a daily basis and more especially when we share the same area of work and the same workspace, we have to understand more about group dynamics, so that we do not overly stress ourselves.
My good friend GOOGLE establishes GROUP DYNAMICS:
“Group dynamics is a system of behaviours and psychological processes occurring within a social group (intragroup dynamics), or between social groups (intergroup dynamics).”
“The term “group dynamics” describes the way in which people in a group interact with one another. When dynamics are positive, the group works well together. When dynamics are poor, the group’s effectiveness is reduced.”
From my recent experience, I have noted within a group setting, certain key characters.
There are some persons who are overly loud and aggressive. They speak with a sense of authority. They could be talking absolute nonsense, but they speak it with such a sense of assuredness, that they may come over as convincing and believable.
There is another group of persons, who will not venture to speak until they would have heard what the aggressive ones have to say.
Once the aggressive once have stated their case, these are the ones, who will serve as (for want of a better word), BACK UP VOCALS.
You know when someone is the lead singer in a band and you have the backup vocals, who only serve to echo, the words of the lead singer?
Yeah, those are the kind.
Well I newa!
Then you have the DOERS. This group is a small minority. They are the workhorses. They ensure that the job gets done. They take all of the criticism from inside and outside.
If things fail, they will ultimately take the blame, but if there is success, then the others will chime in that they were present and a part of the whole program!
Then they have the FENCE RIDERS. This small group is the type that would have been privy to the private meeting led by the aggressive ones and the backup vocals, but would also have been privy to the plans of the DOERS.
So when there is a collective team meeting, while the Aggressive ones and the Backup vocals are bashing the plans, the fence riders will remain absolutely silent. They are afraid to come over as supporting any particular side, lest they offend anyone, especially when the aggressive ones are shouting out their points.
Now, I am not very bright, but I remember learning in Primary School, THAT EMPTY VESSELS, MAKE THE MOST NOISE.
However, those learned writers never catered for these highly intelligent and learned human beings who are just naturally noisy, loud, aggressive and OWN WAY! They are certainly not empty vessels. They are noisy but smart.
I also remember learning something about LEAVE THEM ALONE AND THEY WILL COME HOME, WAGGING THEIR TAILS BEHIND THEM. What was that again? Let me check GOOGLE real quick…..
Oh my goodness, it’s Little Bo- peep!
“Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And doesn’t know where to find them;
Leave them alone, and they’ll come home,
Wagging their tails behind them!”
Even in Jesus’ day, with the twelve disciples, you talk about group dynamics!
Peter was impulsive. You remember, he wanted to walk on water? Do you remember he cut off the soldier’s ear?
Judas was a quiet schemer…and the list goes on.
I believe that as we interact with the various group members, we need to learn to understand them and love them nonetheless, even if they do not share the same opinions and philosophies that we do.
If we did not have such a wide variety of individuals, life would not have been so exciting.
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?
The Way I See It
A Nevispages.com weekly feature by Curtis Morton Sr
As we associate with our fellowmen on a daily basis and more especially when we share the same area of work and the same workspace, we have to understand more about group dynamics, so that we do not overly stress ourselves.
My good friend GOOGLE establishes GROUP DYNAMICS:
“Group dynamics is a system of behaviours and psychological processes occurring within a social group (intragroup dynamics), or between social groups (intergroup dynamics).”
“The term “group dynamics” describes the way in which people in a group interact with one another. When dynamics are positive, the group works well together. When dynamics are poor, the group’s effectiveness is reduced.”
From my recent experience, I have noted within a group setting, certain key characters.
There are some persons who are overly loud and aggressive. They speak with a sense of authority. They could be talking absolute nonsense, but they speak it with such a sense of assuredness, that they may come over as convincing and believable.
There is another group of persons, who will not venture to speak until they would have heard what the aggressive ones have to say.
Once the aggressive once have stated their case, these are the ones, who will serve as (for want of a better word), BACK UP VOCALS.
You know when someone is the lead singer in a band and you have the backup vocals, who only serve to echo, the words of the lead singer?
Yeah, those are the kind.
Well I newa!
Then you have the DOERS. This group is a small minority. They are the workhorses. They ensure that the job gets done. They take all of the criticism from inside and outside.
If things fail, they will ultimately take the blame, but if there is success, then the others will chime in that they were present and a part of the whole program!
Then they have the FENCE RIDERS. This small group is the type that would have been privy to the private meeting led by the aggressive ones and the backup vocals, but would also have been privy to the plans of the DOERS.
So when there is a collective team meeting, while the Aggressive ones and the Backup vocals are bashing the plans, the fence riders will remain absolutely silent. They are afraid to come over as supporting any particular side, lest they offend anyone, especially when the aggressive ones are shouting out their points.
Now, I am not very bright, but I remember learning in Primary School, THAT EMPTY VESSELS, MAKE THE MOST NOISE.
However, those learned writers never catered for these highly intelligent and learned human beings who are just naturally noisy, loud, aggressive and OWN WAY! They are certainly not empty vessels. They are noisy but smart.
I also remember learning something about LEAVE THEM ALONE AND THEY WILL COME HOME, WAGGING THEIR TAILS BEHIND THEM. What was that again? Let me check GOOGLE real quick…..
Oh my goodness, it’s Little Bo- peep!
“Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And doesn’t know where to find them;
Leave them alone, and they’ll come home,
Wagging their tails behind them!”
Even in Jesus’ day, with the twelve disciples, you talk about group dynamics!
Peter was impulsive. You remember, he wanted to walk on water? Do you remember he cut off the soldier’s ear?
Judas was a quiet schemer…and the list goes on.
I believe that as we interact with the various group members, we need to learn to understand them and love them nonetheless, even if they do not share the same opinions and philosophies that we do.
If we did not have such a wide variety of individuals, life would not have been so exciting.
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?