INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS FACILITATION TRAINING PROGRAM (IDFTP)
 

The next IDFTP Program will be conducted Spring quarter 2014.  It will be similar to the 2012 program described below, but no details have been determined yet.  To be added to our mailing list so that you receive all future communications about the 2014 program, email pmattish@stanford.edu with the subject line "Please Add Me to Your Mailing List."

Spring 2012

The Interpersonal Dynamics Facilitator Training Program has been created to support the teaching of the Interpersonal Dynamics course at the Graduate School of Business (GSB). We are pleased that many of those who complete our training program indicate they find great satisfaction in having an ongoing working relationship with us here at Stanford, and see additional benefits from their training both in their personal and professional lives.

An initial intern training course will be offered at the Stanford campus over a ten week period in 2012 during the spring quarter (April through June). The nine interns who are selected for this program will receive intensive training and experience in facilitating process groups that have a strong interpersonal focus. These process groups are called "T-groups" (the "T" stands for training, not therapy), and are at the core of the experiential education we offer students through our Interpersonal Dynamics course. Presently four different GSB faculty members teach Interpersonal Dynamics, which is a popular elective taken by more than two-thirds of Stanford MBA's. Thirty-six students are enrolled in each of the ten course sections offered annually. Each course section is divided into three twelve-person T-groups. Each T-group is led by two facilitators. (For a more detailed account of what a T-group experience is like, see "A Week at Inverness" by Bradford and Aronson.)

Upon the successful completion of the initial training, interns will be expected to continue their training by facilitating two more quarters, preferably in the following one or two academic years before becoming qualified to join our ongoing pool of facilitators. This pool of facilitators supports the teaching of Interpersonal Dynamics at the Stanford Graduate School of Business on an ongoing basis.

After completing the intern training program there are opportunities to work collaboratively with a variety of experienced co-facilitators, and to have exposure to all of our faculty members, and to occasional guest speakers.  Additional trainings are offered annually to help all facilitators continue to build their professional skills, and to explore a variety of key group facilitation themes in depth.

The training program represents a substantial commitment of time and effort by the faculty, our mentors, and the selected interns.  We believe the rewards are equally rich for all parties in service of our joint support for student learning. We are interested in attracting applicants who seek a long-term relationship with the School through facilitating in our Interpersonal Dynamics course.

Intern Training Course

As background, The Interpersonal Dynamics course time is divided between class time and T-group time. Each week the faculty instructor leads the class in approximately 1.5 hours of experiential activities that build on homework, readings, and core concepts aimed at improving student's interpersonal effectiveness. Students are expected to transfer their experiential class learning to their respective T-groups which meet for approximately 4.5 hours per week (1.5 hours during normal class time and 3 hours during the evening of the same day). The experiential course activities and homework assignments build up to an intensive weekend T-group toward the end of the quarter. During the weekend students are expected to put their learning goals into action. The weekends are held at the Dolce Hayes Mansion Hotel in San Jose, CA.  Facilitators attend class sessions*, all t-group meetings and the weekend T-group.

(*Some sections of the course meet one day per week, while others meet 2 days per week.  For the sections that meet 2 days per week, facilitators are only required to attend once per week, although they are welcomed and encouraged to attend the other class sessions.)

Interns learn to facilitate by working with experienced co-facilitators who serve as mentors. Mentors will model the skills interns are expected to master, and provide ongoing support and feedback on a 1:1 basis.

The most important ongoing learning event, separate from facilitation itself, is the 2 hour "clinic"

Interns participate in weekly with their mentors and the faculty member leading their section of the course. Since there are three co-facilitator pairs for each course section these clinic meetings with course instructors afford interns a very supportive learning environment. During this clinic, facilitators are expected to identify issues that are arising in their group. These topics are discussed by their instructor and other facilitators, exploring different ways these issues could be addressed. Specific attention is paid to the 'here and now' working relationship of each of the three co-facilitating teams since the quality of this working relationship often reflects group issues and is the best predictor of an intern's overall feeling of success with this learning experience.

Course readings, class activities, homework, and journaling. Interns (along with all facilitators) are expected to read and keep up to date on the course material being introduced by their faculty instructor over the 10 weeks of the class. You will be given a copy of the course reader and homework assignments used by your faculty instructor. The class activities and readings are similar across all Interpersonal Dynamics classes, but each faculty member has their own set of readings and concepts they like best. Part of learning to be a GSB facilitator is recognizing that there is not just one way to facilitate a T-group. Your development as a T-group facilitator will involve learning what works best for you, in alignment with the approach to T-group facilitation we at Stanford are teaching.

Students are required to keep a learning journal focusing on their weekly learning goals and their efforts to address their learning goals thorough their T-group participation. These journals are read by the faculty (and readers) and written feedback is provided. We encourage interns to keep their own journal. Intern journals are voluntary and will not be reviewed.

