Baenrahl: Shadow of the Thirteenth Regent

Group Dynamics and the Fine Art of GMing

by David Neuschulz

Introduction:
A Different Approach

The World Wide Web is littered with "How to be a great GM/DM/StoryLord/Whatever" guides. Almost universally, the approach these primers take is to offer corrective measures via altering the game mechanics or plot. They will suggest a plot device, or a rules variant that will punish/coerce the problematic player (or alleviate the problematic situation). I don't mean to completely dismiss the guides; much of what they offer is helpful, especially to the beginning GM. Nor do I mean to denigrate the spinning of yarns; fleshing out a list of do's and don'ts with anecdotal examples is a time honored tradition, and more to the point: gaming stories are just plain fun to read. But I have to confess that the redundancy of the information has led me to propose an alternate (not better) set of guidelines.
The guide I am about to put forth comes from taking a step back from gaming and examining our hobby from a more objective viewpoint. . . and applying the guidelines of "Role Play Therapy" (formally "Psychodrama Groups") to the task of GMing. A few years back, I came to the conclusion that this branch of Group Psychology had much to offer an aspiring GM. How and why I came to this conclusion is beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say that RPGs are, in some ways, merely Role Play Therapy turned inside-out: one's purpose (psychological awareness and improved social skills) is the other one's fringe benefit (entertainment), and vice-versa. Another way to put it is that running a small group that role-plays, whether for psychological benefit or for pure entertainment, is a task which requires insight into the science of Group Dynamics.
With that in mind, I consulted a venerable tome entitled Group Counseling, Strategies & Skills (3rd ed.) (Jacobs, Masson & Harvill), the equivalent of a "DM's Guide" for group therapy leaders. Then I engaged in a "compare and contrast" exercise to see what might be applicable to gaming, and what would not. What follows is the result of that exercise.
Part One:
Being a Great GM, Administratively

The nuts and bolts of running group, any group, are often overlooked in your typical GM Guide in favor of the nuts and bolts of fictional worldbuilding. Again, this is no surprise: reading worldbuilding systems is fun (at least for some people). Yet you can have the entire universe of Middle Earth at your fingertips, and still ruin the game if you can't manage it. Jacobs, Masson & Harvill identify 16 forces that act upon groups. The authors assert that the sum of these forces predicts success or failure for the group. Here is how they may or may not apply to RPGs:

