Influencing people can sometimes be a difficult and demanding process. People respond in different, sometimes unpredictable, ways when others are trying to influence their thoughts and actions.
Arguments are common and conflict is not unusual. This is true enough in one to one situations but is particularly so in group situations. A number of psychologists have put forward theories of ‘group dynamics’ to try and explain this phenomenon. A basic appreciation of how ‘group dynamics’ works is useful in understanding the ways in which groups of people tend to behave when brought together on a shared task or activity.
This can have a big impact on your ability to influence councillors of any newly formed group.
Argyle’s theory of ‘group dynamics’
Michael Argyle, a social psychologist, set out his theory of ‘group dynamics’ in a 1969 book entitled, ‘Social Interaction’ (Tavistock Press). He observed that different groups of people tend to go through a similar lifecycle of stages in coming together and interacting, to produce a team performance. His theory has been adopted by many psychologists, trainers and consultants since that time.
In his theory, Michael Argyle categorised four distinct stages in the ‘life’ of a group:
1. Forming – the group comes together. People find out about each other, consider their objectives, discuss ideas and possible tasks and reflect on their own roles within the group. It is usually a very sociable time in the life of the group.
2. Storming – as the group begins to settle, individuals get to know each other and may start competing for status and roles. Disagreements can occur and where some people may try to assert strong opinions or leadership tactics, others may withdraw. If tensions are not mutually dealt with at this stage, they tend to disrupt group communication and activity and, most importantly, mutual respect for the roles of participants. To reach stages (3) and (4), conflicts need to be resolved.
3. Norming – after the more tense stage of ‘storming’, the group usually begins to settle as participants find a common approach to the task that all can agree on or accept (this is where unsettled conflicts can become a problem, as they tend to reoccur at this point). Action plans begin to emerge and people find space to begin working on tasks.
4. Performing – this is the stage when the group achieves its optimum efficiency and the task is achieved. Recognising that people often behave differently in groups can help you, tactically, to be more effective in influencing others.
Much of this is about watching and listening to group behaviour and exercising your own judgement about when to be assertive and intervene and when to sit back as discussions unfold and people exchange views or come into conflict.
Challenge 6 – group dynamics: a help or hindrance to your influence?
Reflect on the four stages of group behaviour outlined above. Does this sound like any meetings or group situations you have been in recently? How successful were you in influencing the views or actions of others? How might your understanding of group dynamics help you to tackle the task differently another time?
Other approaches that can help you to be more influential in difficult group situations include:
Setting a positive tone and modelling the ‘norms’ for group interaction.
Being yourself, without defensiveness or hidden agendas, and sharing your experiences and feelings to establish empathy.
Describing what you see rather than being judgemental, eg “on the basis of what you’ve said, you don’t look to be supportive…”
Being empathetic – showing you understand people’s situation, needs and feelings, ie trying not to give advice, judgements or interpretations.
Maintaining your assertiveness, but avoiding displays of unnecessary emotion (weakness or aggression) and unhelpful behaviours, such as irritators (eg “I think what I’ve said is very reasonable”), immediate counter-attacks and talking over the top of people.
Keeping people and problems separate, ie recognise that in many cases other people are not just ‘being difficult’ – real and valid differences can lie behind conflicting positions. By separating the problem from the person, real issues can be debated without damaging working relationships.
Exploring options together, ie being open to the idea that a third position may exist and that you can get to this idea in collaboration with others.
Listening first and talking second – to stand any chance of influencing others you must first understand where other people are coming from before feeling you must ‘defend’ your own position.
Focusing on getting the support of the ‘early adopters’, ie there will usually be a proportion of people in any group who are open to new ideas or new ways of doing things. Their support can often be influential in encouraging the more resistant to come forward, over time, in support of your views or action plans.
Influencing in groups
Who contributes the most to group discussions – are they aware of it and can you target their support
Who are the silent people – is their silence about dissent or fear and could your intervention bring them around to your point of view?
Who appears to have the ‘ear’ of the prime movers and can you influence the latter by getting these on side?
Who are the rebels, bullies, critics and scapegoats – can you employ different tactics to appeal to each?
What is the atmosphere in the group – could you intervene to create more congenial conditions and win friends as a result?
Have the discussions reached a sticking point – could you broker some discussions around negotiating, bargaining, or compromising to move things forward?
Who is tending to dominate – could you generate greater support by standing up to these individuals?
Influencing other people is often more about changing your attitudes and behaviour than it is about changing theirs. Spending time thinking about your own approach and the interpersonal, presentation, communication and assertiveness skills you possess can help you to be more effective in influencing others and getting what you want. All politicians need to influence others – it is the very lifeblood of political debate and a cornerstone of our democracy. But it is also a skill that you need to hone and develop as an effective councillor.