Group work
A group contains a collection of individuals with a certain goal(s) in mind and need each other in order to work and accomplish a certain task that is mutual to all the people in the group (Douglas, 1993). The primary target of the group is to accomplish the task at hand in the located time without delay and achieved the expected desire of the outcome of the tasks the group has.
The first and major problem in John’s group is discomfort in the group. This discomfort is apparent where the group members feel john does not listen to them. The group members feel that they have no say or the right to be in the group. John has been providing lectures and the members have not been given a chance to contribute or ask questions where they don’t understand. The members of the group including john, need to give each other a chance to speak, contribute and cooperate with each other for the success of the group. The group is in week three and it has not achieved much as there has been a quietness that causes uneasiness within the group. The group members have not settled down well with the task. The group members have not been assigned roles and tasks within the group, thus hindering progress of the group. John has been doing all the work in the group by providing the information needed by the group but failing to tell or guide the members on what to do with the information.
Another problem with john, as leader, is his failure to read the mood of the members and their reaction towards him. As leader, he should be in the position to read the reactions of the group members, identifying and remedying any faults he might notice in the process(Manor, 2000). John should check every time he informs the group members on the strategies and skills to manage their lives whether they respond positively or negatively.
The group has no avenue or procedures to address grievances within the group. This has forced the members to be quite since there no guidelines on how they can air their discomfort. There are no proper structures and the role definition within the group to help in airing this problem. With proper structure in place, the members of the group will know who to approach when they have a certain problem or what to do when they face difficulties. The members of the group do not feel equal to John or owning the group. On the other hand, John feels that the members are there to listen to him but not to question him causing resentment towards him by the group members.
The group has not developed much since at this time every member should be in position to know what he/she is supposed to do. The leader, John, has been providing the group members with the required information; he has however failed to form small teams within the group that will spearhead the implementation of specific tasks that will contribute to the implementation of the whole task that the group should accomplish after eight weeks. There is proper structure in place and the members assigned duties that they have to perform within the group. There no plans, which have been put in place that will provide schedule and guidelines that, will make sure the group achieves its target within the set time using the resources that the group has been allocated. There are no guidelines or process that to be followed in case of a dispute within the group. The members have not put in place a schedule to guide them or measure their progress in case they deviate from the original plans or the goals of the group. The leader has given the members the necessary instructions/ information as required but he has not given the members a chance to give their contribution or feedback towards the information provided. Supervision on group progress, and what members did with the information passed to them is necessary. There is close relationship between the leader and the group members which if in place could help to ease things up so that the group can work in harmony as a team rather than individuals.
Three weeks have already passed and the group has five weeks to accomplish its mandate, so far, there is no any quantifiable progress or any arrangements necessary put in place. The group has no effective leadership team or structure to give directions hence everyone is acting like boss on their own right and nobody is ready to listen to the other since they are all equal and qualified to be in the group. The leader has to intervene by forming proper structures under him giving instructions where necessary on how certain tasks and duties within the group should be performed and appoint more experience individual to perform or oversee these duties are performed according to the set standards(McLeish et.al, 1979).
The structures will form the ground that will govern functions the group to fulfill its obligation. The roles and the responsibilities of the group ought delegation and distribution appropriately within the group using the structure in place. Distribution of roles and duties to everyone leads the members to acquire a sense of belonging and importance within the group. Additionally, respect for each other fosters among the members. The member will come to an agreement to work together as a team not individuals since each member has a role to play. The structures will show the guideline on where to report in case of a problem or who to consult in case of difficulty. Group structures also help in easy evaluation of progress within the group as evaluation occurs on individual tasks assigned to each member.
With a proper structure in place and everybody in the group knowing their duties and overall goal of the group, there will be no conflicting roles. Clearly defined roles aid in the smooth transfer of responsibilities within the group from level to level or among individuals handling different roles. In case of some failures in individuals or specific task forces, the group leader should intervene with an amicable remedy for all. Dispute resolution within the group should be a joint venture among all the members, where every member feels indebted to fulfill their duty for the welfare of the whole group.
References:
Douglas, Tom. A Theory of Groupwork Practice. Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1993. Print.
Manor, Oded. Choosing a Groupwork Approach: An Inclusive Stance. London, Angleterre: J. Kingsley, 2000. Print.
McLeish, John, Wayne Matheson, and James Park. The Psychology of the Learning Group. London: Hutchinson, 1973. Print.
