This page was created for the participants in one of our Climate Conversations. Responses are edited for clarity and anonymity. They represent the personal feelings and opinion of participants around that topic. They are not intended to be used as a source of factual information, they are not fact-checked and there may be errors and inaccuracies.
What’s it like being in a group?
“It’s so much work: personalities, disagreements, negotiating and communicating”.
“It’s social – helps avoid isolation”.
“One person can change everything, for example, by bullying”.
“They’re necessary. You can’t achieve a lot of things by yourself”.
“It can be an end in itself”.
“They can be very variable. The dynamics range from toxic to comforting”.
“Groups are always problematic”.
“We’re not brought up learning collectively. Trying to learn how to do it as adults is difficult”.
“I think someone always takes over. Do people want that or not? It could be a relief to have someone take the lead”.
“A leader always comes up”.
“Groups always have someone who doesn’t seem to pull their weight”.
“Because I’m not very sociable, I struggle in groups. I need some kind of structure”.
“I find conflict difficult. I struggle when there’s conflict. It’s hard to communicate and I get frustrated”.
“Being on the left, I think we tend to argue more about nuances. It’s easier on the right where they know who they’re against”.
“People have different ideas about how to do things”.
“Groupthink. We reinforce each other’s views”.
“I can feel left out and that I’m not part of the team”.
“Gender dynamics and male competitiveness”.
“It can be hard to get a word in”.
“If I’m leading a group, I worry about including everyone”.
“When I’m leading, I’m aware I can take over”.
What has worked well previously? What made it work?
“We have a leader who is upbeat and enthusiastic and gets everyone organised. She doesn’t seem to mind she’s doing most of the work”.
“All respecting each other. Communicating. Enthusiasm. Shared purpose and a similar work ethic”.
“We all helped each other. We were open and honest, for example, about how much time we’ve got”.
“Small groups”.
“Is there a lifespan for a group? Circumstances change”.
“Longevity. The group has lasted because it has a structure, set roles, and there is prestige in belonging to the group”.
“A problem is not enough members, and existing members are ageing. It’s a management problem”.
“Changing presidents each year keeps things fresh and avoids burnout. The executive provides continuity”.
“The leader knows when to step back”.
“Things can collapse because of a lack of trust and failure of leadership”.
“Ground rules which are well chosen. Structure.”
“A benevolent dictator. Lots of energy and no resentment”.
“Good people need to be appreciated”.
“The right people, at the right time”.
“It’s a shame there aren’t more women leaders”.
“Are women more inclined to be in groups?”.
“Having a small core group”.
“Trust”.
“Personal relationships”.
“Appreciation”.
“An informal interview to make sure people understand what the group is about”.
“Boundaries”.
“You need a certain amount of self-awareness to work in a group. We’re generally not encouraged to be reflective”.
What do you think or feel at the end of today’s conversation?
“It’s helped me to think about it”.
“A good range of feelings and emotions”.
“It’s made me think about how people need to be introspective and self-aware of how they are in a group”.
“Trust and small groups”.
“Are focus groups helpful? Or citizens assemblies?”.
“To be democratic, everyone needs the information”.