This is law 14 of 18 as I continue writing down this summary of Robert Greene’s Laws of Human Nature.
The catchphrase is: Resist the downward pull of the group.
“When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other.” Eric Hoffer
The social personality is the person when become when we are operating in groups of people. It’s a side to our character we are rarely even aware of. In a group we unconsciously imitate what others say and do. There is no positive or negative side to the social force, it’s just an aspect of our human nature.
The Individual Effect
The Desire to Fit In
We tend to alter our appearance, or adopt ideas, beliefs, and values of a group in order to fit in.
The Need to Perform
We become actors in the group, guiding what we say and do so that other team members accept us as loyal members of the team.
Emotional Contagion
We experience the contagiousness of emotions through the group. The group may compel you to act in ways you otherwise wouldn’t, if you were alone.
Hyper-certainty
In the group, we are driven to make urgent decisions and support them. This gives a sense of certainty that makes us more open to taking risks. You should never give up your ability to doubt, reflect, or consider other options that differ from the group.
“The larger the group, and the more established the culture over time, the more likely it will control you than the other way around.”
Group Dynamics
Study these dynamics in the groups to which you belong
Group Culture
Groups carry some dynamic of culture, from countries with long-standing traditions, all the way down to a company or even an office. An ideal state will always be the center of the group’s culture and spirit.
Rules and Codes
The distressing effects of disorder and anarchy are experienced by all groups. So standard rules and how to conduct oneself emerge quickly. They aren’t written down, but they’re implied by group members.
The Group Court
In chimp colonies, there is an alpha male, and other chimps adapt their behavior to follow him. They are trying to strengthen their bonds with the alpha. This is the pre-human version of the court, or the social dynamic. Despite the difference in appearance, the behavior and strategies of the courtiers continue to be very similar.
The Group Enemy
There will almost certainly be some enemy or villain to fight, human or otherwise.
Group Factions
As a group becomes large enough, individuals start to form factions. These factions, unchecked, can grow powerful enough to take control of the leaders. By creating an enthusiastic and unifying environment in the group, factions become less desirable, which tightens the whole group.
The Court and its Courtiers
In any group, there will be a struggle for power. There will be some form of group court, with an alpha leader at the top, and subordinate leaders with whom people try to get close to. Understanding the courts dynamics is crucial. Be able to identify various types of courtiers such as:
The Intriguer
He appears loyal to the group, but secretly accumulates power.
The Stirrer
Hide his envy to stir conflict within the group.
The Gatekeeper
He uses his position to control the flow of information and isolate the leader.
The Reality Group
5 Strategies to create a healthy group dynamic
1) Instill a collective sense of purpose
Capture and channel the social force that compels people to belong and fit in. It can’t be vague, it needs to be clearly stated and publicized.
2) Assemble the right team of lieutenants
Fear of delegating authority will be your biggest obstacle. Developing a team of lieutenants with the skills you lack must be the first thing you do.
3) Let information and ideas flow freely
Communication is the lifeblood of any group. Encourage open discussion to build member’s trust.
4) Infect the group with productive emotions
Radiate a sense of determination that permeates the group. In the face of setbacks, keep pressing forward and solving problems.
5) Forge a battle tested group
When faced with a crisis, you want to find out how tough a person is from the inside. Test the people in your team with some relatively challenging tasks and shorter deadlines than usual and see how they respond under pressure.
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My own notes:
This is an interesting segment. Having a lot of experience in Christianity and the church, this is where my mind immediately goes to when I think of groups. Secondarily is the company where I work.
For better or worse, these dynamics are at play in the local church. We do our best to minimize the negative, and we do our best to utilize some of these dynamics for good. People do need to fit in, and hopefully we provide that at the local church. That said, I’ve encountered many people over the years that come in, and want things to operate around them and their particular set of values. They attempt to rewrite the dynamics for themselves, although they won’t usually try this on a mass scale. They’ll attempt to maneuver in to a strategic position and bend the ear of the highest person up the chain of command that they can convince.
The needs to perform, emotional contagion, and certainty are all part of the dynamics in the church. I could probably write for a long time on each of these, but I’ll just limit it here to saying that hopefully, we use the need to perform in a way that motivates people to grow personally and spiritually. The emotional dynamic is loaded. We certainly do want to tap into that, but at least in our local congregation, we aren’t attempting to overload this. I’ve seen lots of churches build on ‘emotionalism’. But of course what counts as ’emotionalism’ is going to vary widely. Hyper-Pentecostal churches will see our church as dead, while super conservative churches would see ours as hyper-Pentecostal, so I recognize that there isn’t a set baseline here. But I believe there IS a place for emotion, and we certainly would want to connect with people on that level… or maybe I’d say… we want them to connect to God on that level. Not ONLY that level, but their connection should include that level. Yes, that means being stirred up at times, but keeping your brain involved.
Certainly, Christianity itself has a larger, and much longer cultural tradition. But there are subcultural traditions within it according to subcategories: Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and within Protestant- mainline or evangelical; and down the line to whatever culture your local church body might have. The good thing is that the church can serve a multitude of purposes, and there are different congregations whose missions are directed towards meeting those needs. Some churches are foreign missions minded; some churches are directed towards homeless ministry in their neighborhood, some towards schools, some towards outreach to recovering addicts, etc. If you have a particular calling, there are places where you can fit in.
There are rules of conduct… most of which have long been established by the bible itself, but admittedly there are plenty of variations as to which ones get emphasized, or downplayed. Much of it will come down to your local congregation, but if you’ve been a part of 4-5 congregations over your life, you will begin notice commonalities, and maybe have a stronger sense of what is acceptable.
The common enemy is of course primarily, Satan. Then ‘the world’ or ‘the flesh’ as the situations arise. But it’s kind of interesting to see these points made. I’ve not read the book, so I don’t know if Robert Greene talks references the church at all in this chapter, but I’m almost certain he must have done some referencing of it in a study of group dynamics.