What are Group Dynamics Techniques ?

When we talk about Group Dynamics we should talk about Kurt Lewin, one of the founders of Social Psychology and one of the people responsible for highlighting the personality of individuals, relating it to the concept of the group and leadership.

As a result of the various studies, he carried out on these concepts, Kurt Lewin concluded that the dynamics of the groups in which individuals are involved will determine their individual behavior and this will be reflected in the organization and management of their work. It is therefore important to reflect on what the concept of group dynamics is about, its importance and in what circumstances this technique can be used.

What is a group dynamic?

The Group Dynamics Technique is a tool used to identify and/or work certain skills in a group of individuals that can be used in the most varied situations and contexts. This process always has a certain objective behind its use. The working group may be a group of children in a school environment, a group of people in a therapeutic context, a group of workers in a company or a group of people in the context of a selection process, for example.

The group of people, as a global element and each individual in particular, will show what can and should be worked on in that session and in other future sessions if necessary. In this type of environment each element can show itself in a more transparent way, without filters or barriers. In this way the objective of the session can be reached more easily. Each session should be carried out in a pre-established time and this time should be respected. 

When should Group Dynamics be used? What are the right moments?

The objectives for each session must be set out in advance so that they can be fulfilled and so that everything runs smoothly. If we look at selection processes, these may have as their aim an ice-breaker moment, for example. On the other hand, we may want to assess certain skills or personality profiles of the participants. We may also want to recruit someone for a certain position, a management position, for example. In this sense, we should guide our Group Dynamics in such a way as to assess competencies oriented towards this function. In a company and work environment, group dynamics can be very beneficial for working on certain aspects within an organization, particularly aspects such as group spirit, mutual help, trust and sharing.

In this case, group dynamics such as "Desert Island", in which the participants must choose which colleagues they want to experience a certain situation with, can be used as they allow the quality of the relationship between the group to be evaluated. Another common dynamic in companies is the one commonly called "Treasure Island Dynamics". Its objective is to perceive the level of collaboration and union among the various collaborators.

Examples of Group Dynamics oriented to Selection Processes:  

• Integration Dynamics

Here the candidates are asked to write down their qualities, defects and curiosities. This way we can evaluate some of their behavioral aptitudes and get to know a little better the people who are applying for the proposed position.

• 2 Truths and 1 Lie

In this classic, participants will have to present themselves saying 2 true facts about themselves and 1 lie. In addition to being a great ice-breaker, this dynamic will allow us to observe characteristics in candidates such as creativity, initiative and argumentative capacity. 

• Challenge Dynamics

Wrap up a box with a sweet inside (without the participants seeing) and tell them that whoever gets the box will have to perform an important challenge. Play some music and roll the box around among the participants. When the music stops, the candidate where the box is positioned will be the one who gets the supposed one. In this way you can check how each candidate deals with the unknown if they are anxious about a challenge or if they are calm about it. 

In conclusion, what are the advantages of adopting group dynamics in a selection process?

• It makes the process more dynamic.
• It makes the process quicker.
• Helps to identify competencies and aptitudes in the candidates.
• It takes pressure off and relieves stress from the participants.