TCLA Group Dynamics and Learning Questions

a. Think about a past group or a current group you work with. Do different individuals adopt different roles (such as the prankster, the sage, the task-master, the story-teller, etc.)? Do these individuals say and do things that continue their “lines” across groups? What are their self-perceptions with respect to what makes them competent in the eyes of others, what makes people like them, and what values they exhibit?

b. Observe or recall a time in that group when an “incident” occurred. Who and / or what triggered the incident? What was the aspect that was threatened, and of which person? Describe the sequence of events that occurred after the incident. Who intervened? Did the situation escalate prior to de-escalation? What was the interpersonal behavior expressed by the individuals involved (use the 12-choices framework)?

c. Did you play a role in the incident / resolution? How would you now evaluate your options in that situation? What do your choices tell you about yourself?

d. What do you think your response would be in a similar situation in the future? When do you think it would be a “political” mistake to take any action in such situations, and when it may be a leadership action?