„‚ CONDITIONS THAT HINDER EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Objectives
A process-observation intervention may have numerous objectives, including, among
others, the following:
1. It can heighten the client-group members’ awareness of the distinction between
the content and process dimensions of transactions occurring within a group. In
Example B, the consultant illustrated both what topics or issues the group was working
on (the “content”) and how the group seemed to be operating—that is, jumping from
topic to topic and avoiding explicit, group-level decision making (the “process”).
2. Another kind of process observation might be intended to heighten the group’s
awareness of the implications and consequences of its members’ actions. For example,
an individual’s behavior may contribute to the creation or continuation of normative
standards (both functional and nonfunctional) governing group members’ behavior. In
Example B, Toni’s topic jump might have contributed to the creation of a group norm
that it is permissible to jump from one topic to another and cut off another person; when
Joe did the same to Toni, it was another contribution to the legitimization and
continuation of that norm. A process observation can also be used to highlight
implications and consequences by pointing out how the group is affected when needed
task and maintenance functions are not being performed or what happens when different
group decision-making procedures are employed.
3. A process observation also provides an observable model of functional behaviors
that demonstrate in a tangible manner how a group’s movement in the direction of its
objectives can be facilitated. In Example A, the consultant modeled quite a number of
functional activities, for example, paraphrasing, double-checking, personal feedback,
and helping another person to experiment with new ways of behaving. In Example B,
the consultant modeled tracking and summarizing, stating the issue, expressing feelings
and expectations, and asking for opinions and information.
Timing
A process-observation intervention is likely to be most effective during the early phase
of the consultative process. When any process observation has been modeled once or
twice, the consultant should refrain from making further such interventions. This gives
client-group members more opportunities to experiment with and to practice performing
these facilitative functions. To the extent that they do this, they acquire increased selfsufficiency.
This tends to preclude their becoming dependent on the consultant, the
“expert,” to perform such functions.
If the client-group members do not assume responsibility for performing these
functions after they have been modeled once or twice, the consultant might keep track of
the implications and the consequences of this failure. Then, during a “stop-action” or
some other designated process session, these data could be fed back to the group along
with a question: “What, if anything, do we want to do about this situation?” This
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The Pfeiffer Library Volume 6, 2nd Edition. Copyright ©1998 Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer