COMMON PROBLEMS IN SMALL GROUP DECISION MAKING

Although every country and culture is different, small group decision making has some of the

same problems across the globe. These problems are serious because they can lead groups to

make flawed or undemocratic decisions, prevent groups Erom reaching decisions, or cause

groups to break apart. A group promoter (GP) who learns to recognize and address these

common problems can help groups improve their decision making process and become

successful, self-reliant bodies.

Among the many decision making problems groups encounter, some of the most

serious are vague or inconsistent goals and procedures, long meetings, unequal group

involvement and commitment, group conflicts, low communication and literacy skills,

different communication styles, extreme power differences, poor memory of the group's past,

and poorly constructed inter-group associations. All of these problems are discussed in this

chapter, and possible solutions are suggested for each.

STEP 1: SETTING GOALS AND ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES

Block 1: Reaching Agreement on Goals

Perhaps the most serious problem in small group decision making is the failure to identify a

clear and consistent set of goals. A group without basic objectives is aimless and

unproductive, but a group with a well-defined purpose can be very innovative and effective.

As explained in Chapter 3, the primary purpose of self-help groups is income

generation. GPs should not assume, however, that group members have a clear and shared

understanding of this goal, nor should GPs assume that this is the only goal that group

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members have. These assumptions may prove mistaken, and vague or conflicting goals will

limit a group's success.

The Cost of Uncertain Goals

If goals remain vague, the group will probably not focus on creating income generating

enterprises. Instead, group meetings will be disorganized, mixing discussions of future plans

with questions about the group's purpose. The group may also turn from one activity to

another like a ship drifting at sea.

The group will be less effective if group members have different personal objectives

and never agree on their basic goals. For instance, some members may seek emotional

support and companionship during meetings, while others wish to discuss specific plans

designed to generate income.

In extreme cases, member goals may directly conflict. Some members may wish to

form a group that seeks the assistance of non-governmental organizations, but other members

may want to remain entirely self-reliant. Or some members might hope to increase group

income to address immediate needs, whereas other members intend to build up group savings

over a period of years.

Setting Group Goals

Instead of assuming that group members already share clear and common goals, you can

encourage group members to discuss their goals at one of their first meetings. All group

members can state briefly what general objectives they hope to reach by joining the group.

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Encourage members to speak in simple and broad terms, such as "raising my family income"

or "working together as a community," instead of specifics, such as "building a new fence."

If members have trouble idenwing goals, you can ask what is important to them.

What do they value in their lives? Some groups will reach agreement on basic goals in a one

hour discussion, and other groups may need to meet more than once and talk with friends and

family members to find one or two common objectives. Group members may have the same

goal before the group forms, but identifying that goal in a face-to-face meeting will increase

group commitment and involvement.

Ultimately, the group needs to perform specific tasks, but the initial goals can be clear

without being too specific. If members can agree on a broad goal like income generation,

they can better understand why they are working together. One group member may wish to

plant corn, while another may wish to plant beans, but both can agree on the same general

goal of making their farms more profitable. Later, the group can decide upon more specific

objectives within this broader goal.

Managing Multiple Goals

If group members decide that they have more than one goal, the group needs to prioritize

these goals as clearly as possible. You can encourage group members to rank the goals in

order of importance. Ask members what they would do if the two goals conflicted. If a

government organization offered the group members a valuable agricultural grant in exchange

for partial control of their crop selection, would the group sacrifice self-reliance to increase its

income? Which goal would be more important?

You might also ask if the group should pursue both of its goals at the same time.

Sometimes it is better to work on one goal first. For example, the group may want to

increase family savings and establish a village health clinic, but members may decide that

they should not work on the clinic until annual family incomes reach a certain level. Or if

poor health is severely limiting family income, the group may decide to set aside a portion of

its work hours and initial savings to build the clinic.

Changing Goals

Some groups will always pursue the same goals over the years, but many groups change

course. A group may have formed to generate income and savings, then largely achieve this

goal in five years and turn its attention toward improving community health or the education

of its children. Group members need to decide when and how they will reexamine their basic

goals. A group may choose to reconsider its goals every year, possibly on or near a holiday

that is associated with reflection about one's life and village.

Block 2: Reaching Agreement on Procedures

Once a group has a clear set of goals, it needs to decide how to achieve these goals. One

way or another, the group will make decisions, but not all decisions are equally sound and

democratic. Some group members may be reluctant to talk about the decision making process

because such a discussion does not produce immediate results and may seem unnecessary.