Clarity of purpose for both the leader and the members. For a GM, this might seem to be a non-issue: the purpose is clearly entertainment. Yet, entertainment is a pretty generic term. Have you actually discussed with your players what kind of experience they want? Maybe somebody grooves on Monte Hall. Others may prefer romantic melodrama.
Relevance of purpose for the members. If six people want an epic campaign and a seventh wants to subscribe to the "Genre of The Month Club," maybe it's unfair to everyone involved to try and squeeze the seventh player in.
Group size. Numerous clinical studies have pegged the optimum size for group therapy at 5 to 8 with outer limits of 2 to 12. These numbers are directly applicable to gaming, as anyone who has ever tried to GM a game of over 8 people can attest to.
Length of each session. For therapy groups the time frame is 2 to 3 hours maximum. Here at last, we have a difference! As a GM, 3 hours is a good minimum. And while it is true that anything beyond 6 is a marathon, those of us who have known the joy of "dice rolls at dawn" shrug such epic play off as par for the course.
Frequency of meetings. Once a week to once a month depending on the type of therapy group. This holds true for RPGs also. A rule of thumb: if "getting in gear" for each session lasts longer than 15 minutes, the meetings are probably too far apart. Alas, sometimes it simply isn't practical or possible to meet more often.
Adequacy of the setting. Among the common sense things mentioned in the group leadership manuals (like lighting and temperature), there are a couple of interesting tidbits. Chairs should not be lounge chairs: too comfy. Also they should be all the same height (excepting the GM, of course). A circular table is the best... and one should be cognizant of grossly oversized tables relative to the number of players: physical distance = emotional distance. My note: overcrowding can be equally toxic.
Time of day. Avoid the after lunch slump. This is seldom a problem for the mostly nocturnal RPGer, but worth a mention.
The leader's attitude (toward leading). The point is an obvious one: if the group leader doesn't really want to be leading the group, the group itself will be negatively impacted. Therapists may be assigned by their clinic or professors to lead groups that they do not want to. Since gaming is a hobby, it is rare to meet a truly averse GM. (Occasionally somebody gets drafted to GM at the last minute during a gaming convention. . . )
Closed or open groups. A critical decision for the group leader. A closed group will evolve into a more intense group provided enough members remain through the initial shakeout. At the other end of the spectrum, in a very mature (long-lived) group things may go stale, at which point the introduction of new members may be beneficial. The overriding point here is that the group leader must formulate and articulate a clear policy on new members.
Voluntary or non-voluntary membership. Prison therapy groups face this problem. As far as I know, RPG group membership is voluntary. Even in prison.
Members' level of goodwill. It is easier to lead a group of cooperative members than uncooperative ones. Again, obvious, but included here for completeness.
Members' level of commitment. This addresses that ingtagible glue that holds the group together through the inter-adventure doldrums. Don't wait, be pro-active: as soon as you spot half-hearted participants, approach them. Discuss their interest level issues openly and search for a way to engage them more fully in the game.
Level of trust among members. Trust is key to therapy, but. . . since RPGs aren't therapy, sometimes it adds an interesting dynamic if one or more players are distrustful of others. Did someone say "Thief?" (Of course, we are talking about minor levels of distrust. Major levels are intolerable. In one instance that I know of, deep distrust of one female player towards a relentless, sexually threatening male quite quickly disintegrated the group itself. This extreme example is a case where a restraining order would have been more useful than GM admonition.)
Members' attitude toward the leader. It is rare to find an entire group that hates the GM, but it is common to have one or two members that are hostile or lack respect. The GM is as likely as any therapist to endure the wrath of someone who has issues with authority figures.
The leader's attitude toward the members. Do you really like the players, or are they the only ones you could dig up on a Tuesday night? Either way, know that it will affect the group, unspoken or not.
The leader's experience and readiness to deal with groups. Again, an obvious point. RPG Experience Points model real world phenomena: greater experience equates to greater expertise.

In sum: when assembling a new therapy group, pre-interviews or questionnaires are routinely used as a tool to ensure the group has at least some of the 16 forces working in its favor. Sometimes the GM wishes to exclude certain individuals based on their expectations, and just as often, the GM is flexible enough to cater to those expectations. Either way, don't feel embarrassed to hand out (or e-mail) a pre-acceptance questionnaire.
Besides the 16 forces, Jacobs, Masson & Harvill present an additional technique that is usefully transplanted from role play therapy into GMing: "Session Planning." Plan three distinct phases, beginning / middle / end. The beginning phase should be recap of prior events (as much to set the mood as to refresh the memory). The Middle Phase is where the game runs along. The Ending Phase is a crucial denouement/decompression, allowing a mental and emotional transition back to our non-group lives.
All too often this final phase is considered merely to be the point where the GM distributes experience points and the pizza boxes are thrown in the corner (all the more abrupt if the adventure is suspended mid-way and no experience points are forthcoming). However, clinical studies have proven that a few minutes of recap at the end of the session reinforces "the work done," and this in turn contributes significantly to the longevity of the group. In the case of gaming, the work done equates to the entertainment experience. . . not unlike talking about a great movie just after you've come out of the theater. For a GM, this is the best time to let the silliness run wild; it helps everyone transition back to reality (and prevents embarrassing things like rolling dice to decide whether you're taking Rte. 35 or back roads to get home).
Lastly, and this is a good example of formalized "common sense," the group therapy leader must try to estimate in advance how much material or "emotional ground" he's going to try and cover in the session. This is roughly equivalent to a GM planning how much of the plot will be completed in a session. And to be fair to the GM guides out there, this is a topic that is covered. (In brief, trying to force too much into a night can diffuse the drama, yet too little and you face a pack of yawning sloths. . . and yet again, the GM has to be flexible when the plot takes a twist and the intended pacing for the evening is thrown out of whack.) But here's a corollary that often goes unmentioned: a diligent role play therapy leader keeps track of his/her own tendency to overplan/underplan a session and makes changes accordingly. A GM should do this also. Diligently. Self-monitoring is a serious prerequisite for a GM who aspires to greatness.
Part Two:
Take Being a Great GM Interpersonally

Here we get into the heart of the matter. Having facility with group leadership can be learned. All that's required is mastery of a certain set of basic skills. Each of the following skills, taken from various primers on role play therapy group leadership, can been adapted for RPGs.

