Introduction
To get a successful team there should be cooperation from all members who should work in harmony towards the achievement of the objectives of the group. The members have a duty to be enthusiastic, committed, honest, confidential, responsible, cooperative with each other, open to others, and respectful. Not all members will have official roles hence some will be informal; however, all the members are helpful towards the welfare of the group.
Team member roles
Different members have different roles; the initiator is responsible for bringing up ideas that are discussed by the group. He gives direction on the topics being discussed and introduces new ideas every time to keep the group lively. The expert is the one who guides the group on difficult issues and will always clarify issues of technicality that the groups face. The clarifier or summarizer is responsible for bringing things to a conclusion as he sums up issues and puts matters of the group to rest. He eases tension and confusion in the group by having the final word or conclusion in the matters of the group (Duffy & Griffin, 2000, p.22).
The information seeker is responsible for to source of information required by the group. He enquires for required facts and figures, gathers explanations and clarification of issues, and bridges the gap of information in the group. The information giver is the supplier of information to the group; the information must be accurate, researched, organized, and presented properly.
Opinion seeker may also be said to be the interrogator. He is interested in other group members’ opinions and consensus and finds out about the feelings and beliefs of others on certain issues that have been discussed. Conversely, the evaluator or the critic is responsible for the assessments of group activities; he listens to arguments and suggestions and analyses them. He should be a critical thinker and identifies the tasking and procedural problems (Duffy & Griffin, 2000 p.27).
Group Maintenance Roles
Maintenance roles are important since they work with the group’s management team to ensure the smooth running of the group. The people involved playing a serious and important role that ensures psychological and emotional cohesion of the group thus bringing order and oneness to the group. One of the parties in this group is the encourager or supporter who ensures the group does not lose hope as well as issuing encouragement messages and praises on the group members and listening to their problems and predicaments with an intention to lift their spirits. He gives the group reason to meet again and to be together at all times.
The harmonizer can not lack in a group. If he is not present then confusion sets in; thus he is responsible for resolving conflicts within the group. He joins the group members together by mediating the conflicting and contentious issues among the members. He encourages members to work as a team and the good relations between them. In addition, he helps them to put aside their differences and stay in peace. Another member is the compromiser who may be seen as the mediator for difficult issues and gives solutions that do not increase conflicts in the group. He brings consensus through searching for the best compromising stand that best suits the group and is acceptable to all. He comes up with other systems when the ones being used fail or are controversial.
The tension releaser is the one who brings back the friendly attitude in the group. He uses a humorous tone to reduce the tension and cool down the tempers. He reads the member’s intents and acts before the members fight or engage in physical or words of abuse. He gives the group a reason to discuss even the most burning issues without hurting each other. Lastly, the gatekeeper may be mistaken for one to control gatecrashers but he encourages participation of all the members in the group meetings and discussions. He also controls information flow within the group.
Leadership
The leader is the most important person in the group. Once he is focused, the group will have direction, but if he quits and is weak then the group may collapse. He is responsible for running and coordinating all the groups’ activities and having an overall say on all issues through consultations. The qualities that he should possess should be outstanding so that the group remains unique and special (LaFasto & Larson, 2001 p.25).
A good leader should be principled and courageous. In addition, he should be of an exemplary character which means he should be trustworthy and display integrity. He should be enthusiastic about his work and be confident at all times as well as being orderly at all times in addition to being purpose-driven even during uncertainty. He should be steadfast and is always ahead of the rest. Moreover, he should be a critical thinker and above all, committed to the welfare of the group.
Group Management
A group will always have difficulties but the way they deal with any emerging challenges makes all the difference. To manage a difficult group, one must first identify the cause of the problem. In addition, when dealing with difficult members, it is best to remain calm and composed to avoid potential arguments or reprimands. The leader should have understood the members whether they are highly argumentative, know-it-all, ramblers, personality clashes, or always negative. It is best to bring their ego down without being harsh (LaFasto & Larson, 2001, p.66).
When the group becomes difficult, one can consider ways to boost morale or change the systems of the group. It is best to involve all the members so that they feel a sense of ownership and belonging in the group (LaFasto & Larson, 2001, p.82). Effective leaders should also be very observant on issues regarding the group. Any change should be analyzed so that it should not lead to the said difficulties. All matters should be solved amicably and no pending matters should be kept too long to avoid raising eyebrows. With these tips, then the group should be enjoyable and productive.
References
Duffy, M. & Griffin, E. (2000). Facilitating groups in primary care: a manual for team members. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing. Web.
LaFasto, J. M. F. & Larson, C.E. (2001). When teams work best: 6,000 team members and leaders tell what it takes to succeed. CA: SAGE. Web.