Explain to the group that procedural problems can cripple a group's progress.

The Consequences of Flawed Procedures

If a group fails to agree on its procedures, it will reach decisions in a disorganized and

inconsistent manner. Some members may make different decisions on their own, and

members may disagree about whether the group has reached agreement on an issue. The

most persuasive or dominant group member may try to make all of the group's decisions, or

the group may fall apart.

Other groups have problems because they agree upon a procedure that is unfair or

ineffective. A group can choose to let one member make all of its major decisions, but some

members might leave the group because they believe the one member is biased, ignorant, or

corrupt. Another group may choose to use a time-consuming process that slows it down so

much that the group's activities are not profitable.

Finding Fair and Sound Group Procedures

Groups can develop democratic and effective procedures by following a series of four steps.

First, group members need to recognize the kinds of decisions they will make together. For

instance, will they make joint decisions about only general activities, or will they reach

agreement on the details of their projects?

Second, the group members need to decide how much they value fairness and

effectiveness. In the long run, a democratic procedure may also make the group most

successful at achieving its goals. Nevertheless, a democratic process can sometimes limit

short-term efficiency, and group members need to learn to respect group procedures even in

these situations.

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For example, a group may have to make a quick decision while three group members

are out of town. Should the group wait until the others retum and possibly miss some

deadline or economic opportunity? You can provide group members with hypothetical

situations and ask them what they would do. If they can agree on how to proceed in these

scenarios, the group will know what to do when these circumstances actually arise.

Third, you can help the group weigh the advantages and disadvantages of two or more

basic decision making procedures. There are many different ways of reaching decisions, and

only three simplified procedures are listed here:

* Consensus. Using consensus, group members seek to reach full agreement, and a single

member can block the group from making a decision. Consensus usually involves careful

listening and full member participation in discussions. This procedure ensures full group

support for decisions and protects group minorities from stronger majorities, but it can result

in long meetings and delays.

* Majority Rule. Using majority rule, a group needs the agreement of a majority (51 % or

more of the membership) to reach a decision. Groups often reach majority decisions through

brief and somewhat formal discussion, then a final vote where members raise their hands.

This procedure often moves forward more quickly and creates clearer debates, but it can

result in group factions and a dominant and "permanent" majority.

* Decision Division. This procedure allows groups to "divide" decisions. The members of a

group might disagree about how to spend 100 units of money, with six members wanting to

buy wood and four members wishing to purchase cement. The conflict might be resolved

successfully by spending 60 units on wood and 40 units on bricks. However, this could also

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result in a half-finished, useless wooden stable and a half-finished, worthless brick storage

room.

Fourth, the group pulls together these three discussions. The group decides which

procedure to use for reaching decisions in different situations. The group may decide to use

the same procedure for all of its decisions, or it may use different procedures for different

decisions. For example, a group that normally uses 5 1 % majority rule may safeguard its

savings by requiring a full consensus (or a 75% majority) to withdraw any of its savings.

Once a group agrees on its procedures, the group needs to record these procedures

(and the group's basic goals) in a written constitution. The final constitution should be read

aloud and discussed before the entire group so that all hear and understand it. If this is done,

members are more likely to take responsibility for the goals and procedures they have set.

STEP 2: SOLVING OTHER PROBLEMS

Clear objectives and procedures will steer a group around many obstacles, but they can not

protect a group from every decision making problem. An effective and democratic group will

continue to experience some difficulties, but it will recognize, address, and sometimes (but

not always) solve these problems.

Block 1: Long Meetings

One of the most notorious problems of group decision making is long meetings. When

meetings last too long, group members become frustrated, impatient, and too tired or

distracted to think clearly. If long meetings become typical for a group, members may begin

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to show up late or skip meetings. Long meetings can decrease group productivity by delaying

decisions or causing members to make unwise decisions due to exhaustion. Long meetings

can also make the group less democratic because the group members with more stamina can

dominate the members who become tired more quickly.

Keeping Meetings Short

There are many methods for keeping meetings reasonably short. These include:

* The group chairperson can "facilitate" meetings by encouraging members to stay focused

on the agenda items. The chair might have to interrupt a member who speaks too long or

strays from the issue at hand. It may be helplid for each member to perform the role of

group facilitator once because this makes members appreciate the need for group facilitation

during meetings. Rotating the facilitator role can also teach members to facilitate themselves

by developing their ideas before meetings, speaking only when necessary, listening carefully

to others, and thinking clearly about decisions.

