MODULE 3

UNDERSTANDING GROUP DYNAMICS

INTRODUCTION

People may underestimate the importance of society and group memberships on their lives. Whilst people
sometimes undertake solo journeys yet by and large much of our experiences of life involves being
engaged with others and groups.

Within an organization we do find number of groups. Individuals joining group (s) is a reality – may be
formal or informal groups. People work in groups quite frequently and in many different areas of their life
e.g. at work, school/college, sport, hobbies. The social workers need to understand Group Dynamics that
can enable them to adopt the right approach of interventions.

At the end of this module, the students are expected to understand all types of task and treatment groups
and the importance of group dynamics. This module also aims students Can work effectively with all types
of groups and familiarized with the four dimensions of group dynamics,

Essential Questions:

● What are the different group dynamics in groupwork process?

● How can you illustrate and describe the different stages of group development?

Intended learning outcomes:

● Identify the importance of different concepts of group dynamics in groupwork practice.

● Familiarize the different stages of group development.

DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT

Before we proceed to the lesson input and illustration, let us have a short activity to prepare you for this
lesson.

Poetry Making:

✔ Make a poem that shows the significance of group dynamics in

social work profession.
✔ Can be English or tagalaog as long you can freely express your idea
✔ Minimum of 50 words / Maximum of 100 words

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 LESSON INPUT & ILLUSTRATIONS

A. Meaning and Definitions of Group Dynamics

The term ‘group dynamics’ means the study

of forces within a group. Since human beings have
an innate desire for belonging to a group, group
dynamism is bound to occur. In an organization or
in a society, we can see groups, small or large,
working for the well-being. The social process by
which people interact with one another in small
groups can be called group dynamism. A group
has certain common objectives & goals. Because
of which members are bound together with certain values and culture.

B. Importance of Group Dynamism

1. Firstly, a group can influence the way the members think. The members are always influenced by
the interactions of other members in the group. A group with a good leader performs better as
compared to a group with a weak leader.
2. The group can give the effect of synergy, that is, if the group consists of positive thinkers then its
output is more than double every time.
3. Group dynamism can furthermore give job satisfaction to the members.
4. The group can also infuse the team spirit among the members.
5. Even the attitude, insights & ideas of members depend on group dynamism. For example, negative
thinkers convert to positive thinkers with the help of the facilitator.
6. Also, if the group works as a cohesive group, the cooperation and convergence can result in
maximization of productivity
7. Furthermore, group dynamism can reduce labor unrest. Lastly, it reduces labor turnover due to
emotional attachment among the group members.

C. Characteristics of a Group

Regardless of the size or the purpose, every group has similar characteristics:
(a) 2 or more persons (if it is one person, it is not a group)
(b) Formal social structure (the rules of the game are defined)
(c) Common fate (they will swim together)
(d) Common goals (the destiny is the same and emotionally connected)
(e) Face-to-face interaction (they will talk with each other)
(f) Interdependence (each one is complimentary to the other)
(g) Self-definition as group members (what one is who belongs to the group)
(h) Recognition by others (yes, you belong to the group).

D. Types of Groups

One way to classify the groups is by way of formality – formal and informal. While formal groups are
established by an organization to achieve its goals, informal groups merge spontaneously. Formal groups
may take the form of command groups, task groups, and functional groups.

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 I. FORMAL GROUPS

1. Command Groups:
Command groups are specified by the organizational chart and often consist of a supervisor and
the subordinates that report to that supervisor. An example of a command group is a market
research firm CEO and the research associates under him.

2. Task Groups:
Task groups consist of people who work together to achieve a common task. Members are
brought together to accomplish a narrow range of goals within a specified time period. Task
groups are also commonly referred to as task forces. The organization appoints members and
assigns the goals and tasks to be accomplished.

