ABSTRACT
In the Eastern martial art of aikido, the warrior learns ‘never to go against the opponent’s strength’, but rather to blend with and redirect the energy of his attacker.1 The aikido master knows how to, ‘touch softly and gently’ in order to use the power already generated by his adversary. In the midst of motion and conflict there is an exact point to apply pressure and a precise intervention that will subdue the attack. In contrast to this ‘way of gentle harmony’, the Western disciplines of boxing and wrestling are characterized by collision, and force overwhelming force. The aikido master is a metaphor for the effective group worker who rather than fight
or wrestle knows how to be in harmony with his group. He can utilize the pressure points, and redirect and employ collective energy and power to take the simplest path towards the desired goal. The simplest path is revealed by awareness and understanding of the meaning of individual and group needs, behaviour, and interaction. Unless he is attentive to and knowledgeable about what is happening inside the system in which he operates, an effective group worker cannot adequately determine what is the most appropriate way to intervene or respond. Unfortunately the study of group dynamics and processes can, at the beginning, be very
off-putting and intimidating to the group worker. There are three main problems.
