In organisational development (OD), or group dynamics, the phrase group process refers to the understanding of the behaviour of people in groups, such as task groups that are trying to solve a problem or make a decision. Organization development (OD is the process through which an organization develops the internal capacity to most efficiently and effectively provide its mission work and to sustain itself Group dynamics is the study of groups and also a general term for group processes An individual with expertise in group process, such as a trained facilitator, can assist a group in accomplishing its objective by diagnosing how well the group is functioning as a problem-solving or decision-making entity and intervening to alter the group's operating behaviour. A facilitator is someone who helps a group of people understand their common objectives and assists them to plan to achieve them without taking a particular position in the discussion
Because people gather in groups for reasons other than task accomplishment, group process occurs in other types of groups such as personal growth groups (e. g. encounter groups, study groups, prayer groups). In such cases, an individual with expertise in group process can be helpful in the role of facilitator.
Well researched but rarely mentioned by professional group workers, is the social status of people within the group ( (i. In Sociology or Anthropology, social status is the honor or prestige attached to one's position in Society (one's Social position) e. , senior or junior). The group leader (or facilitator) will usually have a strong influence on the group due to his or her role of shaping the group's outcomes. This influence will also be affected by the leader's sex, race, relative age, income, appearance, and personality, as well as organizational structures and many other factors.
Some dimensions of group process
Some of the aspects of group process that a process consultant would look at include:
- Patterns of communication and coordination
- Patterns of influence
role relationship
- Patterns of dominance (e. g. who leads, who defers)
- Balance of task focus vs social focus
- Level of group effectiveness
- How conflict is handled
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