I found this article interesting.  Ties in with other conversations going on… :)

“The Small Group”

In a group of five or less, most people will state their own opinions, talk about what they really believe in, and remain an individual and somewhat detached from the group. When the group gets larger, people tend to suppress their individual ideas and thoughts in order to be accepted by the group.

Classic conformity experiments have proven this out. In one example, an individual was led into a room to sit at a table with 9 other people they thought were also volunteers. The 9 others were actually on the side of those conducting the experiment. When asked to compare line lengths, all 9 of the other “subjects” agreed on two lines which were clearly not equal. The individual being tested readily agreed with the group 80 – 85% of the time, even when they knew it was incorrect.

How do you apply group dynamics to your business?

Take a look at what you do for your weekly meetings, events, and trainings. Make sure that everything you do is not always in a large group. Break large groups out periodically into smaller groups of five or less. This allows everyone an opportunity to express their own opinions and thoughts without being subject to the pressure of the group norm.

They’ll ask more questions when they’re in a smaller group like that and it will help those individuals who are a little bit more introverted. If they don’t say anything in a large group, they may very likely talk in a smaller group.

Providing several ways in which people can be heard is an important leadership skill. Large groups, small groups, even groups of two or three in which you pair up a “fast tracker” with one or two new team members that they don’t know gives everyone a venue for open communication.

If you’re putting teams together make sure there are no more than five people on the team, so that everyone will be heard. Group dynamics can powerfully affect the way information gets passed and the way people participate in the group. As a leader, harness that power to build a better team.

Now go have a POWERFUL day!
Warm regards,
Ann Vertel
http://www.UnitCoach.com
Taking You to the Top!

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