Peer learning and support group led by training faculty. A unique opportunity for interns is participation in their own ongoing T-group.  In a series of one-day and half-day trainings (see schedule at conclusion of this document) interns will receive information and skills-development activities on topics especially designed for them.  This learning supplements the support interns receive from faculty and mentors and in their ongoing "clinics."  The training is largely led in T-group format which affords interns an opportunity to examine their own issues in a way that is not possible in student groups.  It is also an opportunity to get to know an amazing group of people and to build a close community.

Clearly, this is a rich learning experience. You will learn from the students in your group, from your co-facilitator, from clinic sessions, from the formal training program, and from personal contact with a senior trainer on the T-group weekend.

These following specific themes will be addressed during the training program:

• The dynamics of interpersonal processes:

  • How interpersonal learning occurs.

  • How to engage in more direct, authentic interaction with others.

  • How to be more congruent in one's verbal and non-verbal communication.

  • Distinguish which behaviors build or erode trust and safety.

  • Understand the conditions under which people can learn from their interactions with others.

   

• The dynamics of process groups: Stages of group development; the emergence and modification of norms; various forms of influence; and functional/dysfunctional group dynamics.

• The dynamics of diversity and difference: Our students are very diverse and that diversity is a resource to be mined. In this and subsequent programs, you will learn how to name the differences in the room, and create curiosity - and safety for the exploration of difference rather than modeling silence and avoidance of the topic.

• Facilitation skills: How to intervene at the group, interpersonal and individual level; how to build a cohesive group with the appropriate learning norms; and how to help participants develop their skills. Most important, one learns that the best "facilitation" is less using a set of tools and more the effective use of one's self.

• About your own style: Since our effectiveness is as much dependent on our own style as on any technical skills, there will be the opportunity to see what we do that is useful and what we do that gets in our way. From a number of sources, learning how our behaviors impact others; ways to expand our repertoire to include new ways of interacting.

Faculty and mentors are committed to building a supportive climate where all of us feel free to explore, learn and develop.

Facilitation and Learning Opportunities beyond the Intern Training Course

Successful completion of your internship in the Interpersonal Dynamics Facilitator Training Program allows entrance into a larger learning community with a variety of opportunities to work and to continue learning:

Facilitating the Course: Ten sections of Interpersonal Dynamics will be taught in the 2013-14 academic year. These other sections are staffed with alumni from the Interpersonal Dynamics Facilitation Training Program. After successful completion of the internship, facilitators are paid between $500 and $3,000 per quarter, based on their experience level.  The advantage of training several times is that one begins to get a feel for the kinds of dynamics and phenomena that are common to all process groups and the kinds of events that may be unique to a particular group. When we experience familiar themes and dynamics coming around again, we tend to be more confident of the territory and have an opportunity to practice and refine our facilitation skills in those areas that recur in the life of most or all groups. (One senior NTL trainer once said that it took about 60 groups before he felt like he really understood groups as a "living organism!") Many alumni return to facilitate numerous times over the years: many have facilitated more than 20 T-groups and continue to report good learning.

Further Training at Stanford: T-groups are an incredibly rich learning laboratory and to help participants gain the most from the experience, it is important that facilitators have a deep understanding of intra-personal, inter-personal, and group processes (as well as a more complete understanding of one's self). The initial training program can only provide a first cut at these dimensions. One of the exciting aspects of leading T-groups is that the experience provides continuous learning for the staff as well. (We, the faculty, have each trained over a hundred groups and are still learning new things about groups, about change and about ourselves.)

Mini-Training Programs: The initial IDFTP has a strong inter-personal emphasis (since we see that as the core process for the type of group conducted at Stanford). To broaden skills on other dimensions, there are regular trainings and workshops taught by Interpersonal Dynamics faculty that you are welcome to attend after completing your internship. Common themes addressed in these trainings are:

1.      Intra-personal Level Facilitation

2.      Group Level Facilitation

3.      Facilitating diversity dialogues

4.      Critical Incidents and Clinical Issues

Completing this initial training program means that one becomes part of a larger community of over 150 alumni of the IDFTP. This is a wonderful group with similar values and goals. Faculty host yearly social events for this group and members often organize their own development events.

Who Should Apply

We have found that personal characteristics are more important than any specific training, credentials or degrees. In terms of the former, the crucial dimension is being open to learning. This has several aspects, but central is self-awareness.

•  How much are you aware of your own issues and needs? (We don't expect anybody to be without them but it is important to know when and how one gets "hooked".)

•  How much are you in touch with your feelings and emotions? Since feelings are such an important part of the T-group learning process, it is important to be aware of your range of emotions. And are you aware of those emotions that might be difficult for you to directly express?

•  How able are you to take risks? This includes being able to self-disclose, to try new behaviors and push yourself into new (and perhaps difficult) areas. Tied in with this is an acceptance of making mistakes.

•  How do you trap yourself; what are your learning edges? (It turns out that being open about your learning goals are one of the best ways to "facilitate.")

•  Your willingness to look at yourself including potential strengths not fully expressed as well as under-developed aspects of one's self.

We do not expect perfection in the above categories so the second most important aspect is a willingness to learn. In fact, a trainer's openness to learning is just what we want to model to participants. Are you willing to seek and accept feedback? To move into new areas that may be a "flat" or undeveloped part? And to accept not being perfect and accept making mistakes?

