Teambuilding & Group Dynamics – Understanding How Teams Really Work

Last week, the students took part in Teambuilding & Group Dynamics, a module led by social psychologist Chiara Annovazzi, designed to explore group work through a socio-psychological lens.

The session focused on key elements that shape collaboration: roles within teams, cognitive biases, decision-making processes, and dynamics such as groupthink. Particular attention was given to how these factors influence group behavior and the often-implicit choices that emerge in collective settings. Communication patterns, leadership dynamics (as expressions of roles), and broader group characteristics provided an interpretive framework to better understand what unfolds beneath the surface of teamwork.

Rather than diving deeply into theory, the module introduced a set of essential conceptual lenses to help participants observe and interpret group interactions more consciously. Short theoretical insights alternated with hands-on exercises: these moments allowed them to directly experience different configurations of groups and interaction styles.

The session concluded with an in-depth reflection on the roles that emerged within each group and on the main dynamics observed, fostering a deeper awareness of how collaboration naturally takes shape and evolves.