Group dynamics

I have let my mind wander a bit of late.  Synchronicity often seems to punctuate ideas.  And so, 6 days before the start of a another festival in the Nevada desert, I am contacted by an organization dedicated to clean water.  The day before I was reminded of the simple joy of dealing with competence.  These events usher in the end of summer in the United States.  Although the sun will face the northern hemisphere for another month, the start of the school year effectively ends it for a large section of the population.

All of these thoughts congealed this morning.  I have often spoke of the power of individuals.  However, humans are social creatures and their potential is not lessened by the presence of their fellows.  I have often found myself in the presence of a group that negatively effects its members.  Metaphors involving sheep often come to mind.  Labor unions, focus groups, and Congress often cater to the "lowest common denominator".  As these groups become large, their expressed opinions can cause us to think poorly of their members.  Group members can become so concerned with agreement or "unity" that they lose focus.  A critical part of group dynamics is exclusion.  "Splinter groups" need to be exactly that.  They need to be separated out from the other members.  They can then be considered allied groups. but this separation allows for actual unity or purpose.

In addition, a group needs a goal.  Forming groups simply to form groups or to reach agreement is a pointless activity.  I will not get into a discussion regarding the psychology of groups, "group think", or "brainstorming".   Individuals can ask others for ideas and have done so for millenia.  This process has not been improved upon by having less organized meetings.

Working smaller groups are well known to many.  Organized sports would not exist without them.  A "herd" of baseball players would be useless.  There is no omnipresent coach.  A quarterback may call a play but all planning ends when the ball is snapped.   Yes, I just used a football metaphor.

Although I personally believe all groups benefit from a leader, all an effective group needs is someone to point in a direction.  Every year thousands of individuals gather in festivals throughout the country successfully and do amazing things.  Groups reroute rivers for irrigation.  Groups raise walls.  Groups build roads.  All of these things happened countless times without definitive leadership.  Families may adopt leadership structures but many work effectively without one.

In truth, a successful group is easy to create.  I have done it many times.  I ask others for aid with a task.  They either agree or refuse.  If they agree, we are a group.   If that task is living together, that group is referred to as a community and the task is ongoing.  People leave the group or join.  If the task is completed (whether successful or not), the group dissolves.

And so, although I believe humans are amazing creatures individually, we are also amazing in groups.  I would not live apart from my fellow humans.  I do not need to control them to interact with them.  I am a member of several communities.  I have watched dozens of groups perform what the individuals involved could not.

The next time you help someone move you have already solved dozens of problems that plague large corporations.  You have already proven that we can live together and work together.  You have proven that there is hope for us; that we can band together and make things better.  Congratulations!