Neither the intern training program nor the course itself is intended to be "therapy." Although clinical skills can be helpful to the facilitator, the (typical) therapeutic detachment is not useful. We expect the facilitators to use their own feelings and reactions in their interactions in the group. You will not "facilitate others" but instead "facilitate yourself." It is not a requirement to be proficient in skills and techniques of conducting T-groups (that is what you will learn from this internship.)  But it is a requirement to have participated in a T-group that is based on the model of T-groups taught in our Interpersonal Dynamics class.

It can be helpful (though not necessary) to have one or more of the following: Experience facilitating small group interactions (team building, process consultation,) Clinical training (including one's own therapy) and prior academic or continuing studies course work in interpersonal and group behavior.

Note: If selected for the program, applicants must satisfy the I-9 Employment Eligibility Requirements (http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf)  Failure to satisfy the requirements will exclude applicants from the program.

A Word of Caution

Because of the training program constitutes a major time commitment, interns are advised to make sure that their other (work/family) pressures are such that they can take this time without feeling pulled in too many ways. It is fair to assume that the commitment of energy and emotion involved in this program will lead you to spend somewhat more time on this experience than we have already outlined. If work/family or other obligations are likely to pull you away, we ask that you apply another year.

It is imperative that everybody, including facilitators, commit to all the formal meeting times.  Absence not only interferes with your learning but the learning of the other facilitators and the Interpersonal Dynamics students. Attendance is especially crucial for the student T-group meetings, and since we make it a course requirement that the students attend all of those sessions, we have to do the same for you.

This ten-week program is rich in learning but it also is demanding and, at times, even stressful.  Even though we will strive to build a supportive climate with conditions that support each individual's personal rate of learning, you will experience the internship as pushing you in many ways. Basic to the learning process is that people are willing to be open about their reactions to what is going on; that self-disclosure applies to the facilitators (and staff) as much as it does to the students.  The feedback is built around your reaction to another's behavior (not your cognitive interpretation of their motives).  You will be urged to fully get in touch with those reactions. Central to that are your feelings and emotions (of warmth, hurt, anger, closeness, competitiveness, and the like.)

Since we believe you will only be as good a facilitator as you are fully a human, we link the professional and personal. You will be spending much of the ten weeks in touch with and expressing your feelings and reactions. Some of these feelings and reactions are ones that you will feel good about and others will be ones you might not. But "everything is grist for the mill." As one top professional in the field said "the only mistake a trainer can make is not being willing to look at his/her own mistakes."

People will find this experience more stressful if they have difficulties in self-disclosing, getting in touch with and expressing emotions, and being vulnerable, or if they have a strong need to "look professional and show how much they know."  These difficult areas are ones you will be urged to enter. We don't expect you will do this correctly all the time; after all this is a learning experience for everybody.

What we do expect is a willingness to work on these areas (because modeling working on these issues is the best way to "facilitate" the group.)

Again, we need to stress that even though there will be times of high emotionality and self- exploration, this is not therapy. (For those presently in therapy, we ask that you discuss this with your therapist to make sure this would be an appropriate time for you to participate in the internship.)

Program Faculty

The Interpersonal Dynamics Group Facilitation Training Program is led by Dr. Gary A. Dexter with the assistance of Andrea Corney.

Training Faculty

Gary A. Dexter received his Ph.D. and Post-Doctoral Training at Stanford University and is currently a Lecturer in Organization Behavior at the Graduate School of Business. He has been a member of NTL since 2005.

Andrea Corney received her JD/MBA from Stanford University and is currently a Leadership Coach at the Graduate School of Business.  She has been a member of NTL since 2005.

Clinic Faculty

In addition to working with Dexter and Corney, interns will each be assigned to one of three sections of Interpersonal Dynamics.  The faculty teaching these sections are listed below.

Scott Bristol received his Ed.D. in Organizational Development from the University of Massachusetts School of Education. He received his training in group dynamics concurrently at graduate school and through NTL Institute. He has been member of NTL since 1978.

Richard P. Francisco who for nearly three decades has been an independent consultant, psychologist and educator, is currently a licensed psychologist practicing in clinical, counseling, and organizational psychology. He is also tenured faculty at San Jose State University and an instructor in Stanford's Graduate School of Business. He has been a member of NTL since 1977.

Carole Robin, Director of the Arbuckle Leadership Fellows Program, has been a lecturer at Stanford since 2002.  She received her Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems from The Fielding Graduate Institute.  She has been a member of NTL since 2000.

Fees and Questions

Training Fee: If accepted to the intern program, there will be an $800.00 fee to cover expenses for the opening T-group weekend, and for the training program.

Questions: For more detailed information about the Interpersonal Dynamics Facilitation Training Program please contact Dr. Gary Dexter at gdexter@stanford.edu

For logistical questions, please contact Paul Mattish at pmattish@stanford.edu

2012 Program Schedule
 

COURSE\CLINIC TIMES
Note: Each intern will be assigned to one of the following three sections 

IDFTP INTERN TRAINING COURSE ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE 

Back to the Top