Getting Back to Basics: Group Leadership RefresherPresented at the 2012 KidStrong Conference

Dr. Jonathan LentDr. Lisa BurtonMarshall University

Objectives• Learn and understand what characteristics

effective group leaders possess.

• Review and understand basic group leadership skills including: initiating, clarifying, summarizing, encouraging, and active listening, among others.

• Gain knowledge about the necessary process for forming an effective group.

What is a Group?A collection of two or more individuals who meet

in face to face interaction, interdependently, with the awareness that each belongs to the group and for the purpose of achieving mutually agreed upon goals (Johnson & Johnson, 2002).

• In school settings, groups are used to address a variety of issues:• Educational• Vocational• Personal• Social

Types of Groups• Psychoeducational

• Premised on the idea that education is treatment

• Task Facilitation• Major types of task/work are volunteer groups, mission groups, goal

groups, and working groups.

• Counseling• Focus is on each person’s behavior and development or change within

the group.

• Psychotherapy• Addresses problems for those who are experiencing severe, or chronic

maladjustment

Role of the Group Facilitator• The facilitator is there to facilitate group

interaction:• Help members communicate• Learn from one another• Establish goals • Make plans for outside of the group

Group-Leadership Skills• Essential to acquire and refine skills applied

to group work

• Group leadership skills cannot be separated from the leader’s personality

• Ways to learn leadership skills – supervised experience, practice, feedback, and experience in a group as a member

Personal Qualities of Effective Leaders• Group leaders bring their own personal qualities

to a group

• Effective leaders use the strongest aspects of their personalities and knowledge and combine these with experiences in the leading of groups.

Leadership Skills• Skills are displayed in different ways and at

various stages during the life of a group• Leaders must be well educated and know which

skills at are the core of leading effective groups• There are core group skills and specific group

skills

Group Leadership Skills• Being clear as to the purpose• Being clear about your role as leader• Generating and building interest and energy• Tuning into the group’s energy• Varying the format• Using your eyes effectively• Setting the proper tone• Using your voice effectively

Group Leadership Skills• Being aware of the focus:

• a) on a topic b) on a person c) on an activity• Getting, holding, deepening and shifting the focus• Asking good questions• Knowing counseling theories• Knowing your allies in the group• Second guessing• Thinking of members as individuals• Dealing with multicultural issues• Drawing out• Cutting off• Using exercises effectively

Group Leadership Functions• Leaders operate in certain ways no matter the

type of group• There are four main functions:• Traffic director• Modeler or appropriate behavior• Interactional catalyst• Communication facilitator

Traffic Director• Traffic Director• Leaders help members become aware of behaviors that

open communication channels and those that inhibit communication• This role is proactive and reactive in prevention of certain

behaviors and promotion of others.

Modeler of Appropriate Behavior• Modeler of Appropriate Behavior• Leaders must pick actions they think group members

need to learn through passive and active demonstrations• Modeling can include deliberate use of self-disclosure, role

plays, speech patterns, acts of creativity.

Interactional Catalyst• Interactional Catalyst• Requires leaders promote interaction between group

members without calling attention to themselves• Continues throughout the group and takes various forms• Questioning if two members have something to say to

each other and then being silent to see what happens

Communication Facilitator• Communication Facilitator• Leaders reflect the content and feeling of members and

teach them to do likewise• Focuses on the expression of words and the emotion

behind the words. • The importance of speaking congruently is stressed by

stressing using I messages to state what one wants or what one thinks.

Ethical and Legal Issues in Group Counseling• Informed consent• Provide members with adequate information that will

allow them to decide if they want to join a group• Some information to give prospective members:• The nature of the group• The goals of the group• The general structure of the sessions• What is expected of them if they join• What they can expect from you as a leader

Forming a Group• Five areas for a practical proposal for a

group• Rationale – What is the rationale for your group?• Objectives – Are your objectives specific and attainable?• Practical considerations – Have you considered all the

relevant practical issues in forming your group?• Procedures – What kinds of techniques and interventions

will you employ to attain the stated objectives?• Evaluation – How will you evaluate the process and

outcomes of the group?

Guidelines for Using Techniques Ethically• Your techniques should have a rationale• Introduce techniques in a sensitive and

timely manner• Don’t stick to a technique if it is not working

effectively• Give members a choice – invite them to

experiment with some behavior• Use techniques that are appropriate to the

member’s cultural values• Techniques are best developed in response

to what is happening in the here-and-now

Beginning a Group• Areas to Consider:• How to begin the group• How to handle introduction of members (how, how much

time to spend)• How to set the tone (very important)

The First Group Meeting• Clarify the purpose of the group• Explain the leader’s role• Explain how the group will be conducted• Tell members you will, at times, be looking around

when they are talking• Tell members you will be cutting off members at

various times• Explain the rules for the group (see comment

below)• Explain any special terms that will be used

The First Group Meeting• Check out the comfort level of the members (use

1-10 round)• Assess coping styles of the members• Introduce and focus on the content/purpose of the

group• Draw out members• Allow extra time for closing the first session• Address questions members may have• Focus on multicultural dynamics if they exist

Practical Considerations in Forming a Group• Group composition• Group size• Open versus closed group• Length of the group• Frequency and duration of meetings• Place for group sessions

Some Advantages of a Group• Group setting offers support for new

behavior and encourages experimentation• The group is a microcosm of the real world –

allows us to see how we relate to others• Group setting provides an optimal arena for

members to discover how they are perceived and experienced by others

• Groups help members see that they are not alone in their concerns

Groups for Children• Developing a proposal: Groups for children• In planning groups for children:• Describe your goals and purposes clearly • Develop a clearly stated rationale for your

proposed group • State your aims, the procedures to be used, the

evaluation procedures you will use, and the reasons a group approach has particular merit

Key Points – Groups for Children• In designing a group in both schools and

agencies, get the support of administrators• Communicate with children about the

importance of keeping confidences in language they can grasp

• Ethical practice demands that you have the training required to facilitate a group with children

• Not all children are ready for group participation• Having some structure is particularly important

in groups with children • Give thought to helpful methods of evaluating

the outcomes of your groups

Groups for Adolescents• Organizing an adolescent group• Conduct a needs assessment• Develop a written proposal• Market your group• Get informed consent from parents or guardians• Conduct pregroup interviews• Select members for the group• Design a plan for each of the group sessions• Arrange for a follow-up group session after termination

Hints – Working with Reluctant Adolescent Group Members• Explain the rationale of the group in

jargon-free language• Allow members to express reactions to

being sent to group

• Go with resistance – Don’t go against resistance

• Avoid getting defensive• Be clear and firm with your boundaries

Key Points – Groups for Adolescents

• Understand and respect resistance• Role-playing techniques can often be creatively

used in adolescent groups • Find ways to involve parents in group work with

adolescents• A few kinds of adolescent groups include: groups

for students on drug rehabilitation, groups for unwed teenage fathers, teen delinquency prevention groups, and sex offender treatment groups

• Co-leadership models are especially useful in facilitating an adolescent group

Helpful Hints• Do not start with the rules -- it sets a tone you probably don’t

want.• Do not focus too long on one member during the first session• Don’t count on members to carry the first session -- have a

plan• Watch out for members talking just to you (the leader)• Do not let negative or dominating members control• Do not be afraid to cut off members• Written exercises can be very helpful in drawing out members• Dyads can be helpful in getting members comfortable• Rounds can be very helpful in drawing out members• Use a movement exercise to generate interest and energy if it

is low