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Group Leadership
Leadership
A process of using communication to
influence the beliefs, attitudes and
values – and ultimately, behavior – of
others, to meet group goals
Designated leader
Someone who’s been appointed or
elected to a leadership position
Emergent leader
Someone who becomes an informal
leader by exerting influence in a group
but does not hold official position or
title
Bases of influence (power)
Reward (give desired things)
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Coercion (force)
Punish (withhold desired things)
Legitimate power (position power)
Referent power (admiration/respect)
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Charisma (extreme referent power)
Expert power (expertise)
Approaches to Leadership
Trait - born, not made
Style – function of leader behaviors
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Democratic
Laissez-faire
Autocratic
Contingency – situational
Functional - Task, Social
Leaders provide information
Leaders can process lots of information
Leaders enact a variety of functions
Leaders help members participate
Leaders help members understand and
value their decisions/actions
Leaders help group stay on topic
Situational Models
Leaders should focus on certain aspects
of a group’s situation to pick the best
leadership approach.
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Young groups, with little experience and
little success, need strong, task-oriented
leadership
Mature groups need less task-oriented help
and more relationship-oriented support
Communicative Competence
Effective small group leaders can articulate
ideas clearly and concisely, especially goals,
problems, values, ideals and solutions
They talk regularly, but not excessively
They are good at integrating lots of
information, they can ask probing questions,
and they can help draw conclusions
They express opinions conditionally
They express group-centered concerns.
Not cocky or arrogant
They’re respectful
They share rewards of good
performance
Distributed Leadership model
Each member is expected to lead by
engaging in leadership communication
Distributed leadership is usually more
effective than autocratic, directive.
Problem Solving & Decision
Making
Problem Solving: the process of moving
from an undesirable present situation to
a desirable goal by overcoming
obstacles to that goal
Decision Making: choosing among
options
The task is usually spelled out in the
“charge”
The Question
Fact: whether something is true or can
be verified
Value: whether something is good or
bad, better or worse
Policy: what action should be taken
The Steps
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Problem analysis
Develop possible solutions
Evaluate possible solutions
Consensus decision
Implement the solution
Boost Creativity – Brainstorm
Given a problem
Call out ideas – MANY!! – and post
1.
2.
3.
4.
No evaluation – no criticism, no laughing
Quantity
Innovation – wild, clever, weird
Hitchhiking – spinning
Cull at a later session
Conflict
A struggle between people who must
work together but whose goals or
values are incompatible
Conflict is at the heart of good problem
solving because ideas must be
challenged
Failure to challenge can lead to
Groupthink, a false agreement
Using Conflict Constructively
Express disagreement – your duty
Stick with the issue, not side issues
Express disagreement carefully
Disagree with ideas, but don’t criticize
the person
Base disagreement on evidence and
reasoning, not innuendo or emotion
How to lead problem solving
Review purpose of the meeting, the
charge, the area of freedom
Suggest procedures
Ask a clear problem question to get
things rolling
Keep discussion goal-oriented
Regulate participation so all may
Stimulate critical thinking & teamwork
Functional Roles, Part II
Task Functions – help get the work
done
Maintenance Functions – help keep the
group together
Dysfunctional behaviors – selfish, hamhanded, destructive
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Task Functions first:
Task Functions (1 of 2)
Information giver – offers facts,
evidence, personal experience, etc.
Information seeker – requests taskrelated information
Opinion giver – gives personal opinions,
attitudes, beliefs
Opinion seeker – solicits
Task Functions (2 of 2)
Starter
Direction giver
Summarizer
Diagnoser (of progress or standstill)
Energizer
Gatekeeper
Reality-tester
Maintenance Functions
Participation encourager
Harmonizer
Tension-reliever
Evaluator of emotional climate
Praise giver
Empathic listener – without evaluation
to personal concerns
Dysfunctional Behaviors
Blocker – raises objection after
objection
Attacker
Recognition-seeker – Seeks to be center
of attention via various gambits
Playboy – Joking behavior in excess of
situational need
Withdrawer