Examples of assigned tasks are the development of a new product, the improvement of a
production process, or designing the syllabus under semester system. Other common task
groups are ad hoc committees, project groups, and standing committees. Ad hoc committees are
temporary groups created to resolve a specific complaint or develop a process are normally
disbanded after the group completes the assigned task.

3. Functional Groups:
A functional group is created by the organization to accomplish specific goals within an
unspecified time frame. Functional groups remain in existence after achievement of current goals
and objectives. Examples of functional groups would be a marketing department, a customer
service department, or an accounting department.

In contrast to formal groups, informal groups are formed naturally and in response to the common
interests and shared values of individuals. They are created for purposes other than the
accomplishment of organizational goals and do not have a specified time frame. Informal groups
are not appointed by the organization and members can invite others to join from time to time.

II. INFORMAL GROUPS

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 Informal groups can have a strong influence in
organizations that can either be positive or
negative. For example, employees who form an
informal group can either discuss how to improve
a production process or how to create shortcuts
that jeopardize quality. Informal groups can take
the form of interest groups, friendship groups, or
reference groups.

1. Interest Group:
Interest groups usually continue over time and may last longer than general informal groups.
Members of interest groups may not be part of the same organizational department but they are
bound together by some other common interest. The goals and objectives of group interests are
specific to each group and may not be related to organizational goals and objectives. An example
of an interest group would be students who come together to form a study group for a specific
class.

2. Friendship Groups:
Friendship groups are formed by members who enjoy similar social activities, political beliefs,
religious values, or other common bonds. Members enjoy each other’s company and often meet
after work to participate in these activities. For example, a group of employees who form a
friendship group may have a yoga group, a Rajasthani association in Delhi, or a kitty party lunch
once a month.

3. Reference Groups:
A reference group is a type of group that people use to evaluate themselves. The main objectives
of reference groups are to seek social validation and social comparison. Social validation allows
individuals to justify their attitudes and values while social comparison helps individuals evaluate
their own actions by comparing themselves to others. Reference groups have a strong influence
on members’ behavior. Such groups are formed voluntarily. Family, friends, and religious
affiliations are strong reference groups for most individuals.

E. Factors Affecting Group Behaviour

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The success or failure of a group depends upon so many factors. Group member resources, structure
(group size, group roles, group norms, and group cohesiveness), group processes (the communication,
group decision making processes, power dynamics, conflicting interactions, etc.) and group tasks
(complexity and interdependence).

1. Group Member Resources:

The members’ knowledge, abilities, skills; and personality characteristics (sociability, self-
reliance, and independence) are the resources the group members bring in with them. The
success depends upon these resources as useful to the task.

2. Group Structure:

A. Group Size:
Group size can vary from 2 people to a very large number of people. Small groups of two
to ten are thought to be more effective because each member has ample opportunity to
take part and engage actively in the group. Large groups may waste time by deciding on
processes and trying to decide who should participate next.

Evidence supports the notion that as the size of the group increases, satisfaction
increases up to a certain point. Increasing the size of a group beyond 10-12 members’
results in decreased satisfaction. It is increasingly difficult for members of large groups to
identify with one another and experience cohesion.

B. Group Roles:
In formal groups, roles are always predetermined and assigned to members. Each role
shall have specific responsibilities and duties. There are, however, emergent roles that
develop naturally to meet the needs of the groups.

These emergent roles will often substitute the assigned roles as individuals begin to
express themselves and become more assertive. Group roles can then be classified into
work roles, maintenance roles, and blocking roles.

Work roles are task-oriented activities that involve accomplishing the group’s goals. They
involve a variety of specific roles such as initiator, informer, clarifier, summarizer, and
reality tester.

Maintenance roles are social-emotional activities that help members maintain their
involvement in the group and raise their personal commitment to the group. The
maintenance roles are harmonizer, gatekeeper, consensus tester, encourager, and
compromiser.

These are the following roles within groups:

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 Blocking roles are activities that disrupt the group. Blockers will stubbornly resist the
group’s ideas, disagree with group members for personal reasons, and will have hidden
agendas. They may take the form of dominating discussions, verbally attacking other
group members, and distracting the group with trivial information or unnecessary humour.