Active Listening. Also known as "scanning," this means paying attention not only to content, but the vocal quality and body language of the speaker. And not just the speaker. A skilled GM is constantly scanning the group. Sometimes the non-verbal reaction of one player to another's statement is more important than the statement itself. This skill is doubly difficult for a GM as opposed to a group therapy leader because the distinction has to constantly be made between roleplayed emotions and real ones. This skill is the key to understanding the subtextual chemistry of your group.
Use of eyes. There are four ways in which to use your eyes:

To scan for non-verbal cues (see above).
To get members to look at other members. By not always directly engaging the speaker's gaze, he/she will naturally begin to look at fellow players.
To draw out members. A particular shy or reticent member may be prompted by kind and encouraging eye contact. Another method is to make eye contact several times with this player while addressing the group as a whole.
To cut off members. Often there will be a player who tends to speak first when any question is posed to the group. By looking at this person while the question is being asked, but then shifting your gaze around the table, and ending your question totally out of eye contact with the problematic individual, you are prompting other players to speak up. This does not work all the time, but can be effective.

Use of Voice. The GMs voice sets the tone for the session, and if its the first session, the whole group. It also can be used to pace the group. And finally, it can energize the group because often the group derives its energy level from the leader.
Identifying allies. It is important early on for a GM to identify players that will be cooperative and helpful. Often a GM will need to rely on their goodwill to steer the plot in a desired direction. They gladly tend to play NPCs and may even put their own precious characters in danger if they sense that this somehow furthers the GMs plans. Allies are also useful in bringing any number of difficult player types under control.

And this brings us to the last part of the interpersonal skills section: dealing with problem situations. I have put this last because it is precisely the content of most of the online GM Guides, and my solutions to these common problems rely heavily on an understanding of the prior discussion.

The Chronic Talker. Sometimes someone is flooding the room with non-game related banter. While a certain amount of this is necessary and enjoyable, if it begins to annoy others or hinder play, then it's time to step in. This is a case where role play therapy and gaming are diametrically opposed: in gaming, you don't want players to use the group as a therapy session to solve personal problems -- people have come to play. In any case, there are two ways to handle this. First, you might address the group as a whole and lecture about non-game related talking and hope the offender gets the gist of it. Second, you can invite the chatty gamer to a one-on-one session for some "special" character development and talk with him/her then. Generally try to avoid embarrassing the individual right off. If your requests are ignored, then public embarrassment might serve as a last ditch effort prior to expulsion.
The Dominator. This person differs from the Chronic Talker in that they really want to usurp your authority. If you have a self-appointed vice-DM, it's best to skip the general address to the group about over-controlling behavior, and go right for the one-on-one. If you are willing to convert a player into an assistant GM (a great asset and an underrated talent), go for it. Otherwise, be firm. Your way or the highway.
The Distractor. This is a rare instance where a problem common in role play therapy is uncommon in RPGs. Usually this person is desperately trying to avoid the self-examination required in therapy by changing the focus to lighter topics. Gamers, on the other hand, are desperately trying to avoid a hoard of rampaging Trolls.
The Rescuer. Again, this person in the context of therapy, tries to smooth over negative feelings and conflict within the group. In fact, in the event two of your players end up heading towards a real life fistfight, a rescuer is handy to have around.
The Negative Member. A sour apple spoils the cider, as they say. If someone is constantly complaining or disagreeing about the how the group is being run, even the most exciting game can suddenly go flat. Sometimes, this behavior is really a masked desire for GM attention. Try a one-on-one enlisting the player's help. This can be administrative (set up chairs, break down and clean up the table) or game related ("I'm trying to get the party to go into the mountains, can you role play a sudden desire to visit your dwarven home in the high-peaks?") If this doesn't work, identify those individuals who are your most positive players. During the game, direct most of your questions to them. Avoid eye contact with the party-pooper so as not to elicit more negativity.
The Resistant Member. This applies to prison groups, or AA members consigned to groups by a judge or detox program. I've never heard of a judge sentencing someone to twenty hours of Call of Cthulu before, although if I were behind the bench, anti-roleplaying religous zealots might get just that.
The Member who tries to "get to the leader." This is perhaps the most difficult challenge to surmount in all of GMing. There are two main reasons why one or more participants in a group will suddenly try to sabotage the GMs efforts.
The first and most commonly thought of cause is that one or more players have issues with "authority." Like it or not, leadership -- even of a small gaming group -- can evoke strong reactions from people who have such issues. "getting to the leader" is characterized by malicious intent and verbal ambush and is much more severe than "the Dominator" (above). If you are verbally attacked with questions (not pertaining to the game but pertaining to the way it is being run), try to explain your methods and motives without anger. Take focus away from the power struggle between you and the attacker. If you feel you can discuss and compromise on certain administrative issues, do so. Only if the problem persists and you feel that it's an "authority problem" should you deal with the saboteur(s) with dispatch. Advise them of their option to pack up and go home. If it continues, curtly show them the door.
However, if the parallel between clinical group leadership and GMing holds true here, numerous studies have revealed that the most likely cause of "get to the leader" syndrome is a lack of leadership skills. Understandably, it is difficult to be objective about yourself, yet as a GM you should be aware that certain clumsy/insensitive methods can often irritate and frustrate players -- putting them into a mood to sink your ship. Some typical behaviors that result in this situation are:

