ABSTRACT
Purpose is of central importance in groups because of the fact that people always meet with something in mind. “Every group, however casual, meets to ‘do’ something”, as Bion puts it with typical directness and simplicity. (1961, p. 143) He argues that this is why a defining characteristic of groups that function well is their sense of “common purpose”: (1961, p. 25) what they are there to do is agreed, understood, and shared by all. This understanding of purpose is a good starting point for making sense of one’s experience in groups, because so often the purpose for which a group is meeting is not clearly stated, or even when it is, can easily be forgotten. Bion used his experience of the group purpose as the basis for spotting moments when it turned into something different—typically without discussion or even apparent awareness.
