Here are some stories about group dynamics that we've noticed which may lend insight into pattern writing. (Add your own stories on Anonymous+Stories):
One of my primary passions is exploring the nature of beauty, and how it can contribute to creating a container for transformation to happen. I'm particularly fascinated with the phenomenon as it is applied in online environments, and much of my professional work is in designing & building transformational spaces and hosting group process online.
For names and dates go to bdwc.net and click on C.V. It has been my great pleasure to work
- with the Foundation for Community Encouragement (FCE) inviting people to participate in Community Building Workshops and leadership training along the lines demonstrated by M. Scott Peck.
- with Association Building Community in Berkeley, CA, and as a co-founder, President, and representative around the United States presenting at and recording conferences and events as well as facilitating various process arts. I was asked to represent the "activists" in our field at the launch of the Nexus for Change.
- with Aiki Extensions, as their Executive Director, facilitating the application of martial art patterns in situations beyond the traditional dojo setting.
- as California State certified mediator since 1998
- as a teacher of acting and traditional aikido, and my method, called Martial Nonviolence, of synthesizing improvisational acting skills with martial arts and process arts in order to build peace ("conflict done well").
Pattern for me is musical... Major/minor... Scales and chords... accents, rests, rhythmic elements... Timing, performance... transforms, analysis, STREAMS... Psycho-acoustic models... sonic environments.. cybernetic music hall... http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/SUI http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Jamming_Online Yeah. I'm crazy. --Charley Quinton.....Mon Aug 17 12:30:38 -0700 2009
At Open Kollab we have been using quesions about Intentions and Interests to encourage dialog leading to alignments, connections and collaborations
As a software development process consultant, I've been using "group dynamics patterns" for nearly 20 years. I used to hang out at the Portland Pattern Repository, and came up with The Loaner "anti-pattern" to avoid.
I worked with Ward Cunningham, inventor of the wiki concept and a pioneer in applying Christopher Alexander's notion of patterns to realms other than architecture, in the early '80's at Tektronix Research Labs.
I've also written a number of "people patterns" as a columnist on software team management.
Community of Practice: new member initiation
Community of Practice: sharing insider knowledge
Community of Practice: breaking bread together
Voting to Discern vs. Voting to Discern
we like gurilla faciliation.
Group facilitation
Psychodrama
Information systems pattern language
Christopher Alexander
Spiral Dynamics
Gracious Space - see Center for Ethical Leadership
Name: Different processing speed of group members
If this was a picture it would look like a circle of bells each ringing at a different tone and speed, producing complex harmonies
Heart: this gets at the often challenging reality of difference in how individuals grasp issues, process or understand these issues, and become aware of the variety of positions and the implications of the issue. It's about integrating different styles and speeds into a decision making process to make that process truly representative.
The rest of this is a draft; I thought I'd put it up even though I haven't put it into the template for a fully described pattern.
I've learned a lot from living in a cohousing community for the last 12 years. And I'm just beginning on this site, so I can't quite name the pattern. But one big issue for us here in Santa Cruz (we are about 60 people including kids) is the different speeds at which people process information. So if an issue comes up, and we have a business meeting (we operate by consensus on most decisions) some people will be up to speed before the meeting on the issue; others will get up to speed during the meeting; and still others will not be up to speed no matter how good the meeting was or how well the information was presented. (I realize "up to speed" is a judgement call here, and perhaps problematic). So we've learned that for truly crucial decisions, we actually need to take that differential speed into account when thinking of how to move toward a good decision. Of course there are other crucial factors as well, such as who talks to whom about what outside of meetings, who follows email threads and who doesn't, and so on. But this notion of speed has been an important element of our process.
Consulted for 15 years to large systems around changing corporate culture. The practice was strongly influenced by assumptions about the unconscious life of the group - e.g., W. Bion's basic assumption groups. From that perspective one sees and responds to behaviors and activities that one interprets as being from the collective unconscious of the whole. Complicit in avoidance. Or deferrals. Or passivity. And sometimes, an intervention based upon such interpretations truly move the group out of their "basic assumptions" and back into task. And sometimes, not!
I am not yet ready to link this approach to any existing patterns or proposed patterns. I need to nose around a bit more. I've been 'lurking' without investment ... e.g., not done much.
I'm sitting next to MarkDilley, reading Naming as our first entry point into this project. It feels to us like there are maybe two different patterns being discussed on this page. One of them is the "elders, old guard, new and old members" pattern, and the other is the idea of pointing out an elephant in the room. We will read more before drawing any conclusions.
The book Art of Facilitation on p. 33 has a checklist of questions to ask yourself before agreeing to facilitate for a particular group. The last question on the list is, "Am I the only person who will work well with this group?" They say that if the answer is yes, then you should strongly consider declining, because your ego may be too wrapped up in it to do a good job. A classic version of why having a Personal Practice is so important!
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