Touchy-Feely to Organization T-Group By Theme
Aim is to create stronger sense of membership
Reporter Staff
Issue date: 10/15/01 Section: Humor
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Mary Ann Huckabay, well known as the leader of the GSB’s famous Interpersonal Dynamics class, has for this quarter instituted a policy change concerning the formation of T-Groups, the small encounter groups in which second-year GSB students gather to share their emotions. The groups, which used to be designed to create a balance of backgrounds and personality styles, are now organized around a handful of character traits common throughout the school.
“It makes sense that students should be able to relate more closely to their peers with similar personalities,” explained Huckabay. “For example, we have a lot of pretty annoying guys in the second year. They should all be talking to each other, not to the rest of us. I sure wouldn’t want to have to deal with them, for example.”
Student reaction thus far seems supportive. “It’s a beautiful thing,” explained Tom Welch, MBA2, now a member of the Big Loveable Guys group. “Every Thursday night we start the session with a big group hug, which Ali Rowghani, MBA2, suggested. And someone bakes cookies every week.”
Others agreed. “I feel so much more at home with myself,” said a member of the Indistinguishable Blondes group, who might have been either Debbye King, MBA2, or Molly Nelson, MBA2. “Last night I told Jen Jaconetti, MBA2, that I loved her. At least, I think it was Jen Jaconetti.”
Different T-Groups have adapted to fit the personalities of their constituents. The Self-Appointed Sheriffs group, for example, has had no face-to-face meetings, but conducts its sessions entirely through gsb-unofficial. “It’s great,” said group member Rod Morris, MBA2. “I feel like I’ve been able to share my innermost thoughts, and all in an atmosphere of strict confidentiality. It can be so hard at the GSB to let others know how I feel.”
Virtually everyone seems pleased with the results. “I didn’t realize how much love I had to share,” said Mark Budd, MBA2, part of the T-group Men You Wouldn’t Expect To Be Married But Actually Are. “I call my wife every night after our meetings to tell her how much I’m growing, and she slams down the phone, because it’s four in the morning in London.” Fellow member Eric Nierenberg, MBA2, added, “I’m a lot more sensitive now. I repent my shallow, callous way of life.”
Even one-time skeptics have been converted. “I can’t believe how much anger I had inside me,” offered Roy Gilbert, MBA2, who has been put in the People Who Will Never Take Touchy-Feely group. “I’ve been discussing this in T-group with Kent Steffes, MBA2, a lot. He calls me a wimp and punches me, and then we hug and cry. It’s a beautiful thing.”
“It makes sense that students should be able to relate more closely to their peers with similar personalities,” explained Huckabay. “For example, we have a lot of pretty annoying guys in the second year. They should all be talking to each other, not to the rest of us. I sure wouldn’t want to have to deal with them, for example.”
Student reaction thus far seems supportive. “It’s a beautiful thing,” explained Tom Welch, MBA2, now a member of the Big Loveable Guys group. “Every Thursday night we start the session with a big group hug, which Ali Rowghani, MBA2, suggested. And someone bakes cookies every week.”
Others agreed. “I feel so much more at home with myself,” said a member of the Indistinguishable Blondes group, who might have been either Debbye King, MBA2, or Molly Nelson, MBA2. “Last night I told Jen Jaconetti, MBA2, that I loved her. At least, I think it was Jen Jaconetti.”
Different T-Groups have adapted to fit the personalities of their constituents. The Self-Appointed Sheriffs group, for example, has had no face-to-face meetings, but conducts its sessions entirely through gsb-unofficial. “It’s great,” said group member Rod Morris, MBA2. “I feel like I’ve been able to share my innermost thoughts, and all in an atmosphere of strict confidentiality. It can be so hard at the GSB to let others know how I feel.”
Virtually everyone seems pleased with the results. “I didn’t realize how much love I had to share,” said Mark Budd, MBA2, part of the T-group Men You Wouldn’t Expect To Be Married But Actually Are. “I call my wife every night after our meetings to tell her how much I’m growing, and she slams down the phone, because it’s four in the morning in London.” Fellow member Eric Nierenberg, MBA2, added, “I’m a lot more sensitive now. I repent my shallow, callous way of life.”
Even one-time skeptics have been converted. “I can’t believe how much anger I had inside me,” offered Roy Gilbert, MBA2, who has been put in the People Who Will Never Take Touchy-Feely group. “I’ve been discussing this in T-group with Kent Steffes, MBA2, a lot. He calls me a wimp and punches me, and then we hug and cry. It’s a beautiful thing.”