Often times the blocking behaviour may not be intended as negative. Sometimes a
member may share a joke in order to break the tension, or may question a decision in
order to force group members to rethink the issue. The blocking roles are aggressor,
blocker, dominator, comedian, and avoidance behaviour.

Role conflicts arise when there is ambiguity (confusion about delegation and no specific
job descriptions) between the sent role and the received role which leads to frustration
and dissatisfaction, ultimately leading to turnover; inconsistency between the perceived
role and role behaviour (conflict between work roles and family roles); and conflicting
demands from different sources while performing the task.

C. Group Norms:
Norms define the acceptable standard or boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable
behaviour, shared by group members. They are typically created in order to facilitate
group survival, make behaviour more predictable, avoid embarrassing situations, and
express the values of the group.

Each group will create its own norms that might determine from the work performance to
dress to making comments in a meeting. Groups exert pressure on members to force
them to conform to the group’s standards and at times not to perform at higher levels.
The norms often reflect the level of commitment, motivation, and performance of the
group.

The majority of the group must agree that the norms are appropriate in order for the
behaviour to be accepted. There must also be a shared understanding that the group
supports the norms. It should be noted, however, that members might violate group
norms from time to time.

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 If the majority of members do not adhere to the norms, then they will eventually change
and will no longer serve as a standard for evaluating behaviour. Group members who do
not conform to the norms will be punished by being excluded, ignored, or asked to leave
the group.

D. Group Cohesiveness:
Cohesiveness refers to the bonding of group members or unity, feelings of attraction for
each other and desire to remain part of the group. Many factors influence the amount of
group cohesiveness – agreement on group goals, frequency of interaction, personal
attractiveness, inter-group competition, favourable evaluation, etc.

The more difficult it is to obtain group membership the more cohesive the group will be.
Groups also tend to become cohesive when they are in intense competition with other
groups or face a serious external threat to survival. Smaller groups and those who spend
considerable time together also tend to be more cohesive.

Cohesiveness in work groups has many positive effects, including worker satisfaction,
low turnover and absenteeism, and higher productivity. However, highly cohesive groups
may be detrimental to organizational performance if their goals are misaligned with
organizational goals.

Highly cohesive groups may also be more vulnerable to groupthink. Groupthink occurs
when members of a group exert pressure on each other to come to a consensus in
decision making. Groupthink results in careless judgments, unrealistic appraisals of
alternative courses of action, and a lack of reality testing.

Evidence suggests that groups typically outperform individuals when the tasks involved
require a variety of skills, experience, and decision making. Groups are often more
flexible and can quickly assemble, achieve goals, and disband or move on to another set
of objectives.

Many organizations have found that groups have many motivational aspects as well.
Group members are more likely to participate in decision-making and problem-solving
activities leading to empowerment and increased productivity. Groups complete most of
the work in an organization; thus, the effectiveness of the organization is limited by the
effectiveness of its groups.

This are the dysfunctions of a group:

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 3. Group Processes:

Decision-making by a group is superior, because group generates more information and

knowledge, generates diverse alternatives, increases acceptance of a solution, and increases
legitimacy. But it is also true, that decision making is like ‘munde munde matirbhinna’.

Decisions take longer time, minority is dominated, pressure is applied to conform to group
decisions, and none is responsible for the decisions. Group processes also include
communication, conflict management, and leadership that we shall discuss in details in the
chapters to follow hereafter.

F. Turning Groups into Effective Teams

All teams are groups but not all groups are teams. Teams often are difficult to form because it takes time
for members to learn how to work together. People in every workplace talk about building the team,
working as a team, and my team, but few understand how to create the experience of team work or how
to develop an effective team. Belonging to a team, in the broadest sense, is a result of feeling part of
something larger than oneself. It has a lot to do with your understanding of the mission or objectives of
your organization.

