Dynamics of Team Size

Size Matters

In teams, size matters. I learned about this through a simple but powerful exercise. Set up the room so two people are physically separated from the rest of the team. The rules are that the two people start discussing a topic (anything will do). Anyone else can join in, as and when they feel they'd like to, by moving their chair and joining the others. That's it. I typically run it for about 15-20 mins and take notes throughout.

It's a fascinating exercise because the dynamics of the group change as the numbers change. I've run it many times and there are some useful themes that emerge related to size:

2-3 people.

The small numbers allow people to "natually" get on. People take it in turns and it's easier to balance contributions. It allows the group to focus on a specific thread in the discussion.

4-6 people.

Interestingly, this is the most challenging size. With four people, it's the first opportunity for the group to split into two separate conversations - and easily does. It's also the size when everyone believes they should have a say about everything and this takes more time than might be expected. In this exercise, note the formation of the chairs: people will need to move positions to let everyone contribute because they're likely to be in a huddle by four people. It takes effort to recognise that change is needed and groups find it difficult to realise this.

7-11 people.

Seven and above seems to tip the group into recognising that some formality is required, and look to themselves to create it. Contributions return to being more balanced, with turn-taking. The group often deliberately reshapes the chairs to accommodate everyone. The discussion is more diverse and that's accepted, because of the size. The pace of the discussion is often slower at this point too. It looses the energy of the smaller group.

12 + people.

Twelve and above becomes challenging in a group. A sub-group forms of people most active in the discussion. Others step away, finding it hard to get a word in, and perhaps choosing not to in any case, preferring to talk about a different topic or to a different person. People are self-managing into sub-groups at this point - subconsciously prefering the "natural" dynamics of smaller groups.

I've found this rule-of-thumb very helpful when facilitating groups and leading teams as it raises my awareness of the potential influences group-size has, and prompts me to consider what I can do to help, before it becomes an issue.

What size groups and teams do you work in? How might this explain what's going on? Please add a comment to help others.

 

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