There are several roles within a group in order to complete a certain project or task. For example: an initiator or contributor who would generate new ideas, the information gatherer who would offer facts for the group to work with, a coordinator who would synthesize the ideas, evaluator who would set up standards for the group to meet, and so on. This was something that could not be grasped on the first day of class since no one really knew each other. The set up of the class room was done in an unconventional way, this was a lot different from how other classrooms would have them. During this first day, I was able to observe a couple of people within the class room. Corey et. al. (2006) stated that the initial meeting is important in building relationships. The relationships outside of the group are also important. Only two girls knew each other in our class, no one was in a way connected. Corey et. al. suggests(2006) that the level of connection should be discussed.
During the second and third meeting, people were more comfortable. Discussions regarding the future of the class and what we will be doing for the next couple of sessions were put out on the table. Asolescents have a way of opening up and asking direct or personal questions. It is important for the group to define where the lines are between comfort and other things like that. Communication and asking things about personal life and family will allow people to feel closer and more connected (Corey, et. al, 2006). This is something that was not developed until later on. Jess was able to open up to the class during the fourth session. She talked about her personal life and people listened and gave their piece. There were some very personal questions brought up, but Jess handled it very well. I think that this brought the group closer to each other as it felt like a real counseling session. A group requires people to take social roles in order to keep the group together and communication ongoing. This was easier after a couple of days since people started getting more comfortable with each other. Rebecca spoke up and said that she felt at ease. These roles can be played at the same time as task roles and they can be in the form of: a harmonizer who would mediate group members’ differences, an observer who makes sure everyone is on track, a gatekeeper who ensures all communication channels are open within the group, etc.
My favorite session was on our fifth day. This is where we talked about being connected with people. Many people shared their struggles and beliefs. A lot of issues were opened up during this session and we were able to analyze the behavior of some people and why certain individuals would share less as compared to others. I learned a lot during this session about listening for words and not just hearing them. Group roles can also be harmful when taken in the individualistic perspective. This is when a group member would focus on him or herself above the group as a whole. This can be seen as destructive to the group and would cause a disparity among members (Corey, et. al, 2006). We learned how important it is to listen to each other; everyone was given a turn. Group activities can include a dominator who takes control over group members through manipulation, a recognition seeker who calls out attention for himself and the tasks he has accomplished, or a blocker who might resist group movement because of numerous reasons such as jealousy. This was not seen in our group at all, that is why I loved the session. I was holding back, even though I wanted to share a couple of things. I think this might be how I was raised. Corey et. al. (2006) shared how values, beliefs and the way people are brought up contribute to their behavior. Culture is not something that is limited to race, this can be identified through a lot of other things as well.
People who do not participate equally affect the group. This definitely made an impact when Sharon left the class, this changed the dynamics and balance of the group as a whole. The dynamics of a group is generally a psychological and a communication study between two or more individuals. Within these processes includes the norms of the group, relationships, development and roles found within the group. All these processes affect small group behavior and the behavior of the individual when communicating with the group (Corey, et. al, 2006). Missing a couple of classes is very difficult because everyone is affected. Corey et. al, (2006) talks about working with involuntary group members. However, the case in our group is not that people do not want to participate, some are just more shy as compared to others. It impressed me when Yelitza spoke up during one of our discussions. She pointed out that we had skipped her and she wanted to share something. We were on the topic of talking about anxiety. This was surprising because Yelitza was someone who had trouble with coming out of her shell. It was good to know that she had become comfortable with the group after some time.Group roles and leaders should be established within a group and they are the ones who should facilitate or point these out.
