The Full Guide to Dividing Groups

Are you also struggling with how to form groups for breakouts, workshops, and team-building activities in your meetings and events? No wonder—there are many things to consider. If you think it’s super easy, maybe it’s because you’re overlooking some important aspects.

In this article, I provide you with some guidelines to help you make informed choices, so you can divide groups in a way that enhances the event's objectives and overall design.

By making smart choices, you can turn peer conversations into the highlight of the meeting. But you can also do exactly the opposite. Haven’t we all been in a group where we ended up not saying a word because it was too large, and we were seated at an enormous table where it was impossible to hear what was being said on the other side?

?Let’s start with what not to do.

Common Mistakes:

Letting participants choose their own groups. While it may seem convenient, people tend to select familiar faces. This limits networking opportunities and prevents participants from meeting new, interesting individuals and building broader, more diverse connections. However, there are times when it’s a good idea to let participants choose their own group, but this should not be driven by familiarity, but by content. For example, participants may be asked to choose a topic of professional interest or make a motivated choice that increases the likelihood of implementing the outcomes afterward.

Groups are too large. Venues might favor bigger tables for logistical reasons, but from a networking and engagement standpoint, this is problematic. Groups larger than 5-6 participants often lead to a few dominant voices. Smaller groups encourage more balanced participation unless you have a skilled facilitator.

Sticking with the same group throughout the entire program. Familiarity is comfortable up to a point, but talking to the same people can become monotonous. It’s more effective to mix it up.

No variation in group sizes or types. Keeping the same group dynamic for the entire session results in stagnation. Varying the sizes and diversity of groups helps keep the event dynamic and energetic.

Smart Choices for Group Division

Here are some key aspects to consider when dividing groups:

Should the Groups Be Diverse or Homogeneous? Groups can be diverse in several aspects, such as gender, age, culture, education, and profession. Research has shown that gender, cultural, and educational diversity are some of the most effective ways to increase innovation.

Diverse groups foster creativity and broad perspectives but require more time to develop group dynamics. Homogeneous groups, on the other hand, tend to gel quicker but may suffer from a lack of new ideas.

I most often prefer diverse groups to increase innovation and promote intercultural understanding.

Should People Know Each Other or Be New to Each Other? Groups with established relationships work faster and have better cohesion, while groups of strangers can foster creativity and objective decision-making but may initially face trust and communication challenges.

I usually prefer groups of strangers to maximize networking. At the end of the day, expanding one's network is one of the main reasons people attend meetings and events.

What Should the Size of the Group Be? The size of the group significantly affects its efficiency. Smaller groups, like dyads (2 members) and triads (3 members), can have shorter, more focused discussions (5-10 minutes), while larger groups require more time but can bring a greater diversity of ideas.

I prefer groups of 5-6 participants because I find it creates the smoothest group dynamic. If groups are larger than that, a facilitator or group moderator is required to ensure everyone gets a chance to contribute.

?Other important aspects to consider

What does the room layout look like? It’s always preferable that everyone can see each other and have similar access to join the conversation. Most often, circles (with or without tables) work best.

What is the level of trust in the group? A feeling of psychological safety in the group, where it feels safe to speak up with ideas, concerns, and reflections, creates a much better dynamic than a group dominated by fear, status, and competition. You can design groups that strive toward this (e.g., avoiding too many alphas or competitors), but you can also facilitate a psychologically safe climate by choosing formats that support this.

Conclusion

Dividing groups effectively is low-hanging fruit in event design. Don’t waste the opportunity to create more engaging, dynamic, and productive meetings by overlooking this aspect.

In my next newsletter, I will share creative methods for dividing groups. Stay tuned!

?

Can I help you?

With your next event? Please, send me an email: [email protected]

?

?