Working vs. Nonworking Group

1. Members trust other members and leader Goals clear, specific, determined jointly by members and leader Most members feel sense of inclusion Mistrust evidenced by unexpressed hostility Goals abstract, general; members have unclear or no goals at all Many members feel excluded Working vs. Nonworking Group

2. Focus on here-and-now; members discuss what they’re experiencing Leadership functions shared by group Willingness to risk self-disclosure Focus on others, not selves; don’t deal with reactions to one another Members lean on leader for direction Members hold back; minimal disclosure Working vs. Nonworking Group

3. Cohesion is high; close emotional bond exists; willingness to risk experimental behavior Conflict is recognized, discussed, resolved Fragmentation exists; people feel distant; no encouragement to engage in new/risky behavior Conflict / negative feelings ignored, denied, avoided Working vs. Nonworking Group

4. Members accept responsibility for deciding actions to solve problems Members feel hopeful Members blame others for personal problems; not willing to take action to change Members feel helpless Working vs. Nonworking Group

5. Confrontation is constructive; accepted as challenge, not attack Communication is clear, direct Members use one another as resource Confrontation is hostile, attacking; recipient feels judged, rejected Communication is unclear, indirect Members interested only in themselves Working vs. Nonworking Group

6. Members feel powerful and share power with one another Awareness of group process; what makes group productive Members/leader use power/control over others Lack of awareness of what is going on within group Working vs. Nonworking Group

7. Diversity encouraged; individual/cultural differences respected Group norms developed cooperatively; norms are clear, helpful Conformity prized; individual/cultural differences devalued Norms imposed by leader; not necessarily clear Working vs. Nonworking Group

8. Emphasis on combining feelings / thinking Members use out-of-group time to work on problems raised in the group Emphasis on cathartic experiences, but little or no effort to understand them Members think about group activity very little when they are outside the group Working vs. Nonworking Group

9. Working Stage Summary: Stage Characteristics • Level of trust / cohesion is high • Communication within group is open and involves accurate expression of what is being experienced • Leadership functions shared by the group; members interact with one another freely / directly • Willingness exists to risk threatening material and to make oneself known to others; members bring personal topics to group • Conflict among members is recognized and dealt with directly and effectively

10. Working Stage Summary: Stage Characteristics (cont.) • Feedback freely given, accepted, and considered nondefensively • Confrontation occurs without judgmental labeling of others • Members willing to work outside group to achieve behavioral changes • Participants feel supported in attempts to change and are willing to risk new behavior • Members feel hopeful they can change if they are willing to take action • Members do not feel helpless

11. Working Stage Summary: Member Functions • Bringing to group sessions issues they are willing to discuss • Offering feedback and being open to feedback from others • Assuming some leadership functions • Being willing to practice new skills / behaviors in daily life and to bring results to sessions • Offering both challenge and support to others; engaging in self-confrontation

12. Working Stage Summary: Member Functions (cont.) • Continually assessing their level of satisfaction with the group • Actively taking steps to change their level of involvement in sessions if necessary

13. Working Stage Summary: Member Possible Problems • Forming a collusion to relax / enjoy comfort of familiar relationships, avoiding challenging one another • Gaining insights in the sessions but not seeing necessity of action outside of the group to bring about change • Withdrawing because of anxiety over others’ intensity

14. Working Stage Summary: Leader Functions • Continuing to model appropriate behavior (especially caring confrontation) and disclosing ongoing reactions to the group • Providing balance between support and confrontation • Supporting members’ willingness to take risks and assisting them in carrying this into daily lives • Interpreting meaning of behavior patterns at appropriate times • Assisting members to pay attention to and ask clearly for what they want from the group

15. Working Stage Summary: Leader Functions (cont.) • Exploring common themes providing for some universality or linking one or more members’ work with that of others in the group • Focusing on importance of translating insight into action • Promoting behaviors that will increase level of cohesion • Paying attention to intensification and further development of group norms

16. Working Stage Summary: Leader Functions (cont.) • Being aware of therapeutic factors that operate to produce change and intervening in such a way as to help members make desired changes in thought, feelings, and actions