Basic Group Needs, Conflicts and Dynamics

Basic Group Needs, Conflicts and Dynamics
Many have presented persuasive arguments and examples highlighting the value of Individual Psychology in solving workplace and organizational problems. In this paper, the aim is to increase understanding of conflict and other self-defeating and destructive behaviors regularly encountered by groups. A range of diverse theories and models of conflict, basic human needs, and dynamics are juxtaposed with Adlerian theory of human behavior. Developmental and social psychological, sociological, group dynamics and management theories and models are explored and integrated. The principles extracted suggest ways of encouraging cooperation within groups in general as well as in the workplace Basic Group Needs, Conflicts and Dynamics
Ferguson (1999) recently stressed the value of applying the principles and methods of Individual Psychology in solving workplace and organizational problems. She (1995) has also argued that Individual Psychology’s three fundamental principles – holism, purposiveness of behavior, and the desire to belong and contribute to the welfare of the community – are as important in understanding the dynamics of organizations as in understanding individual motivation and behavior. Barker and Barker (1996) reported a case study in which Adlerian and organizational principles were integrated and applied in managing change within a health care setting. They concluded that practitioners of Individual Psychology can be particularly effective in helping organizations to negotiate change because of their understanding and application of the principles of encouragement, cooperation, equality, mutual respect, and social interest.
Similarly, Ferguson (1999) noted that underlying effective human relationships in any group context are social interest and social equality. She gave examples of how failure to establish mutual respect or failure to believe in the equal value of individuals leads to open or covert

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