37. There is always the task and there is always the way.

In any group with a goal, there is an objective and the way the group gets there, an end and a means. Most groups concentrate on the goal, the work to be done, and give very little attention to how they are doing together. This attention to process, or the way, requires the discipline to stop ‘work’ for a few moments and ask about participation, energy, listening, openness, how people are feeling, satisfaction with what has happened and a host of other issues. You could walk into a meeting where a group is speaking another language and practice process observation. Basically it means setting aside content and paying attention to process. Process observation is a skill and a discipline that has big payoffs, both long and short term. Anyone can become a student of how things happen.