SENSITIVITY TRAINING
Introduction
T-Group (Training Group) is a small unstructured
group in which the participants learn from their
own inter-actions and evolving dynamics about
issues pertaining to inter-personal relations, group
dynamics and leadership.
This is also primarily known as L- Group and T Group
and is based on experiential learning.
Propounded by Kurt Lewin and his team (Benne,
Bradford and Lippit) in NTL, USA
In a group, around 10-12 participants assemble together
and work with a facilitator to discover something about
themselves — their strengths, styles, inter-personal
relationships, participation in the group, how they are
perceived by others etc.
The group does not have any pre-determined agenda
and evolves its own agenda over the time.
The participants act as a resource to each other and help
in creating a climate, which is conducive to discovery
through the data generated in the group.
The group evolves like a laboratory where learning
takes place mainly through experiencing, reflecting,
hypothesizing, experimenting and conceptualising
rather than through lectures.
The individual is encouraged to express oneself and
increase one‟s personal and inter-personal effectiveness
in the group setting.
T-Group Training normally adopts two paths (directions):
i) To gain deeper understanding about self and personal
growth (inter-personal focus); and
ii) to explore group dynamics and relationship between
members. This leads to team building interventions
(Interpersonal and organizational focus).
Objectives
The following are some of the objectives frequently set for T-
Groups:
Enhance understanding about self, gain insights into
one‟s own behaviour and its impact on others including
the ways in which these are interpreted by others.
Enhance the understanding and awareness about others‟
behaviour (thoughts, feelings and actions).
Enhance the understanding and awareness of group and
inter-group processes; processes that facilitate and
inhibit group effectiveness.
Identify and develop greater awareness of behavioural
processes associated with one„s life.
Increasing diagnostic skills in inter-personal and inter-
group situations.
Experimentation of new behaviours initiated during the
lab.
Improve one‟s effectiveness in inter-personal situations
so as to derive greater satisfaction from them.
Discover one‟s dormant potential to live more
effectively and meaningfully.
Increase ability to transform the learning into action etc.
A Brief Outline of Working of T-Group
There are 8-12 members (participants) in a T-Group.
To start with the Trainer (called facilitator)
informs the group that he is a member and a
resource to the group and after brief introduction
vanishes into silence.
There may be spells of silence, the participant
start inter-acting with each other, a leadership
agenda may be created and the group keeps on
struggling to work and its own methods for
proceeding further.
Whatever goes on, the group generates “here and
now data for learning experiences”. Individual
members try out different roles successfully or
unsuccessfully as the group struggles with
procedures.
Sometimes, members become very active, involved,
and aggressive and sometimes there a long patches
of silence, withdrawal and sulking (be in a mood).
The facilitator remains a member of the group and
makes different types of interventions depending
upon the purpose of the laboratory, his own style
and the stages / processes within the group.
The members are desired from bringing outside data
and emphasizes on here and now data.
The facilitator, through his interventions,
encourages members to understand what is going on
in the group, their feelings, behaviours and impact
of the behaviour on themselves and others.
An open, supportive and caring atmosphere where
all members and facilitator are at the same level - is
created which ultimately enhances experimentation,
observation, sharing of data (thoughts and feelings
and actions), processing of data with others for
driving inferences, generalising the inferences
(learning) and then applying it again and again.
This facilitates greater insights into their own and
others behaviour and understanding of group dynamics.
Many a times, individuals undergo tremendous
emotional pressure and turbulence and the bottled
feelings find a venting out in the form of intensive
emotional outbreaks.
The individual gets a unique experience, which
brings in clarity in their thoughts and feelings.
They are able to perceive and respond more clearly
and objectively. The facilitator does not teach them
and never imposes his decisions.
Some Basic Assumptions
a) Learning is the responsibility of participants;
b) The role of trainer is to facilitate the examination and
understanding of the experiences in the group;
c) Learning is largely a combination of experiences and
conceptualisation and uses the experiential learning cycle
d) People‟s learning is optimised when they establish
authentic relationships with others; and
e) The development of new skills (in working with people) is
maximised as they examine the basic values, acquire concepts
and theories, practice new behaviours and obtain feedback.
T-Group Trainer
A T-Group Trainer is called a „facilitator‟.
A facilitator is a process guide and makes a process
easier or more convenient and guides the group towards
a destination. It is difficult to enumerate the roles of a
facilitator.
One of the initial challenges in the role of the facilitator
is his own levelling with the participants they should
consider him a member of the group and not on a higher
pedestal.
He manages group by providing opportunities,
alternatives, direction, setting standards and directing
the communication.
He ensures that the members understand the
contents and processes actively and encourages them
to reflect, interpret and explain what they are
thinking and feeling.
He helps them in processing and also occasionally in
inferring and in this own way gives meaning to their
experiencing.
Members get emotionally charged, become aggressive,
sad, angry, excited and in the state of emotional
turbulence quite often, the facilitator may also have
similar experiences. In such situations, the role of
facilitator in handling his own and others‟ feelings
become critical.
He may have to stimulate / manage the emotions by
challenging and confronting; facilitate release of strong
pent - up emotions and playing a catalyst for
interactions.
He has to design and use a variety of interventions,
which would encourage venting out of bottled feelings,
dispelling apprehensions, and facilitate a free and frank
sharing. In order to ensure that all these happen, a
conducive group atmosphere will have to be created.
Thus, relationship building is another important role of
facilitator.
