Faculty Groups by Wheelan Susan A.;

Author:Wheelan, Susan A.; [Wheelan, Susan A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 1994262
Publisher: Corwin Press
Published: 2005-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

THE GOALS OF STAGE I

The Process Goals of Stage I

• To create a sense of belonging

• To develop member loyalty to the group

• To create an environment in which members feel safe enough to contribute ideas and suggestions

• To create the beginnings of predictable interaction patterns

Simply put, if members don’t feel that they are part of the group or safe in the group, loyalty to the group will not develop. Also, if group interactions and routines do not emerge, members will not feel safe or loyal. If none of these goals are met, the group will most likely disband. If one or two goals are met, the group will remain stuck in the first stage of group development. So, it’s everyone’s job to make sure that these four process goals are met.

Essentially, work groups have two kinds of goals—task goals and process goals. For example, the task goal of an educational team might be to review school evaluation or testing procedures and to recommend changes in those procedures, if necessary. If the team is new, its process goals would be to ensure that members develop a sense of belonging, safety, and loyalty. In addition, members should begin to develop procedures and routine ways of doing things in the group.

Most group members focus only on their task goals. This is a mistake, because task goals will not be achieved unless process goals are addressed as well. Educators know this well. Teachers know that you can’t begin teaching until some norms for classroom behavior and interaction are established. People can’t learn if they don’t feel safe or if they don’t feel that their teacher or classmates accept them. No one can learn in a chaotic environment either.

This does not mean that stage I groups should focus only on process goals. Both task and process goals should be addressed, however. This can be done in a variety of ways. Some examples of how to do this are provided next.

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