Group Roles

Task Roles Relationship Roles

Task Leader: Responsible for the Socio-Emotional Leader: Responsible
direction and clarification of tasks; for the direction and clarification of
guides and finalises the process group norms; guides the social
interaction process and finalises the
group's cohesion
Initiator: Proposes tasks or goals; Harmoniser: Attempts to reconcile
defines problems and suggests disagreements; reduces tension and gets
solutions people to explore differences
Seeker: Requests information, Gatekeeper: Helps to keep
opinions, suggestions, ideas or communication channels open; facilitates
expressions of feelings the participation of all and suggests
procedures that permit group members to
share remarks
Opinionator: Offers facts and Encourager: Attempts to be friendly,
opinions and provides relevant warm and responsive to all team
information members; appears to consider and accept
all contributions
Clarifier: Interprets ideas or Compromiser: Offers a compromise that
suggestions; clears up confusion; yields status when one's idea or status is
defines alternatives in question; admits error or will modify
position in the interest of group cohesion
Summariser: Pulls together related Standard Setter: Helps the group set
ideas; offers a conclusion for the goals and assess the quality of the
group to accept or reject process itself
Consensus Tester: Asks the group Follower: Agrees with other members;
if it is nearing a decision; often pursues ideas and suggestions of others;
takes an informal poll to assess and serves as a subordinate to the task or
opinions emotional leader
Central Negative: Intentionally Group Observer: Monitors and critiques
argues against an idea to test its the group's process and cohesion;
validity; states drawbacks to operates as an outsider who is not
proposals, encourages alternatives responsible for the task production of the
and guards against premature group group but may have a vested interest in
decisions its success