The Washington-Baltimore Center,
of the A. K. Rice Institute, presents:
Authority & Learning
A Group Relations Conference in the Tavistock Tradition
To be held at
The Academy of Leadership
University of Maryland, College Park
March 13, 14, & 15, 1998
Primary task of this conference
Learning is a fundamental process apparent in all living systems.
Learning is evident in a living system's capacity to understand its
context, to adapt to changes in the context, and occasionally, to
consciously effect change. The primary task of this conference is to
provide members with opportunities to learn about interpersonal,
group, intergroup, and organizational processes - both overt and
covert - encountered in the exercise of authority, with particular
focus on how authority, and feelings/beliefs about authority,
facilitate and inhibit learning within and by organizations.
Context of a Group Relations Conference
A Group Relations Conference is a temporary experiential learning
institution. Members are invited to explore their experiences in a
variety of contexts. Small group events function in the "here and
now" to understand issues of personal authority and group dynamics
throughout the group's lifecycle. Intergroup and institutional
events, also in the "here and now", provide an opportunity for the
conference members and staff to learn about the dynamics of authority
and learning as they occur among groups within the temporary
institution. Role Analysis and Application events facilitate
understanding of the roles members "take-up" within the temporary
institution and encourage direct application of the learning gleaned
from conference experiences to the workplaces and professional lives
of the members. While analysis and interpretation is conducted at
the group and organizational level, the experiential nature of the
conference allows significant opportunity for learning about self in
these contexts. Staff function in a variety of roles designed to
encourage analysis and exploration of the dynamics manifest in the
various events that occur during the conference; to join with the
members in learning about the dynamics evident in this temporary
educational institution; and, to facilitate application of this
learning to the other institutions and organizations we work with
daily.
For more information contact:
Elizabeth McGovern, or Larry W. Penwell, Ph.D.
Conference Administrator Conference Director
Burns Academy of Leadership Department of Psychology
University of Maryland, Mary Washington College
1107 Taliaferro Hall 1301 College Avenue
College Park, Maryland, 20742 Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401
Phone: (301)-405-3860
lpenwell@mwc.edu
emcgovern@academy.umd.edu
Additional Support provided by: The Departments of Psychology and
Business Administration, & The Center of Graduate and Continuing
Education at Mary Washington College