In a team-oriented environment, one contributes to the overall success of the organization. One works
with fellow members of the organization to produce these results. Even though you have a specific job
function and you belong to a specific department, you are unified with other organization members to
accomplish the overall objectives. The bigger picture drives your actions; your function exists to serve the
bigger picture.

It is on record that teams are better than groups, because they are more flexible and responsive to
dynamic environment. A work group has no opportunity to involve in collective works.

It is the work team whose members ‘work intensely on a specific, common goal using their positive
synergy, individual and mutual accountability, and complementary skills’.

This illustration shows the difference between a group and a team:

Team-building helps to increase intra-group and inter-group effectiveness to bring members together,
make them share their perception of each other and understand each other’s point of view.

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Thus, resolve problems and work together in a cooperative and collaborative mode. Teams can be of four
types – problem-solving teams (only making suggestion), self-managed, teams (operate without a
manager), cross-functional teams (a group of experts from different specialities), and virtual team
(members collaborate online). In terms of size, teams may be institutional (comprising of hundreds of
members) and operational (a small, cooperative group, in regular contact and contributes responsibly to
achieve task at hand).

Eight Cs for Team Building:

To show business results and profitability, ways are explored by the executives to improve their
productivity. Successful team building, that creates effective, focused work teams, requires
attention to each of the following:

1. Clear Expectations:
The managers must clearly tell the team members of the expected performance and the team
members must understand the reason for its creation. For it the organization must support the
team with resources of people, time and money.

2. Commitment:
Team members must participate in the team, feel that the team mission is important, and show
commitment to accomplishing the team mission and expected outcomes. Commitment will come
if team members perceive their service as valuable to the organization and to their own careers.

3. Competence:
Team members must have the knowledge, skill and capabilities, the resources, strategies and
support needed to accomplish its mission to address the issues for which the team was formed.

4. Control:
The team must have not only enough freedom and empowerment to feel the ownership
necessary to accomplish its charter, but also the accountability. There has to be a defined review
process.

5. Collaboration:
The team should understand group processes and work effectively and cooperatively with other
members of the team. For it they have to understand the roles and responsibilities of team
members, team leaders, and team recorders.

6. Communication:
To make team members clear about the priority of their tasks, and receive regular feedback, team
members must clearly and honestly with each other. Diverse opinions be welcome and conflicts
be taken up positively.

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 7. Creativity:
The team should value creative thinking, unique solutions, and new ideas; and reward members
who take reasonable risks to make improvements. If necessary, it should provide the training,
education, access to books and films, and field trips to stimulate new thinking. The creative
development of new products, new technologies, new services, or new organizational structures
is possible because teams may have variety of skills needed for successful innovation. Team
members can uncover each other’s flaws and balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Managers should empower the team and make it accountable for the innovation process.

8. Coordination:
Teams should understand the concept of internal customer to whom they provide a product or a
service. Team efforts need to be coordinated by a central leadership team that assists the groups
to obtain what they need for success. The cross- functional and multi-department teams must
work together effectively. The organization should develop a customer-focused and process-
focused orientation and move away from traditional departmental thinking.

Spend time and attention on each of these eight tips to ensure your work teams contribute most
effectively to your business success. Your team members would love you, your business will see
new heights, and empowered people will “own” and be responsible to their work processes

G. Informal Group vs Informal Group

In every organisation along with formal groups there exists informal groups which emerge naturally due to
the response and common interests of the members who can easily identify with the goals or independent
activities of the informal groups.

Sometimes the efforts may be driven by a common goal that may compliment or work against the goals of
the formal group. An informal group can be defined as a group that evolves spontaneously, not shown in
the organization’s structure, with the objective of fulfilling personal and social need of its members.

An informal group is a voluntary group of people casually acquainted with each other for their own
personal fulfillment because they have some common and shared backgrounds, characteristics and
concerns (values / interests / hobbies / friendship).

