Sol Space Consulting specializes in the wild and woolly field know as “Group Dynamics” a term that covers a lot of territory. If you know what you need, try one of these links to see some specifics:

Click here for a list of trainings, consulting and talks menu for cooperative groups.

Click here for a list of offerings for intentional communities.

However, if you just know something is off but aren’t sure what you’d like to do about it, we’ve provided a list of challenging scenarios below that you can review and see if you recognize your group in them. You see, we are guessing that you’ve come to our website for some pretty nitty-gritty reasons: your group is struggling (or you are stuggling as a leader) and you want some help! Fortunately, most group challenges are common ones, and we can offer that help. Here are 17 common problems, and what we recommend:

Challenge #1: Our group has conflicts and tensions that get in the way of doing our work.
We recommend outside facilitation for conflict resolution, followed by consensus training. Old “stuff” can poison the environment for everyone.

Challenge #2: Our meetings are unproductive or disempowering.
Depending on the specifics, facilitation training, organizational structure, and consensus can all help.

Challenge #3: People don’t know who to ask about things that are important to them. New people in particular have a hard time finding their place.
Unclear organizational structure and less-than-cooperative leadership structures can both contribute to these problem.

Challenge #4: We’ve got power dynamics! It’s hard to have a simple conversation with everyone dancing around each other.
This one can be addressed from a lot of angles: outside facilitation and training, consensus training, and looking at cooperative leadership and organizational structure needs.

Challenge #5: Sometimes our facilitators can’t keep the group in check; at other times, they can’t get out of the way.
Facilitation can be a challenging role to take on; support your facilitators with training.

Challenge #6: We have very poor follow-through, and a noticeable lack of enthusiasm about our decisions.
Consensus is great for creating better buy-in, and enthusiasm for following through.

Challenge #7: We have opposing “camps” within our group.
Consensus brings more listening, compassion and connection to an organizational culture. When you eliminate the win-lose dynamic, “camps” rarely form.

Challenge #8: We have a hard time deciding what to do; it seems like we actually do nothing.
You may not be clear about the group values, or the appropriate scope of your group’s work. Try strategic planning using consensus with good facilitation.

Challenge #9: Our lines of responsibility and communication are fuzzy at best.
Sounds like it’s time for an organizational structure review.

Challenge #10: There’s a lot of scapegoating going on.
With consensus, you develop an attitude that we are all in this together. Paired with cooperative leadership development, it can help you learn to back each other up instead of tearing each other down.

Challenge #11: Our meetings feel like micro-managing sessions.
Good facilitation training includes knowing when to delegate (one of the ways that groups like yours get themselves into trouble). You may also have power dynamics a good consultant can help uncover.

Challenge #12: Different branches of the organization contradict each other’s work.
Without a clear organizational structure and delegation, this is easy to fall into.

Challenge #13: Our committees do good work, but then the whole group wants to redo it all.
Delegation is an art that your group can develop, using facilitation training and a good review of your organizational structure and developing a decision-making flow chart.

Challenge #14: We burn out seemingly committed and aligned people, especially leaders.
This is what cooperative leadership development is all about; consensus can also help because it empowers the whole group.

Challenge #15: Only a few people talk at meetings. Some people feel steamrollered or otherwise disregarded.
Firm and compassionate facilitation can start to turn this one around, and consensus means that everyone’s voice matters. You can also work on leadership issues.

Challenge #16: Our meetings aren’t fun.
Good facilitators pay attention to the energy as well as the agenda; we recommend some training.

Challenge #17: We seem to have a lot of post-meeting gossip and “sidewalk sabotage”.
Better buy-in to your work will make all the difference: consensus, facilitation and cooperative leadership strategies can all help reduce the post-meeting grumps.

So, did any of that sound familiar? If so, we’ love to help!