Small Group Facilitation: Improving Process and Performance in Groups and Teams

Key Concepts

•   Groups as an open system

•   Organizational and outcome variables

•   Nature of collaboration

•   Tasks and relationship aspects of groups

Although groups exist in many formats and for a variety of purposes, there are some similarities in how groups of all types function. From the vast literature on the nature and functioning of groups, I have chosen to discuss in this chapter those factors of group work that have a strong connection with the process role of facilitation. I start with a discussion of the group as an open system.