Leadership & Authority in Groups: An Immersive Learning Methodology

Leadership & Authority in Groups: An Immersive Learning Methodology

Presented By: Jeffrey F. Wolper, Ph.D. and Deborah Kossmann, Psy.D.

PCOM 4170 City Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19131

Room Location Evans Hall 327

May 31, 2019

Registration 8:30am

Time: 9am to 3pm

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

6 CE Credits

An introduction will review history, literature, and rationale for method. Participants will access learning not achieved in traditional learning experiences. They will be part of a small group and examine how groups function around authority, leadership, power, and responsibility. Social identities as well as less recognized diversity such as abilities and coping strategies are examined. In addition to a deeper understanding of how these themes emerge in interpersonal relationships, participants will come away with a clear understanding about group development. Learning is applicable to all groups including teams, organizations, work groups, classes, families, and therapy groups. Satisfying objectives, participants will experience an authority vacuum and integrate self inquiry, and introspection with consultant interventions tying group affect, behavior, and cognitions to literature during multiple 45 minute sessions. A thematic task is a didactic component focusing on themes faculty identified during group sessions as well as application of learning for Psychologists. Members examine individual roles and group development over time.

Following this presentation, participants will be able to:

Objectives:

1. Describe distinctions among authority, leadership, power, and responsibility.
2. List group development stages and apply that knowledge to professional practice.
3. Describe interventions at various stages of group development that will improve leadership skills.
4. Describe group anxiety and the interplay with reactions to authority.
5. Define the work task and basic assumption task of a group.
6. Describe the emergence of group norms, roles, competition, and scapegoating.
7. Explain different types of leadership within a group that promote or impede group performance.
8. Explain “Group as a whole”.
9. List two pioneers and two recent theorists presenting group theory.
10. List three examples of diversity and the influence within the group.

Dr Wolper is a licensed psychologist with more than 30 years experience teaching, and providing corporate consulting. He is the founder and director of The Wolper Institute for Group Learning. Leadership and Authority in Groups is Dr. Wolper’s flagship program which he developed over 30 years of teaching at several universities. He teaches the course for Diplomats at the United States Department of State at the Foreign Service Institute. As a result of his success, Dr. Wolper was invited to bring his program to the United States Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, January 24-27, 2017 and is currently being considered by the US State Department for expansion beyond the three offerings per year. Dr. Wolper is directer the Group Process Course at the Lauder Institute at the Wharton School of Business for 30 years. All new students are required to start their tenure at The Lauder Institute by taking Dr. Wolper’s course. He currently teaches the course twice a year at The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth as well. The course is taught at corporations across the United States. More information is available at www.wolperinstitute.com.   Dr. Wolper earned his Ph.D. and MS degrees at The University of Pennsylvania and completed his undergraduate degree at La Salle University.

Dr. Kossmann earned her B.A. in English in 1982 from Arcadia University, an M.Ed. in Counseling from Temple University in 1989 and an M.A. (1993) and Psy.D. (1994) from Widener University. Prior to earning her psychology degrees, Dr. Kossmann worked in marketing and public relations at the Philadelphia Zoo and KYW Newsradio. She has been an adjunct professor in the graduate counseling programs at both Chestnut Hill and Rosemont Colleges and has led trainings and workshops on a variety of topics. She was an alumni trustee on the board of Arcadia University for five years. She is currently a Fellow of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association (PPA) and served for six years on the Board of the Pennsylvania Psychological Foundation (PPF), a charitable arm of PPA. She continues to serve on the PPF Education Award Scholarship Committee and is currently a member of PPA’s Ethics Committee. Dr. Kossmann is also a Member of the Philadelphia Society of Clinical Psychologists. Her articles and poetry have won awards and have appeared in national publications such as the New York Times, The Psychotherapy Networker and other venues. She is married and has a geriatric cat.

PSCP: The Psychology Network is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. PSCP: The Psychology Network maintains responsibility for this program and its content.