lecture 7: leadership Flashcards
(15 cards)
What is Groupwork leadership
- Process of guiding the development of the group and its members
- Goals:
o Help group and its members to achieve goals that are consistent with the value base of social work practice
o Meet socio-emotional needs of members
3 aspects of leadership
task
relationship
process
aspect of leadership
what does “task” in leadership consist of
- Define structure - Age appropriate; accessibility
- Set standards
- Identify roles
- Focus on goals
- Plan & coordinate activities
- Problem solve – emergency situations
- Monitor compliance – attendance; evaluation
- Facilitate productivity
aspect of leadership
what does “relationship” in leadership consist of
- Give support and encouragement
- Boost morale
- Establish rapport
- Show concern and consideration
- Reduce tension and conflict – culturally sensitive
aspect of leadership
what does “process” in leadership consist of
- Facilitate group dynamics to achieve goals and meet socio- emotional needs
- Guide processes to build trust, safety and supportive norms
Approaches to Leadership
The Trait Approach
- Asserts that leaders are born, not made, and emerge naturally instead of being trained.
- Leaders tend to be better adjusted and more dominant, extroverted, “masculine”, and interpersonally sensitive than their followers.
- Other traits include intelligence, enthusiasm, dominance, self-confidence.
- Charisma – an extraordinary power, as of working miracles
Approaches to Leadership
The Position Approach
- The position approach defines leadership in terms of the authority of a particular position.
- The leader is “thrust” into the position and empowered to take on the role as leader of the group.
Approaches to Leadership
The Leadership Style Approach
3 styles: Its manifestations and in which situations is it effective
Autocratic style: Dictate orders and determine all policy without involving followers - during emergencies or to meet short deadlines
Democratic style: Set policies through group discussion, encourage interaction and cooperation - best where the aim of the group is growth, development, goal identification and commitment to identified goals for change over time
Laissez-faire: Do not participate in group- decision-making at all - when group knows what it is doing, is experienced and just needs someone as consultant on occasion
Approaches to Leadership
The Distributed-Functions Approach
- Disagrees with the trait theory of leadership
o Why? Every group member will be a leader at times to take actions that serve group functions. - Leadership is defined as the performance of acts that help the group maintain itself and reach its goals.
An interactional model of leadership: consists of (5 aspects)
- The Group’s Purpose:
o Leadership is strongly influenced by the specific goals and objectives the group aims to achieve. Whether it’s therapeutic, educational, or support-based, the leader must adapt their style accordingly. - The Group’s Environment:
o Leadership needs to be flexible based on both internal group dynamics (e.g., the personalities and behaviors of members) and external factors (e.g., organizational culture, societal norms). - The Leader’s Behavior:
o Leaders play an active role by influencing group processes. Their role includes mediating conflict, facilitating communication, and maintaining focus on the group’s purpose. - Member Characteristics:
o Each group member brings unique personal attributes, motivations, and expectations, which the leader must recognize and respond to. - Situational Context:
o Situational factors, such as the duration of the group, the level of member involvement, and the external pressures the group faces, also impact how leadership is enacted.
What makes a leader? (Goleman, 2014)
- Listening within, to articulate an authentic vision of overall direction that energizes others even as it sets clear expectations.
- Coaching, based on listening to what people want from their life, career and current job. Paying attention to people’s feelings and needs and showing concern.
- Listening to advice and expertise; being collaborative and making decisions by consensus when appropriate.
- Celebrating wins, laughing, knowing that having a good time together is not a waste of time but a way to build emotional capital.
group leadership skills
facilitating group processes
- Involving & inviting members
- Attending to members
- Expressing self
- Responding to members
- Focusing group communication
- Making group processes explicit
- Clarifying content
- Cuing, blocking and guiding interactions
group leadership skills
information gathering & assessment
- Identifying & describing thoughts, feelings & behaviors
- Requesting information, questioning & probing
- Summarizing & partializing information
- Synthesizing thoughts, feelings & actions
- Analyzing information
group leadership skills
action & intervention
- Supporting & Linking
- Reframing & redefining
- Directing
- Suggesting & Advice
- Providing resources
- Managing disclosure
- Modeling & Coaching
- Confronting & Resolving conflicts
facilitation vs co-facilitation
advantages & disadvantages of co-facilitation
Advantages
* Support and feedback
* Models for appropriate communication, interaction and resolution of disputes
* Increased objectivity through alternative frames of references
* assistance during interventions, e.g. role plays, simulations and programme activities
Disadvantages
* Can be more expensive than solo leadership
* Time consuming
* If leaders do not function well together, they may not serve as role models for members
* Conflict between leaders can negatively affect group outcomes.