* It is often wise to agree on a meeting deadline before beginning a meeting and never go

more than a few minutes over the deadline. This will give group members confidence that

meetings will end on time, and if they fail to get through their meeting agenda in time, they

will learn the importance of being efficient during meetings.

* For similar reasons, groups may find it useful to limit the amount of time for discussing

each individual agenda item. Otherwise, a group might use all of its meeting time to address

only the first items on its agenda. Setting time limits for individual items also helps the

facilitator pace the group through the entire agenda.

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* Groups can often shorten their meetings by limiting their meeting agendas. Meeting time

is precious, and groups should use it only for things that have to be done face-to-face as an

assembled group. In general, meetings should be used only for building group cohesion,

sharing important information and ideas, and reaching group decisions. Anything that can be

done outside of meetings should be done elsewhere.

Block 2: Unequal Group Commitment and Involvement

Previous chapters discussed formal methods of ensuring equal group involvement and

commitment. Fining members for missing meetings or failing to pay dues may ensure full

attendance and equal financial contributions, but there is no simple way to make members put

the same amount of energy into all of the group's activities.

When the differences in individual member involvement become extreme, many things

can go wrong. The members who become most active may begin to dominate group

meetings, and the knowledge and energy of the more active members may intimidate other

members. The least involved members might begin to resent, envy, or fear a more involved

member, and they may behave irresponsibly during meetings and feel less responsible for

group decisions.

Balancing Member Involvement

Sometimes unequal member involvement is due to member apathy, but other times it is

caused by one or two members becoming too involved. You need to help the group decide

what amount of involvement is too little and what amount is too much. Ask members what

makes a member "lazy" or "irresponsible"? Can a member be "too eager" or "over-

committed", or is more involvement and commitment always desirable?

Even if members reach agreement on how involved and committed they should be,

some members may continue to show "too little" or "too much" involvement. You can talk to

uncommitted members to fiid out whether they believe in the group's basic goals and

procedures, and it may be necessary for the group to reexamine these issues. Less committed

members might also increase their involvement if they are given clearer and more specific

tasks and responsibilities. Otherwise, it might be appropriate for uncommitted members to

volunteer to leave the group. In talking with "over-involved" members, you might emphasize

the long- term value of relatively equal member involvement.

Block 3: Group Conflicts

Each culture has a unique understanding of conflict. Some cultures encourage open and

emotional disputes, while others value strict politeness and very cautious disagreement. Every

culture, though, makes a distinction between "productive" and "unproductive" conflict. Good

conflicts are those that help the group understand difficult problems and choose among

alternative solutions. Bad conflicts cause only confusion, bad decisions, hurt feelings, anger

(and possibly violence), and the breakup of the group.

Resolving Conflicts

The best approach to destructive conflict is to prevent it from happening. To do this,

encourage the group to devote some of its time to building friendships and group cohesion by

working together, playing games, telling stories, and sharing other common activities.

Once conflicts arise, your actions will depend upon the cultural setting. Openly and

directly discussing the conflict will work best in some cultures, but in other settings conflict

resolution may need to take place outside of the group through a formal ceremony or private

discussion. Learn how members are accustomed to resolving conflicts. Hopefully, members

will all know good examples of successful conflict resolution, and you can build a solution

that draws upon their shared knowledge and experiences.

Block 4: Low Communication and Literacy Skills

In many groups, members will have different levels of literacy and communication skills.

Some members will be better at reading, speaking in public, persuading others, listening, and

thinking during meetings.

When some but not all group members are literate and have experience with group

discussion (or you are the only literate and verbally skilled member), many problems may

arise. The most skilled people may dominate or manipulate discussions, withhold important

information, and cause other members to leave from the group. Illiterate and inexperienced

members may fail to understand group discussions and then make uninformed decisions.

Dealing with Illiteracy and Poor Communication Skills

In most cases, it will be important for you and any other literate and skilled group members

to understand what behaviors can upset other members. The group needs to use the abilities

of its most skilled members, but sometimes verbal abilities are misused for personal reasons,

such as impressing or intimidating others.