Whilst it is easy to differentiate between a formal group and a formal organisation, the differences
between informal group and informal organisation tend to be difficult. The difference between informal
organization and informal group is that informal organisation is a larger entity consisting of all informal
groups in an organization. An informal group is the nucleus of informal organization. When an informal
group adopts a formally defined structure and group processes, it no longer remains an informal group.

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The two are different in very many ways. This table shows the difference between formal and informal
groups:

H. Strategies for managing and improving team dynamics

Team dynamics are critical for organisational success. Without positive team dynamics, your business
can’t fully leverage the potential of your employees and tap into their skills and experience. So what are
team dynamics and how can you manage and improve your team’s performance through enhanced
dynamics? No two teams are exactly the same, so improving team dynamics starts with identifying any
issues and formulating a tailored strategy for your team.

What are team dynamics?

A team can be defined as two or more people working together to interdependently to meet a specific
goal or purpose. Outside of this, a team can be for the long term or come together for a few hours. Group
dynamics can be understood as how team member’s distinct roles and behaviours impact other group
members and the group as a whole. Team dynamics are therefore the unconscious, psychological factors
that influence the direction of a team’s behaviour and performance.

What do positive group dynamics look like?

A team with positive group dynamics tend to have team members who trust each other. They can work
towards collective decisions and they are held accountable for outcomes. A team with good group
dynamics may be constructive and productive, and it may demonstrate mutual understanding and self-
corrective behaviour. On the other hand, poor group dynamics can be disruptive for successful decision
making and work outcomes.

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Group dynamics matter because they impact things like creativity, productivity and effectiveness. Since
group work is integral to organisations, for business leaders, addressing group dynamics can lead to
better work outcomes, customer satisfaction and an improved bottom line.

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 Strategies for boosting team dynamics

1. Conduct a diagnosis and get to know your team Conduct a diagnosis of what is going
wrong in your team by doing a team health check. Observe your team at work and
conduct individual interviews in a private, safe and confidential space. Talk to other
relevant people, such as customers and line managers, to find out as much as you can
about your team’s problems.

As you do, stay aware of the common causes behind poor group dynamics.

● Weak leadership – Weak leadership, where the team lacks a strong leader, can pave
the way for a dominant team member to take over, resulting in a lack of direction and
conflict.
●  Authority and groupthink – Excessive deference to authority can have a stagnating
effect of teams as people would rather agree with the leader than offering innovative
ideas and opinions. Groupthink can have a similar effect.
● Blocking behaviours – Aggressive, negative, withdrawing, recognition-seeking and
even joking behaviours can block the flow of information in the team.
● Free riding – Some team members taking it easy at the expense of other colleagues
can lead to poor group dynamics and outcomes.
● Evaluation apprehension – Team members may hold back their opinions and ideas
as result of feeling they are being judged harshly by other team members.

Other potential causes of poor group dynamics include poor communication and a lack of
focus. Take time to observe, talk to team members and figure out what is happening
amongst the team.

2. Address problems quickly. If you see a team member engaging in unhelpful behaviour,
work to address it quickly. Speak to the team member directly and invite him or her to
reflect on the behaviour and how it can be changed to support the team’s goals. Conflicts
can happen from time to time – even in the healthiest of teams – so encourage open
discussion of the conflict and help guide team members to a resolution, allowing your
team to return to a state of positive group dynamics.

3. Create a team charter. Teams and individual team members need a strong focus to
thrive. If you create a team charter and offer clearly defined roles, you could motivate
team members to address their responsibilities and work together more effectively. A
clear charter also helps you set clear behavioural and outcomes expectations. It gives
you standards by which you can hold underperforming team members to account.

4. Enhance team culture. Deliberately build a supportive team culture. Use team-building
exercises to encourage stronger relationships between individual team members. Create
a workplace that supports employee well-being, success and enthusiasm for work. Value
diversity and think about how you can build trust and respect among team members.
Support open communication, sharing of ideas through an inclusive work culture.

