BMA eBook - Manual / Resource - Page 63
Intervention and Leadership
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The extent to which the group increases its capacity to learn and adapt to
changing circumstances. For example, is the group willing to experiment
with new ways or does it show some tolerance of higher conflict than
usual?
Those who wish to exercise leadership will do so with greater efficacy if they
learn to observe those four human elements and, based on them, build
interventions designed to improve group functioning. A set of typical
questions to be asked when observing groups life are outlined in Figure 2
below.
3.2 Political Dimensions
All groups working towards an agreed to outcome will include sets of different
interests, positions and values. Each subset will attempt to influence others
toward their view, or will by-pass them , and, inevitably, these differences can
lead to conflict that will need to be harnessed before any agreements are
reached. “Star Wars” gets played out in all groups trying to move forward.
Intervention, therefore, needs to take into account the “politics” of the group,
however this manifests; whether over goals, methods, timing, participation or
purpose; it is important to identify political dimensions and to assist the
factions recognise and consider the needs and values of each other.
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