It should be established within the group the authority of the leader. All group members must know that the leader knows what is best for the group, this should be well communicated and a level of trust should be put on the group members for their leader. These difficult group members who may hinder progress within the group can be seen as people who are not responsive, who think they deserve a higher position, someone who may abuse his or her power, or someone who does not effectively use his or her skills for the benefit of the organization. Conflict is very common amongst adolescents (Corey et. al., 2006). This limits any type of productivity within the group and difficult members must be dealt with right away. This is seen as common in children, and can also arise in adults. However, when it comes to correcting adults, there is a bigger problem because most cannot take correction from someone of their peer. Amanda and Chris seemed like the leader types, they were the ones who were more outspoken as compared to others. Amanda liked to give advice and she seemed to listen very well when other people are talking about their problems. An example of this was when Rebecca was talking about getting out of debt. Amanda offered her advice by saying that using debit cards in gas stations will actually cost you more in the long run. Chris then adds to this by saying that people have limited resources and it is hard to handle everything first. Geff also shared about his experience in trying to handle everything on his own. This group meeting was more emotional and in tune with people’s feelings. Members talked about what they needed to change in themselves. This was a good way to connect to each other and know each other more. Group members who were initially uninvolved started to participate. Corey et. al., (2006) suggests that a way of getting people to open up is by asking questions about other people. This way, they will speak, but not really talk about themselves; they might feel more at ease by doing this.
The leader’s personality will affect other people in the group. There are no official leaders, but I see those who initiate and are more engaged in group discussions are those who show leader qualities. We had a discussion where we were taught how to confront people. This started off with Geff mentioning that some people are not very good at doing this. This is something that people should learn, especially for group leaders who would respect people in their team. You have to find a way where the person you are confronting will not feel attacked. This is a good quality for a leader, someone who can handle his or her team in a certain way where they do not feel threatened or belittled.
The first step in handing the authority to group members in order to complete a task is the responsibility of the group leader (Corey, et. al, 2006). The leader must know the personality and the individual communication styles of each group member so that all tasks within the group are well covered. The effectiveness of individual communication styles will only take place when one acknowledges others’ differences and uses this for the betterment of the group.
Since different groups gather for different reasons, the dynamics and themes of groups highly vary. It should be first established why the group has come together, and all roles within the group must be determined. When a group first comes together, it is really hard to determine how they would work together, and there still may be some reservation on the parts of the members who are not yet fully comfortable in working with the group. However, as time goes by, the group’s dynamics and their theme will soon arise, and patterns within the group’s communication can be seen. It is important to keep sessions moving no matter what. There was a time when I missed the first part of class, I caught up in the middle, this was when Jess was talking about an experience she had. The conversation then went on to accidents and multitasking. This was a great way to keep the flow moving. Our facilitator managed to shift from one subject to another with ease. Corey et. al, (2006) states that there should be a proper structure to the discussion which is held by the same theme or topic. People can then add to their experience and keeps the session moving along nicely.
The next class was a recap of things that had happened. We talked about accidents again and how they happen. During this time, the flow of the session seemed to go faster. We did not even notice that we only had two weeks before our last meeting. We set goals for ourselves and shared the things we wanted to accomplish. Our facilitator mentioned that he wanted to change his eating habits, Amanda wanted to take a moment to think, Jen desired to be more self regulated, Chris wanted to overcome her anxiety. Catherine’s goal was not as emotional as the others, she wanted to find employment. However, when she started talking more about it, I understood her desire to work and how she feels it might be difficult to find employment. This was a meeting when the processes of our group seemed to come together. When all aspects of a group’s processes are determined and evident, this will create a better understanding of how the group works together and their balance with each other (Corey et. al, 2006). This awareness can improve the group and lead the group to more success in future projects. When the patters are identified, each member should be aware of his or her contribution to the group and the group process as a whole, then the individual should take the initiative to change what is needed to be changed for the better improvement of the group as a whole.
During the last meeting, things got more personal. Looking back at the first meeting, I could not have imagined talking about the things we talked about. Geff was the one who opened up the most about his kids. He tried to reconnect with them, however our facilitator suggests that he should first work on himself, first; Chris agreed with this. A lot of people seemed to be more drawn to what others were saying. During the previous meetings, people seemed to be “zoned out”, as Catherine once put it. I believe that the group’s goals in terms of opening up and facilitation sessions was fulfilled. The entire class was wonderful and it provided people an outlet to what they really felt. Corey et. al (2006) challenges people to become active learners. This is something that can really be learned in group sessions. The more you listen to people, the more you will understand them. You can even learn a lot about yourself through them. The overall experience was something that I believe is essential in becoming an effective leader or group member.
Works Cited
Corey, M.S., Corey G. & Corey, C. Groups Process and Practice. 8th ed. California:
Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, 2006.