5. Build communication. Give your team tools to drive open communication and encourage
team members to communicate clearly to each other. Keep team members updated
about project changes and news, and they will feel included and alerted to what is going
on. Make sure both opinionated and quieter team members feel their voices are heard.

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 6. Always pay attention. As  part of the organisation’s leadership, you should always be
paying attention to your team and know what is going on. Look out for unacceptable
behaviours such as bullying, groupthink and freeriding so you are ready to address them
right away. Reinforce positive behaviours like successful collaboration, sharing of ideas,
trust and respect.

Excellent group dynamics can facilitate employee productivity and satisfaction while allowing your teams
to reach their set targets on time. However, teams with excellent dynamics still require ongoing
observation, correction and guidance, so be prepared to continue providing your team with the leadership
and training they need to thrive.

I. Five Stage Model of Group Development

A team cannot be expected to perform well right from the time it is formed. Forming a team is just like
maintaining a relationship. It takes time, patience, requires support, efforts and members often go
through recognizable stages as they change from being a collection of strangers to a united group with
common goals. Bruce Tuckman presented a model of five stages Forming, Storming, Norming, and
Performing in order to develop as a group.The stages of group development in organizational behavior
and management are a theory of team development — a group-forming model that consists of 5 distinct
stages. According to this stages of group development model, each group or team is likely to go through
the following connected 5 stages during their joint work:
1. The Forming Stage — mainly characterized by team orientation.

2. The Storming Stage — mainly characterized by a power struggle.

3. The Norming Stage — mainly characterized by cooperation, integration, and unity.

4. The Performing Stage — mainly characterized by overall  synergy.

5. The Adjourning Stage — mainly characterized by a sense of closure.

Now, these 5 stages are vital to help you anticipate your team effectiveness, i.e. your ability to be efficient
and productive with your work, both as individuals and as a group. As the above diagram shows, the
effectiveness of a team or group fluctuates over time, reaching its ultimate low in the Storming Stage
(sometimes dubbed as “The Power Struggle Stage”) and reaching its ultimate high in the Performing
Stage (sometimes dubbed as the “The Synergy Stage”).

Who invented stages of group development?

The first 4 stages of group development are also known as the “Forming-Storming-Norming-
Performing Model”  — they were established by Bruce W. Tuckman, an American Psychological
Researcher, in 1965. According to Tuckman, the listed stages are obligatory for a team to:
☑️ grow and progress
☑️ face challenges
☑️ face problems
☑️ find solutions for the listed challenges and problems

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 ☑️ plan and tweak their individual and group workflows
☑️ reach their expected project goals
Tuckman only added the fifth and final stage (the Adjourning Stage) in 1977, together with Mary
Ann C. Jensen who had previously reviewed his original paper. By including the Adjourning
Stage, Tuckman wanted to clearly cap off the process of group development, and provide teams
with a stage they’ll spend reflecting on what they’ve accomplished with their project (or didn’t).
Tuckman would later go on to say that his group-forming model gained such popularity because
the names of the first 4 stages formed a perfect rhyme — considering that they all end in “ming”.
Now, he couldn’t find a perfect rhyme for the 5. stage — hence, he named it “Adjourning”, as
retiring the team was his intended purpose for this stage. Some scholars would later go on to
rename the 5. stage the “Mourning” Stage — because it is the best description for the emotion
teams likely feel when their time on a team project is up.
Now that we understand the basics and origin of the stages of group development model, here’s
what each of the stages is about, in more detail, and with illustrative examples:

The stages of group development with examples, explained

Stage #1 — The Forming Stage

The Forming Stage is the one about team orientation:

Everyone is just getting to know one another, and they are all overly polite to each other because they are
looking to be accepted among this new group of people. For the same reasons, they may also be a bit
uncertain and anxious. They are also overly positive about the project, because it’s new, and new is
always exciting. At this initial stage, a glimpse of a future project leader may emerge, as the person who
possesses the largest knowledge about the project’s subject takes unofficial charge. The position of this
unofficial leader may also be occupied by the strongest authority figure in the team.

