Group as a Whole

Learning for Leadership, Authority and Organisation

Lionel F. Stapley

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English

Phoenix Publishing House
20 June 2024

Social, group or collective psychology; Occupational & industrial psychology; Management decision making

This volume provides a complete description of group relations learning from 'group as a whole' to application in organisations. It describes the current theory and practice of group relations conference learning followed by IGO consultants worldwide. It exposes how emotional and unconscious dynamics affect us all in meaning- and decision-making.

The focus of this volume is on groups. The intention is to go beyond taking things at face value by going deeper and exploring the underlying, less evident phenomena concerning groups which occur beneath the surface. The more frequently used approach is to study the behaviour of individuals in a group to create an understanding of group behaviour. The approach taken here is to study groups from the perspective of the group as a whole, which provides a totally different perspective. Thus, while individual actions and relationships in groups is a valid field of study, the group as a whole is another level and unit of study.

The book begins with pre-conference activity, particularly the need for 'authority', and a discussion on the importance and understanding of the group as a whole. The subsequent chapters follow the usual structure of IGO group relations conferences (GRCs). The aim is to develop a deeper understanding of group relations learning. This is in no way a substitute for the vital learning from experiential opportunities provided by actual GRCs. By attending, we are able to learn from the way(s) we take up our roles or are mobilised by the group to take up roles, and to understand that our valency can result in us being used repeatedly in the same way. The learning is rich and valuable because it happens in the here and now in direct experience.

The book is the perfect guide to group relations conferences for experienced and novice participants alike to enhance their group relations learning experiences. It serves as an excellent introduction to GRCs for the novice and is ideal for those who have attended GRCs to explore their own experiences and emotions. The learning opportunities provide powerful insights to individuals and other group members. Everything that happens at a GRC is done for the learning of the members.

AUTHOR: Lionel Stapley is an internationally recognised author, fellow of OPUS, organisational consultant and psychodynamic and executive coach working with individuals, groups and organisations in both public and private sectors across the UK and Europe, as well as South America, China, Hong Kong, Russia, Slovenia, Poland, and Ghana, West Africa. He is also a commercially focused consultant, engaging with major public and private sector organisations at a senior level to help deliver their strategic objectives. He has a proven record of growing brand recognition and of successfully managing and developing the reputation of an international educational charity that seeks to encourage the reflective citizen. Lionel is also a Chartered Fellow of both the CIPD and the CIM and a member of the International Society for the Psychoanalytic Study of Organisations (ISPSO).

By: Lionel F. Stapley
Imprint: Phoenix Publishing House
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 9mm
Weight: 258g
ISBN: 9781800131231
ISBN 10: 1800131232
Pages: 168
Publication Date: 20 June 2024
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Contents About the author The context of group relations learning An overview and deeper understanding of group relations learning Chapter One Group as a whole Chapter Two Consultancy skill and knowledge Chapter Three The small study group Chapter Four The large study group Chapter Five The intergroup event Chapter Six Review and application groups (RAG) References Index

Lionel Stapley is an internationally recognised author, fellow of OPUS, organisational consultant and psychodynamic and executive coach working with individuals, groups and organisations in both public and private sectors across the UK and Europe, as well as South America, China, Hong Kong, Russia, Slovenia, Poland, and Ghana, West Africa. He is also a commercially focused consultant, engaging with major public and private sector organisations at a senior level to help deliver their strategic objectives. He has a proven record of growing brand recognition and of successfully managing and developing the reputation of an international educational charity that seeks to encourage the reflective citizen. Lionel is also a Chartered Fellow of both the CIPD and the CIM and a member of the International Society for the Psychoanalytic Study of Organizations (ISPSO).

Reviews for Group as a Whole: Learning for Leadership, Authority and Organisation

‘Lionel Stapley has written an illuminating book reflecting on his rich experience over the years of working with, and consulting with, groups and organisations. His book is as practical as it is analytic. Freud and Bion originally observed that group membership creates individual and group regression. What is described as a metaphorical return to primitive, infantile-like, group dynamics, which along with anxiety and ambivalence, produces not only a return to the primary group but revisiting earlier relationships, particularly a regression to the object of the mother. In sum, in consultation to groups and organisations, Stapley highlights focusing on the level of group itself, the idea of the “group as a whole”.’ -- Michael A. Diamond, PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of Missouri; distinguished member, International Society for the Psychoanalytic Study of Organizations (ISPSO) ‘We are living in times of seemingly intractable conflict between and within nation states. Group relations in this context are marked by tribalism, polarisation, identity politics, scapegoating, and contempt for the Other. Learning about group relations and gaining deep understanding of the psychodynamics provoking extremist behaviours is as relevant now as when first initiated by the Tavistock Institute over seventy-five years ago. Lionel Stapley’s “group as a whole” four-day experiential workshop is an exemplary model for group relations learning. The book is a comprehensive manual on the theory and practice of the author’s IGO consulting model of group relations conferences. It is a welcome addition to the field and particularly useful for consultants wanting to develop their knowledge of consulting to experiential group relations events.’ -- Jinette de Gooijer, PhD, socioanalyst, past president, Group Relations Australia ‘The work is absolutely impressive. It covers the entire field of conscious and unconscious processes, which includes many useful descriptions of relevant dynamics. An admirable work which covers every possible manifestation of understanding institutions.’ -- Anton Obholzer, emeritus CEO, Tavistock and Portman clinics; organisational consultant, INSEAD and internationally