The best solution, however, is raising the abilities of other group members. Even if

other members do not have the time or willingness to learn full writing and reading skills,

they can become adept at speaking, listening, and thinking during meetings. The more skilled

members should set good examples for other members, provide instruction when appropriate,

and, most of all, offer reassurance and encouragement to other members.

Some group members may be accustomed to remaining passive and quiet in public,

and some may question the value of learning communication skills. Point out that as each

member develops these abilities, the group will make better decisions and hold more efficient

meetings. Communication skills can also benefit the group in the village and the

marketplace, where a persuasive speaker can win sales and bargains. When one member

becomes more skilled at participating in group meetings and speaking with people in general,

every member of the group benefits.

Block 5: Different Communication Styles

Although every group member may belongs to the same culture, members may play different

cultural roles, especially if your group has both men and women. Different cultural roles

often have different communication styles: some people are expected to be polite and shy,

whereas others are supposed to interrupt and speak loudly.

When group members have different communication styles, they may frequently

misunderstand one another. What sounds like an order to one person may only be meant as a

suggestion. One member may misinterpret another person's silence as agreement when the

quiet member is actually angry and disagrees with the group's plans.

Different styles can also lead to undemocratic meetings. Even if they do not intend to

take over the discussion, group members accustomed to interrupting, speaking directly, and

thinking quickly will often dominate members who speak in a reserved, cautious, and

reflective style. As a result, the more forceful members will make most of the group's

decisions, even though the other members have an equal chance to participate.

Respecting and Blending Speaking Styles

Many people have never recognized and discussed "communication styles", and you can help

the group by simply showing group members how they communicate differently. Once

members understand these differences, it may be easier to respect and appreciate members'

different styles.

If members are willing and able to alter their communication styles, the group can

integrate different styles into a single group discussion process. For example, the group

might decide that interruptions are often helpful but that members should raise their hands if

they wish to interrupt a speaker. Or the group might decide to have fast-paced discussions,

but with a five minute silence in the middle to allow time for quiet reflection.

Block 6: Extreme Power Differences

Group members usually do not have exactly the same amount of power or influence in the

group, but sometimes one or two group members have far more power than other members:

* One member might possess an income or social status that others lack.

* The group chairperson might build up too much executive power.

* The group treasurer might be the only literate member and become the only one that

clearly understands the group's finances.

When power differences are extreme, it is difficult for the group to make democratic

decisions. The powerful members can have an unfair share of influence on group decisions,

and they can intimidate members who feel economically or socially vulnerable. Power

differences can also lead to bad decisions because less powerful members might be reluctant

to raise important issues or suggest good ideas that the more powerful members would not

like.

Balancing Power or Changing the Group

As explained in Chapter 1, it is desirable to form relatively homogeneous groups, and this

problem often can be prevented by forming a group consisting of individuals with roughly

equal wealth and social status. However, extreme power differences can emerge after the

group has already formed.

In these cases, it is possible that the most powerful member has taken on too many of

the group's responsibilities, and you can encourage the group to distribute the group's work

more evenly among the members. Sometimes the most powerful member wants such a

change but does not trust that other members will do their share. Other times the less

powerful group members have become accustomed to doing less work Often the best

solution is redistributing the group's tasks one at a time, slowly building up trust and new

group habits.

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You can also help the group members distinguish between criticizing a person's ideas

and questioning their status. Explain how personal criticisms are very different from

constructive criticisms of ideas. Both the most and least powerful group members must be

willing to let others disagree with the information and suggestions they provide during

meetings.

Block 7: Poor Group Memory

Chapter 1 explained that an effective group keeps careful and detailed written records in

bound books. When groups fail to keep records, it is more difficult for members to recall

what ideas they discussed, what they decided, and how they implemented their decisions.

Some groups will have good records but so many changes in membership that the members

do not fully understand their recards. In either case, poor memory of the group's past will

limit both group cohesion and the quality of the group's decisions.

Recording the Group's Past

If the group's membership is changing too rapidly, you need to look for the causes of high

member turnover. This may reveal more serious underlying problems, such as low group

productivity or severe member conflicts.

When membership is relatively stable over time, group memory can be improved by

regularly reading and discussing the group's records. Every time the group meets, the

secretary can briefly review the previous meeting. Every two or three months, the group can

reexamine its major decisions and reflect upon its past mistakes and successes. Perhaps the

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group can draw a descriptive symbol on a wall or in the record book for each important event

in the group's history. In addition, these formal group reflections and symbolic drawings

might be integrated with the participatory monitoring and evaluation process.