Signs your team has entered the Forming stage:

● you understand the purpose of the group
● you understand the project goals
● you’re talking about team members’ skills
● you’re assigning tasks, responsibilities, and individual roles
● you’re laying down some ground rules about team management
● you’re laying down some ground rules about team workflow
● you’re discussing the team time management and expected project timeline

Example for Stage #1 — Forming 

To illustrate the 5 stages of team development, let’s look at the example of Daisy, Adam, Daniel, Mark,
and Stella. The 5 of them are neighbors and they just moved to the countryside. After a week of
acquaintanceship, they realize they all have substantial experience in gardening. So, they decide to split
the fees, buy one of the neighboring fields, and grow a 120 sq feet vegetable garden. They’re all really
excited about the prospect of having access to fresh vegetables every day — they understand the
benefits such a project would have for their family’s everyday meals. The 5 of them get together every
afternoon during a week to discuss plans. A general idea of what types of vegetables they could grow is
forming and includes tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis, and peppers. At the last moment, Daisy also
suggests they grow 20 sq feet of broccoli. They all agree with everyone’s suggestions and are eager to
get started. Daisy will find the best location based on proximity to water supply, space, and sun exposure.
Adam knows how to test soil acidity and is familiar with soil supplements, so he wants to handle soil
preparation. Mark, Stella, and Daisy will handle sowing, while Adam will handle the fertilizing. Daniel will
make sure the garden is weed and pest-free at all times. Daisy suggests he also waters the garden, along
with her, Mark, and Stella. It’s the end of March, and they want to have a fully-formed garden by the
beginning of June.

Stage #2 — The Storming Stage

The Storming stage is the one that brings about a power struggle:

So, team orientation is over — and team members are likely to forgo their previously held politeness.

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Instead, they adopt an open exchange of ideas and opinions and learn about what it’s really like to work
together. This can lead to conflict, disputes, and competition, depending on how their expectations,
workflows, ideas, and opinions differ. Sometimes, subgroups may form around particular opinions or
authority figures — which are all clear signs that team cohesion has not happened yet. Unless the team is
patient and tolerant of these differences as well as willing to address and work on them, the team and
project cannot succeed.

Now, here’s where you may wonder: well, if it’s such an unpleasant affair, can the Storming Stage of
group development ever be avoided? Well, truth be told, some teams may skip this step altogether, all in
the hope that they’ll avoid unpleasant conflict and the clash of ideas. However, this stage is crucial if you
want your team to succeed — you won’t get far with your project by sweeping vital questions and
potential problems under a rug.

Signs your team has entered the Storming stage:

● the dominant team members emerge
● the less dominant team members find their way to the background
● questions about leadership and authority emerge (and should be answered)
● questions about rules, policies, and norms emerge (and should be answered)
● questions about evaluation and review emerge (and should be answered)

Example for Stage #2 — Storming

Now, this is where things get tense for Adam, Daisy, Daniel, Mark, and Stella as they set their plan into
motion, while their 5 personalities and opinions clash. Daisy called a lot of shots in the Forming stage, so
she emerges as the dominant team leader in this stage. She proposes a clear schedule and takes charge
of contacting the local store to see what supplies they can get here, and what supplies they may need to
go to the city for. She wants to go to the city to buy seeds because they cannot get the broccoli seed she
wants in the local store. However, Daniel voices his concerns about Daisy’s idea to grow broccoli in the
first place — because he believes it’s more difficult to grow the broccoli than the other vegetables. Mark
questions the fertilizer Adam wants to use, and Daisy agrees. Moreover, Adam, who’s generally a
dominant personality, raises some other questions they were all too polite to discuss in the Forming
Stage: how will they split the vegetables once the garden begins to produce? Stella takes a back seat in
their discussions as she’s generally a more laid back person, and is fine with whatever they decide. Yet,
Daniel wants her opinion about the broccoli, and she’s expected to pitch in with the discussion about
splitting the vegetables. In the end, they manage to weather the storm of opinions. Daisy has a change of
heart about the broccoli. Adam’s choice of fertilizer prevails. They’re now left with 120 sq feet and 4 types
of vegetables, so they decide to use 30 sq feet for each vegetable type. They’ll split the gardening fees
equally, but they’ll split the final products based on the number of people in their families, and their needs.

