The Art and Science of Working Together: Practising Group Analysis in Teams and Organisations (The New International Library of Group Analysis)

The Art and Science of Working Together: Practising Group Analysis in Teams and Organisationsis a primary resource for anyone wishing to learn more about the complex unconscious dynamics of organisations, providing a practical guide for organisational work, a guide to how to improve things, and a strong theoretical foundation in the group analytic concept of the 'tripartite matrix'. Group analysis is a highly developed science of group relationships, which allows complexity and systems perspectives to be held in mind alongside organisational psychology, strategic development and business wisdom. Organised into eight sections, the book describes the essence of organisational group analysis, including the art of conversation, leadership, ethical issues in team working, and working with whole organisations. It addresses issues such as 'us-and-them' dynamics, the nature of systems boundaries and the relationship between an organisation and its context. Leaders and leading consultants give case studies, describing their thinking as they work, to illustrate the theory in action. This essential new resource will allow clinically-trained practitioners to extend their scope into organisational work, and all coaches and leaders to benefit from knowledge of the group analytic discipline. It is essential reading for consultants and coaches working with teams and organisations, and for leaders within organisations. /P> Leaders and leading consultants give case studies, describing their thinking as they work, to illustrate the theory in action. This essential new resource will allow clinically-trained practitioners to extend their scope into organisational work, and all coaches and leaders to benefit from knowledge of the group analytic discipline. It is essential reading for consultants and coaches working with teams and organisations, and for leaders within organisations. Cover 1 Half Title 6 Series 7 Title 8 Copyright 9 Contents 10 Series editor’s foreword 14 Preface and acknowledgments 16 List of contributors 18 Section I Editor’s introduction: what group analysis can offer in organizational work 24 1 Coming to group analysis and this book 26 2 Group analytic praxis in teams and organizations 41 3 Persecutor, victim, rescuer: imperfect consulting in an imperfect world 54 4 Group analytic praxis and ‘persecutor, victim, rescuer’ 63 Section II The art of conversation: complexity, the matrix, and ‘parallel process’ 68 5 The art of conversation: group analytic interventions in organizational life 70 6 Complex reflections: notes on ‘parallel process’ and the group matrix in group analytic organizational consultancy 76 Section III The wider organizational context 88 7 Stability or chaos, authoritarianism or dialogue: towards a matrix of critical and creative thought at a time of uncertainty and threat 90 8 ‘Practising disappointment’: from reflection to action in organizations and communities 99 Section IV Leadership, authority, and power 108 9 Using groups in leadership: bringing practice into theory 110 10 Another fine mess you’ve gotten me into: effective leadership in a difficult place 119 11 Leadership and ‘another fine mess’ by Raman Kapur 130 12 Creative chaos: containing transforming space in Kids Company and other stories 133 Section V Inside the practitioner’s mind: how we frame praxis 142 13 Inside out 144 14 Context and the interpretive act: developing the language of the matrix for working in and with organizations 153 15 Joining the organizational game: five questions to guide consultants 164 Section VI Praxis, power, and ethical issues in team working 172 16 Turning a blind eye: some thoughts on personal and professional boundaries in groups in mental health settings 174 17 Values in practice: dilemmas in reflective practice 184 18 Working with multicultural groups in organizations: Issues of power and difference 193 Section VII Working with whole organizations 204 19 A conversation with Earl Hopper 206 20 Creating thinking spaces in organizations: dynamic administration in groups large and small 217 21 Large groups the group analytic way 228 22 Whole organizations, mergers, and the matrix: translucent boundaries and ‘tweaking’ culture creatively 238 23 Translucent boundaries, leaders, and consultants: how to work with whole organizations 247 Section VIII The ending 260 24 The end is in the beginning: perspectives from two group analytic consultants 262 Section IX Further leads 276 Afterword 278 Bibliography 280 Index 295 The Art and Science of Working Together: Practising Group Analysis in Teams and Organizations is a primary resource for anyone wishing to learn more about the complex unconscious dynamics of organizations, providing a practical guide for organizational work, a guide to how to improve things, and a strong theoretical foundation in the group analytic concept of the ‘tripartite matrix'. Group analysis is a highly developed science of group relationships, which allows complexity and systems perspectives to be held in mind alongside organizational psychology, strategic development and business wisdom. Organized into eight sections, the book describes the essence of organizational group analysis, including the art of conversation, leadership, ethical issues in team working, and working with whole organizations. It addresses issues such as ‘us-and-them'dynamics, the nature of systems boundaries, and the relationship between an organization and its context. Leaders and leading consultants give case studies, describing their thinking as they work, to illustrate the theory in action. This essential new resource will allow clinically trained practitioners to extend their scope into organizational work, and all coaches and leaders to benefit from knowledge of the group analytic discipline. It is essential reading for consultants and coaches working with teams and organizations, and for leaders within organizations. The Art and Science of Working Together: Practising Group Analysis in Teams and Organizations is a primary resource for anyone wishing to learn more about the complex unconscious dynamics of organizations, providing a practical guide for organizational work, a guide to how to improve things, and a strong theoretical foundation in the group analytic concept of the 'tripartite matrix'. Group analysis is a highly developed science of group relationships, which allows complexity and systems perspectives to be held in mind alongside organizational psychology, strategic development and business wisdom. Organized into eight sections, the book describes the essence of organizational group analysis, including the art of conversation, leadership, ethical issues in team working, and working with whole organizations. It addresses issues such as 'us-and-them' dynamics, the nature of systems boundaries, and the relationship between an organization and its context. Leaders and leading consultants give case studies, describing their thinking as they work, to illustrate the theory in action. This essential new resource will allow clinically trained practitioners to extend their scope into organizational work, and all coaches and leaders to benefit from knowledge of the group analytic discipline. It is essential reading for consultants and coaches working with teams and organizations, and for leaders within organizations Leaders, teams and organisational consultants are faced with a situation of permanent transitions. The current world of organisations is full of beginnings and incomplete endings. The author assumes that the endless re-structuring of living networks of relationships in organisations generates, over time, post-traumatic stress disorder in individuals, groups and the whole system. The book deals with the paradox that continuity is the most important factor in change and that leadership alone solves very little. Even the most heroic figure flounders without the help of the various groups in the organisation, which make things work. The author reflects on his practice of developing teams, professionals and organisations with an approach rooted in group analysis and social anthropology. The dominant way of looking at performance, motivation and leadership focuses on individuals and fails to take into account how we work together, how we fail to co-operate and how inter-dependent we are. This book is a primary resource for anyone wishing to learn more about the complex unconscious dynamics of organisational relationships, providing both a practical guide for organisational work, and a strong theoretical foundation through the group analysis concept of the ‘matrix’. The current world of organizations is full of beginnings and incomplete endings. The author assumes that the endless re-structuring of living networks of relationships in organizations generates, over time, post-traumatic stress disorder in individuals, groups and the whole system.