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Showing posts from September, 2010

What makes groups grow, part 2

Note: this article is one of six articles that eventually grew into a book: Make Your Group Grow. Available here: www.youcandouble.com I have just completed three months of asking 1031 teachers thirteen question designed to help us understand what makes groups grow. This article is the second in a series of reports on this survey. (Note: this is not a scientifically randomized survey, but rather a survey of group leaders that I filled out surveys online and at conferences.) I divided the findings into four sections: Things that didn't matter hardly at all. (Less than 10% difference in likelihood of growth in the bottom and top group) Things that only mattered a little. (Between 11% and 100% difference likelihood of growth in the bottom and top groups.) Things that mattered a lot. (If you are in the top group in these factors you are twice as likely--or more--to be growing than if you are in the bottom group. Be

What makes groups grow, part 1

Note: this article is one of six articles that eventually grew into a book: Make Your Group Grow. Available here: www.youcandouble.com I have just completed three months of asking 1031 teachers thirteen questions designed to help us understand what makes groups grow. This article is the first in series that summarize my findings. (Note: this is not a scientifically randomized survey, but rather a survey of group leaders that I filled out surveys online and at conferences.) Before I begin, allow me to say something. (I have always found that line humorous, but you kind of have to think about it.) I don't like some of the answers I found in this survey. I have taught the exact opposite of what this survey reveals at some points. I disagree with some of these findings. But, the facts are the facts and I am going to report them just as they are. If you disagree with the findings, please don't shoot me, I am only the messe

How to Stimulate Better Discussions.

Guest article by Mark Howell http://www.markhowelllive.com R eminder : Two of my core assumptions are (1) if I want to make it possible for everyone to be part of a group, I need to lower the bar for leaders (and raise the bar for coaches and coaching) and (2) part of lowering the bar for leaders is that I need to provide material that almost leads itself. That said, here is how I train leaders to stimulate better discussions. Five Keys to Stimulating Better Discussions First, think ahead of time about where your members need to go … You don’t need to spend a lot of time on this, but it does help to think about the individual needs of your members as you’re looking over the upcoming session. Although this is a challenge in a newer group, it gets easier the longer a group has been together and the more you know about your members. One way you can speed up the process is to have each of your members take the Purpose Drive