Block 8: Forming Inter-group Associations

As explained in Chapter 2, more mature groups often benefit by forming or joining inter-

group associations (IGAs). IGAs have many advantages, but they can also create new

problems. The IGA might require the group to use procedures that conflict with the group's

own decision making process, and the IGAs goals may not match those of the group.

Working with other groups might result in too many conflicts or power imbalances, and joint

projects might prove more inefficient than separate group enterprises.

As groups enter into IGAs, you can prevent many of these problems by making

certain that groups agree on goals, procedures, and other details:

* Reach Agreement on IGA Goals. Just like small groups, IGAs must have clear purposes.

Individual groups need to discuss their own goals and look for any broad objectives they

share. Group members must understand exactly how an IGA will help them pursue their

goals. Bigger is not always better, so the group must have one or more clear reasons for

becoming part of an IGA. To develop such reasons, groups should carefully discuss the issue

during their meetings.

* Reach Agreement on IGA Procedures. The groups forming an IGA also need to learn how

their decision making procedures differ. If possible, they should reach agreement on the

procedures they will follow when making IGA decisions. If a group is joining a previously

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formed IGA, the group should not join until it understands and accepts (or asks for changes

in) the IGA's procedures.

* Reach Agreement on Details. Most of all, IGAs can lead to confusion about

responsibilities and the coordination of group activities. You should make certain that the

groups forming an IGA make clear decisions about its committees, its constitution, and all

other issues, such as the sharing of IGA income.

GROUP PROMOTER TRAINING ACTIVITIES FOR DEVELOPING GROUP DECISION lMAKING

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

These activities and discussion questions are designed for training group

promoters (GPs). These materials can complement the written chapter, "Common

Problems in Small Group Decision Making," by drawing upon GPs' personal

experiences and cultural knowledge.

All of these activities are appropriate for small to medium sized classes or

study groups (4 to 30 GPs) with one or two teachers. The topics covered include

(1) group decision making versus individual decisions, (2) setting group goals, (3)

choosing group procedures, (4) guiding group discussions, and (5) diagnosing

common group problems.

Group Decision Making Versus Individual Decisions

For a t least four reasons, group decision making is often preferable to individual

decision making. First, groups have more of information and ideas. Second,

groups can integrate this knowledge and insight into new and creative solutions to

problems. Third, reaching a decision as a group usually results in greater member

commitment to decision implementation. Finally, a fair and honest group

procedure is more democratic, and people may find democracy valuable for its own

sake, regardless of the quality of the decision reached.

People are often skeptical about the wisdom of group decision making, and

it may be useful to discuss these (and other) advantages of group decision making

in a class discussion. The following activity serves this purpose.

Class Activity

Provide the GPs with a list of five questions, such as the following:

1. What game should I play this Friday?

2. What career should I choose in life?

3. Should a group share its profits with families outside the group?

4. In which bank should a group invest its savings?

5. Should our village encourage tourism?

These decisions differ in important respects. The first one is an individual

decision about a relatively trivial matter, and the second question is personal but

has important implications for one's family, friends, and others. The third

question is a group decision involving moral issues, whereas the fourth question

requires more technical expertise. The fifth question is concerns more than a

small group and involves both moral and technical issues.

Ask each GP to write which of these decisions should be made by an

individual, which should be made by a committee, and which should be made by a

group meeting of all people directly concerned. Some GPs might decide that all of

the decisions should be made the same way, and some will disagree about how

different decisions should be reached. Ask the GPs why they answered as they

did and discuss the differences in their answers.

Discussion Questions

1. When should a person have the autonomy to make a decision by himherself?

2. When are groups more effective a t reaching sound decisions than single

individuals? What kinds of decisions are decided best by a committee, rather than

the group as a whole?

3. When would it be undemocratic for an individual to make a decision on behalf

of a group? What forms of representation are democratic?

4. How can a group ensure that it draws upon individual members' technical

knowledge?

5. Should experts make moral decisions on behalf of a group?

Setting Group Goals

The PPP materials stress income generation as the central goal of GPs' groups,

but GPs need to decide whether this goal is too vague for individual groups. GPs

also need to consider what other objectives might complement or contradict this

goal.

Class Activity

Ask each GP to make a list of the different specific and general goals that

individual group members might have. Write some of these goals on a chalkboard

or flip-chart. Ask the GPs to identify the one or two common goals that will give

the group the clearest sense of purpose.

