A T-Group is facilitated experiential learning, focused on the here and now, in an unstructured small
group setting. It was invented in the late 1940’s by Kurt Lewin, Ken Benne, Leland Bradford (the father of David Bradford,
founder of OBTS) and Ronald Lippitt, and was the basis for the founding of the NTL Institute for the Applied Behavioral
Sciences. The T-Group has been a major component in the growth of organizational
development and management education, and T-Group technology is inherent
in the teaching of managerial skills, interpersonal skills, self-awareness, diversity and group dynamics. This T-Group experience is intended to provide you the opportunity to:
· Hone your interpersonal skills.
· Increase your sensitivity to your own feelings in
the moment.
· Increase your understanding of the impact of your
behavior on others.
· Increase your sensitivity to others’ feelings.
· Increase your ability to give and receive feedback.
· Increase
your ability to handle conflict in a way which meets your needs and strengthens the relating.
· Increase your understanding of process in the small group.
Success
in these goals depends, to a large extent, on the implied contract that you are willing to disclose feelings you may have
in the moment about others in the group, and are willing to hear feedback from others about yourself.
WHY?
Quality teaching depends on the ability to interact
effectively with others, to have sufficient emotional awareness and competence to handle difficult interpersonal situations,
and to create emotional intimacy – all of which are skills developed in the T-Group.
Why this T-Group? OB T-group is one of this century's last true bargains!
If you were to attend NTL's T-group (called Human Interaction Laboratory), it would cost you $3200 for tuition for the same
number of actual T-group hours plus about $2000 for room and board.
WHEN?
OB T-Group 2008 will
take place immediately prior to OBTC at Babson College in Babson Park, MA, from 12:00 noon on Sunday, June 8 to 1:30 PM on
Wednesday, June 11.
WHO?
Participants will range
from those who have never participated in T-Groups to those who have extensive experience. Both are welcome and will
enrich each other’s learning.
The Founder and Dean of the OB T-Group
is Esther Hamilton. She facilitates T-Groups for the NTL Institute for the Applied Behavioral Sciences, is a former JME editor
and OBTS Board member, and received the year 2000 OBTS Distinguished Educator Award. Facilitators this year will be Esther Hamilton and Bill Torbert. Dale Finn will be a third facilitator
if we have over 10 participants (13 is our max).
