• What are dynamics?
  • Power
  • Movement
  • The way things happen
• What does that mean in groups?
  • Who leads the discussion?
  • Who doesn't say anything?
  • Who contributes the most?
  • Who does the work?
  • Who takes the credit?
• In short - how does the group work together?

So, what's the structure of a group like?

• Someone in charge
  • Or at least some control mechanism
• Clearly defined roles
  • Who's doing what?
  • Who's responsible for what?
• A clearly specified task
  • Exactly what are we trying to achieve?
• Divided into sub-tasks
  • How can we make this task more manageable?
  • How can we allocate tasks?
  • Problem decomposition
• A plan for integrating the sub-tasks
  • How does this fit together?
  • Which sub-tasks need to be coordinated?

So what happens if there's conflict?

• What is conflict?

  1. a. a state of opposition or hostilities.
     b. a fight or struggle.
  2. a. the clashing of opposed principles etc.
     b. an instance of this.
  3. [Psychological]
     a. the opposition of incompatible wishes or 
  	 needs in a person.
     b. an instance of this.
     c. the distress resulting from this.
  

• How does it arise?

• When aims/goals don't match
• When personalities don't match
• When personalities do match!
• ...?

What can we do about it?

• Compromise
  • On whose part?
• Mediation
  • Seek help when agreement seems unreachable
• Arbitration
  • Seek external/objective resolution
  • Someone all parties trust to be impartial and fair
  • We can't solve this - let someone else make the decision!