Discussion Questions

1. Which of the goals on the list are too specific? Are any too vague?

2. How do these goals conflict or complement one another?

3. How could a group prioritize these goals?

Choosing Group Procedures

Every culture has a diversity of decision making procedures that are used in

different settings. If GPs have to make a group decision together without any

bylaws or guidelines, they may discover both common procedures and differences

in the way they deliberate in groups.

Class Activity

Ask the class to reach two hypothetical decisions, such as whether to spend a loan

on a new school house or a health clinic. If these problems are too abstract, ask

them to reach decisions about specific aspects of the PPP program. Allow ten or

fifteen total minutes for the group to reach the two decisions. Assign two GPs to

observe the class' decision making process, but explain to them that they can not

intervene or facilitate the meeting. You should also remain a passive observer

until the group uses all of its allotted time. Afterward, ask the observers to report

on the meetings by describing the processes the class used and how these decision

making procedures succeeded or created problems.

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Discussion Questions

1. What procedures did the group use? How are these similar to or different from

the procedures groups typically use?

2. Was the process democratic? What exactly is a democratic process? What

could have made the process more democratic? Does a democratic process produce

better decisions? Do local cultures value the democratic process?

3. Did the procedure produce sound, well-reasoned decisions? How could a group

change these procedure to reach better decisions? Do local cultures value sound

decision making?

4. Did the group use majority rule, consensus, or some other form of decision

making? Did the procedures suit the problem at hand? Would these procedures

have worked well with any kind of problem?

5. What kinds of decisions will the GPs' actual groups have to reach, and what

kinds of procedures will make these decisions fair and sound?

Guiding Group Discussions

At least initially, many groups need structured discussions to reach sound

decisions. GPs might benefit from participating in a structured discussion that

leads them through five steps.

Class Activity

Draw on a chalkboard or flip-chart the following discussion stages:

1. Identify the problem, its causes, and its consequences.

2. Decide what an acceptable solution must accomplish.

3. Determine what solutions are available.

4. Weigh the costs and benefits of each solution.

5. Choose the best solution.

To challenge the group, pick a somewhat vague problem with both moral and

technical aspects for discussion. If possible, choose a local or national issue with

which all GPs are familiar. Then facilitate a fifteen to thirty minute discussion

wherein the group tries to go through the five discussion stages. If the group is

very large, you might have four to six volunteers sit in the middle and discuss the

issue while the others listen but do not participate.

Facilitate the discussion by helping the group go through the five stages one

at a time. You may wish to give the discussion even more structure: you can ask

members to think silently for one or two minutes prior to a critical; at the

beginning of each stage, you can ask members to take turns speaking for one

minute each before having an open discussion; you can also set time limits on each

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stage of discussion. For the fifth stage, you should specify a decision making

procedure (majority rule or consensus) in advance.

After the discussion has concluded and the group has reached a decision,

discuss the process they went through. If only a portion of the class participated

in the discussion, encourage the other GPs to give their insights as well.

Discussion Questions

1. Were the five discussion stages in a logical order? In a less structured

discussion, would the stages probably overlap?

2. Do groups ever skip any of these stages? Why? What happens when they do?

3. How can structure improve a discussion? What problems can it create? Are

structured discussions quicker or more time consuming?

4. What other ways could a GP or group facilitator structure a group discussion?

Could a group go through a structured procedure without a facilitator?

Diagnosing Common Group Problems

Most GPs already have a wealth of experience in group decision making, but they

may have never discussed their experiences and reflected upon the lessons they

have learned. This activity tries to pool their experience and insight.

Class Activity

Ask a GP to tell a story about one of the most memorable groups in which s h e

has participated. The GP's story should be factual, not hypothetical, and the

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group described can be successful, so long as the GP believes it encountered a t

least some serious problems. ARer telling about the group, the storyteller must

silently listen as the other GPs discuss some of the problems that the group

encountered. Ask the other GPs how the group could have addressed these

problems. Then ask the GP who told the story what s h e thinks the group's

problems were and what the group did to address them. If you wish, repeat the

exercise and discuss other GPs' experiences in groups.

Discussion Questions

1. What are the key symptoms of different group problems?

2. What effects do these problems have on group democracy and effectiveness?

3. What are the most common group problems in our culture?

4. How can we solve the group decision making problems we are likely to

encounter?