Putting players on the spot in front of other players

Cutting off players inappropriately

Failing to notice a player who wants to speak

Allowing a player to be picked on by other players

Not being skilled enough in general to control the group

Being oblivious to player boredom

While the self-examination required of therapy patients is not necessary for gamers, it is necessary for the GM, or at least a GM who strives to better his leadership skills.

Dealing with silence. There are two kinds of silence in groups, productive and nonproductive. When people are internally processing something that was said or done in the group, that's productive silence. If you've just tossed "The Riddle of the Seven Serpents" onto the table and everyone is mute -- this is a good thing. Nonproductive silence is a product of confusion or worse: boredom. Be sensitive to silence, but don't feel compelled to break it; analyze it first.

Dealing with sexual feelings. This is a real problem in therapy where, theoretically, the purpose of the group, from an individual's standpoint (better mental health, resolution of nagging psycho/social issues), should supercede the base desire to copulate. In gaming, this is a non-issue: few GMs would argue that they expect their players to put a higher priority on their epic campaign than a sexual relationship. (They might hope that their campaign is that enthralling, but I doubt they expect that is so.)

Dealing with crying. Again, in gaming, this is not a likely skill needed for a group leader. (And even Patton blew it on this one.)

Dealing with mutually hostile members. If two people are not getting along to the point of impacting the game, meet with them, either individually or together, off hours. Try to get the players to agree to work toward a less disruptive relationship. Don't ambush the players with this agenda; give them time to think it over before the next game, otherwise the session itself might be used as a battleground... and not on the hex map! (It should be noted that several texts assert that the most intense, cohesive and long-lived groups are ones which had initial personal animosities, and which then worked through them.)

Asking a member to leave. Like it or not, this is the ultimate recourse for all personality problems. The one guideline here is to try to make the request at the end of a gaming session or off hours... partially to avoid further disrupting the game, and partially to prevent a power struggle from erupting in front of other players.

Dealing with prejudiced or insensitive members. This is a really difficult problem to broach. Political correctness aside, you should not let a gaming session ever devolve into a situation where players are judging other players. Verbal intervention is required. Keep the focus on the game. If the abuse is severe, take a meeting with the individual to point out the detrimental behavior. As always, the last recourse is a dismissal.

An Afterword

It may be argued that these disciplines are far more predilected by inborn talent, and as such are much harder to confer upon the aspiring GM by way of mere word. However, the administrative component of GMing as well as the psychosocial management of small groups is learnable. I hope that this alternative GM guide has at least given you food for thought.
See you at the tables!

Bibliography

Yalom (1995): The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books.

Corey and Corey (1997): Groups Process and Practice (5th ed.). pp. 337-338, Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Jacobs, Masson, Harvill (1998), Group Counseling, Strategies & Skills (3rd ed.), Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.