A group relations conference offers …

opportunities to learn about group, organisational and social dynamics; the exercise of authority and power; the interplay between tradition, innovation and change; and the relationship of organisations to their social, political and economic environments.

A group relations conference uses experiential (learning through experience) methods on the grounds that learning is more significant and lasts longer if all one’s senses and faculties are involved. As such, the group relations conference emphasises the emotional engagement that comes about through active participation in the events of the conference.

Testimonials from those who have participated in group relations conferences include:‘I never realized how easily and how strongly groups set up defences to avoid the painful realities about their task, their relationships with other groups and their performance’
_{Organisational Development Consultant, Italy}

‘I learned that tensions are inevitable in organisations and certain group behaviours, e.g tendency to form silos, seem to exacerbate these tensions. Encouragement by conference staff to reach out across boundaries and be curious about what was happening in other silos, was a useful way of improving understanding and relationships.’
_{Detective Chief Superintendent,
Metropolitan Police, UK}

‘The conference helped me to express myself in plain words, instead of professional language, as an extremely powerful tool of communication.‘
_{Nurse, NHS, UK}

‘Far better than conventional raining for actually changing and improving leadershipability.
_{Director of Strategy,TeliaSonera, Sweden}

The Tavistock Institute’s Group Relations Programme organises and runs several different forms of group relations conferences- some are open to everyone; others are in-house events for organisational clients. The best-known of the open conferences is the annual Leicester conference: Authority Role Organisation.

If you have any questions or would like a brochure for the Leicester conference 2011, please contact Rachel Kelly, Conference Administrator

e: r.kelly@tavinstitute.org
t: +44 (0)20 7457 3927