Group Relations Conferences aren’t typical conferences

Author: Caroline Farmer

Group Relations Conferences aren’t typical conferences. There are no papers or seminars presented, rather they offer the opportunity to learn through experience about group relations – relations within groups and between groups.

Teams are a part of the everyday working life in most organisations. A group relations conference becomes like a temporary organisation. You will be part of a series of groups of various configurations over several days and have the opportunity to explore and learn about how groups function and dysfunction when attempting to work together toward a task.

For example, when we join a team we are inevitably confronted with our relationship to authority. Personal experiences in my life have led me to react badly to authority. I feel disempowered, react to people dominating the decision-making process and can become competitive. Other people feel comforted by the idea that someone else is in charge, they can tend to become dependent on someone else taking responsibility for decision making and may not be prepared to take a lead when a team needs them to.

The various events throughout the conference can also lead to understandings about the organisation system as a whole and how that may be affecting how groups can or can’t work together.

Every conference is different because the collection of people participating is different, which creates new opportunities for exploration. Each time I attend a GRC either on the staff team or as a participant, my learning about myself deepens.

The history of now: creating meaning (in the present moment).

28 November - 2 December 2022. In person, in Melbourne Australia.

We hope you can join us in this opportunity to deepen your learning about groups.