In Reading the Room, renowned systems psychologist and family therapist David Kantor applies his theory of structural dynamics to help leaders and coaches understand and improve communication within their teams. He helps readers understand how and why they and their teams communicate differently when faced with low-stakes or high-stakes situations, and he provides a framework to help improve leadership behavior in high-stakes situations. Acknowledging that early personal history and adult relationships have an impact on individual leadership and communication, the author discusses how leaders’ awareness of their personal histories can help them become more effective in their leadership teams. Armed with the information outlined in this groundbreaking book, coaches and leaders will be able to: intervene effectively to produce positive change in both the group’s dynamics and its outcomes, help people in the room alter their behavior to better reach their aspirations, identify the recurring sequences of behavior taking place in a group, understand why differing individual preferences for boundaries and rules affect their conversation, and much more. Written to help readers understand the reasons why leaders and teams get along—or don’t—when they communicate in a group, this book will serve as the leader’s “go-to” resource for insight and perspective in leading their team.

Incorporating the latest research throughout, Daniel Levi’s Fifth Edition of Group Dynamics for Teams explains the basic psychological concepts of group dynamics, focusing on their application with teams in the workplace. Grounded in psychology research and a practical focus on organizational behavior issues, this engaging book helps readers understand and more effectively participate in teams.

Grounded in psychological research but with a very practical focus on organizational behaviour issues, this book explains the basic psychological concepts of group dynamics with a focus on their application with teams in the workplace. The book begins with an overview of how teams are being used in the workplace and the factors that relate to team success. It goes on to examine basic topics such as goals, norms, cooperation, and communication while reviewing the main challenges teams face, including conflict, decision making, problem solving, creativity, and valuing diversity. The final section analyzes the use of teams in the workplace, including the impact of organizational culture, technological support for teams, differences among types of work teams, team building, and team evaluation and reward.

This book provides a clear and engaging description of group dynamic processes. Vignettes, case examples, and activities provide an experiential flavor to the book that will deepen the reader’s understanding of key concepts. Activities are also useful experiential teaching and learning tools for studying group dynamics and allow participants to engage in the group dynamic process itself. Another attractive feature of the book is a series of reflections by an individual who participated in an intensive two-weekend group experience. She shares her thoughts on the group’s progression through various stages of change and reflects upon its impact on her personal growth. Group Dynamics: Basics and Pragmatics for Practitioners will serve as an important text for students and professors and as a valuable guide for those who facilitate groups in a variety of clinical, counseling, educational, research, and organizational settings.

Using research related to group psychology along with the practical lessons being learned by the numerous business organizations adopting teams, this book addresses the complex issues associated with teams, and how students can develop the necessary tools to increase their effectiveness as team designers, leaders and members. The book combines research summaries with extended case descriptions of actual teams in business organizations. The authors focus on the key issues that are critical to team success, without overemphasizing unnecessary psychological theory. The case studies are adapted from Business without Bosses, a book written by Charles Manz and Henry Sims and published by Wiley. These cases have been well received by students and business leaders. This is an integrated textbook that combines knowledge from both research and practice into a model that provides students with an opportunity to learn about teams in an efficient yet comprehensive manner.

This volume revitalizes the field of group dynamics, collecting the best of experts in the field of group process. Groups in Context integrates new knowledge about group dynamics with an understanding of the turbulent organizational environments in which work groups now function, providing conceptual and experiential frameworks for instructors, trainers, and consultants who work with groups, as well as for group members themselves. Originally published by Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 1990.