Every time you’re in a meeting, whether with one other person or twenty, you’re in a group. Task groups, work groups, departments, committees—all kinds of groups dominate organizational life. In fact, they’re every organization’s basic operating unit. Yet, how many people complain that groups and meetings are the least productive and rewarding parts of their job? As much as we work in groups, it’s sad that their potential often goes unrealized. This is where the social science of group dynamics comes in.

A Basic Definition of Group Dynamics

Group dynamics is the study of groups, especially of smaller groups of less than 20 people. Because people in small groups interact and influence each other in powerful and complex ways, groups develop many dynamic processes that differ from how individuals act. These processes include norms, roles, hierarchy, power and authority, need to belong, need for solidarity, group assumptions, boundaries, and social influences—to name some. Group dynamics is one of the frontiers of social psychology and seeks new ways to understand group behavior. Emphasis is on applying this knowledge to help groups function better.

How Group Dynamics Can Be Improved

We develop various kinds of groups by applying group dynamics theory and knowledge in ways that help groups become more cohesive, purposeful, and effective. The aim is to minimize growing pains and accelerate performance improvement.

For instance, most groups can improve their performance by learning group process skills, group social skills, and group management skills. Take the latter category, for example. Organizing meetings, monitoring budgets, planning strategy, setting goals, monitoring performance, reviewing schedules, and so on are all routine group tasks. Unfortunately, most groups do them poorly. When a group gains the basic structure and process skills to execute these tasks well, not only does performance dramatically rise, morale and job satisfaction do too.