Transparency:
Perennial question about seminarians
in Africa/Madagascar
1. Examine
issue from two perspectives.
A.. From
the viewpoint of the atmosphere - group dynamic - climate
operative in
the
formation
community; whether we are aware of it or not.
B. From
the viewpoint of individual attitudes and behaviors students
display to us
which
make us question their current/future ability to be transparent.
2. GROUP
CLIMATE.
A. Human
groups and organizations are formed and exist to meet needs.
1. Task
needs are those requirements which are present as
a function of the work that is to be done by
these
groups/organizations. Needs are met by performing
certain tasks.
2. Person
needs are those which are present within a group/organization
simply because human beings are
present and active within it. Among those needs; belonging,
achievement, recognition, self-worth, identity,
integrity, companionship, support. Needs met by fostering
human relationships.
B. There
are then, two primary dimensions which are important in
determining the success of a group/organization/religious
community/formation community.
1. The
quality of relationships. What is established and
maintained between and among individuals and
groups in interactions.
2. The
degree of directedness of task activities. The degree
to which the task activities are directed significantly
affects the efficiency and effectiveness of the system.
C. Different
organizations and their members hold different sets of values which
very much influence the range
of task and person needs which get recognized, legitimized and
addressed.
D. Just
as an individual has moods and feelings a group has a climate. The
group climate is the predominant
feeling tone of the group - the quality of our being together.
1. The
climate of a group can most easily be felt or sensed by someone outside
the group. They
may experience
it as peaceful, angry, charged, tense, fast, etc.
2. The
members of the group tend to sense their emotional reactions
to the group climate.
E. The
climate is established by the norms governing the approach taken
to person and task needs. Norms are implicit
ground rules by which a group operates. They are
inferred from patterns of behavior among individuals. They
are shared, but unconscious/implicit mutual expectations.
1. The
quality of relationships among members moves from a low end on
a scale to a high end.
a)
Low-end quality of relationships.
1)
Impersonal and superficial.
2)
Communication is routine.
3)
People are self-protective and not committed to others.
4)
Worth comes simply and only from what they do.
5)
There are regular instances of secrecy, unacknowledged feelings,
covert competition.
6)
People are distanced from each other and there is an attitude
of indifference in developing
relationships.
b)
High-end quality of relationships.
1)
Committed to each other
2)
Involved with each other.
3)
Challenging each other.
4)
Differences are valued.
5)
Genuine concern for individuals.
6)
Differences are dealt with to allow for growth.
7)
People sense value because they wrestle with differences in value,
style, priorities.
8)
Interdependence colors relationships.
9)
Feelings are expressed and support is evident.
10)
Relationships are important and investments are made in them.
2. Degree
of directedness.
a)
Low-end.
1)
Tasks are random, aimless, disconnected.
2)
Planning is capricious or impulsive.
3)
Activity directed rather than goal directed.
4)
Duplication of effort and much waste.
5)
Lines of accountability are ill-defined or non-existent.
6)
Seldom evaluated as to effectiveness.
7)
Time frame questions are never asked.
b)
High-end.
1) Activities are specified and understood by
participants.
2)
Planning is a priority as is on-going systematic evaluation.
3)
Goal directed so efficiency and effectiveness are prime.
4)
Accountability for actions.
5)
Evaluation is straightforward.
6)
People are clear about why, what, when done.
F. To
discover the climate of a group you need to take a ?eading.?o:p>
1. Reading
"A" Simple version.
2. Do
a brainstorming session.
a. Brainstorming;
all are free to speak their mind, concentrate on issues not persons,
questions are allowed
for clarification only, need to stick to the topic, the more
ideas the better.
b. Brainstorm first on
the task related behaviors that the individuals of the group
notice. The brainstorm
on the person-related behaviors that the individuals notice.
c. An
outside facilitator might help the group be more objective and
civil. But it can be done inter nos.
d. There
might be a need to establish some ground rules for
the discussion; e.g. "W@hat is said here stays
here." "Everyone will be given five minutes."
2. Then
try to determine if the group has any common interest in
developing a new climate?.e. a new level of
quality in relationships and/or degree of directedness in tasks. If
the consensus is yes to one or both, then proceed.
3. Get
the group to identify the norms that are operative in the
group that are
generating and maintaining
g the less than desirable climate for both task and person needs.
a. This
is done by having each individual begin to look for patterns
of behavior in the material surface in
step one.
b. Then
get the group to state the common norm that underlies the behavior.
4. Step
3 made the operative norm(s) conscious and the group can now
reflect
on this and begin to choose a way to
change them in their preferred direction. In this
way the group begins to consciously control their climate.
5. It
is then necessary for each individual member to identify their
behaviors
which;
a.
Initiate the norm.
b.
Maintain the norm. (By ommission or commission.)
6. Lastly
with the group aware of its current behavior, it can begin
to think
about and as a group choose a new norm
which will govern the conduct of its members.