Stage #3 — The Norming Stage

This stage is the one that brings about a sense of cooperation, integration, and unity.

Of course, you can only move on to this more pleasant stage if you’ve addressed and answered all the
vital questions from the previous, Storming Stage. The team is already accustomed to each other’s
workflows, and most future disputes and conflicts generally become easier to overcome. The official (or
unofficial) team leader takes a back seat much more than in the previous stages, and the individual team
members are given their chance to shine. In some cases, the Norming Stage may often be intersected by
the Storming Stage. It may even revert to it unless the team makes the effort to communicate problems,
and then learn from these interactions.

Signs your team has entered the Storming stage:

● group interaction becomes easier
● the team becomes more cooperative on the whole
● team productivity increases
● team performance increases

Example for Stage #3 — Norming

SW PRACTICE WITH GROUPS : MODULE 3 Page 16

Adam, Daisy, Mark, Daniel, and Stella are now mostly content with everyone’s opinions concerning the
type of fertilizer and seeds they’ll use. Daisy voices her passion for broccoli one more time. But, she’s
now quickly persuaded against the idea when Stella sends her a research paper on the subject. They’ve
polished out most questions and bought everything they need. To buy what they need, they’ve even
made a road trip to the city together — they’ve used this time to bond and get to know each other better.
Daisie still stands out as the unofficial team leader (with Adam as her close second), but others are given
a more prominent role as they all take over their duties.

Stage #4 — The Performing Stage

The Performing stage is what your team is really after — in this stage, you and your team get to
enjoy synergy.

If your team has reached this stage, you’re on a clear path to success. You have a mature, well-organized
group now fully-focused on reaching the project goals established in the Forming stage. Team members
have grown fully accustomed to each other’s workflows. They respect and acknowledge each other’s
skills, talents, and experience. They know exactly which team member to call to help with each type of
problem that arises in the project. And, what’s most important, they trust that everyone involved will do
their share of the work. Bear in mind that not all teams reach this stage — some may falter at the earlier
stages, due to the inability to properly address differences between team members or address problems
as they emerge.

Signs your team has entered the Performing Stage:

● the organization in your team is now well-established
● the structure of roles and responsibilities is clear and straightforward
● the team has a tested, mature, and calm way of handling issues

Example for Stage #4 — Performing

With everything planned out, Daisy, Adam, Mark, Daniel, and Stella get to serious work.Daniel consults
with Adam about using a “weed’n’feed” combination to fertilize the soil and kill weeds at the same time
(and cost). Ultimately, they decide against it. Adam finishes soil preparation in a couple of days and lays
down the fertilization schedule for the following period. Mark, Stella, and Daisy perform the sowing. They
also split the watering duties, while Daniel takes care of the weeds every couple of days. They’re careful
to water each type of vegetables according to their prescribed water needs and in accordance with
whether it’s been raining that week or not. Adam carries out his fertilization schedule regularly. They have
a well-oiled system for who does the watering, and when. The watering schedule is also well synced with
Adam’s soil fertilization process and Daniel’s weed removal. Daniel also uses a natural homemade
combatant on a regular basis. In order to understand how and when each of them spends time working in
the garden, they track their time. They feel proud when they see that they each spend about 4 hours a
week on gardening, as that means a larger amount of vegetables will produce well. They get together
once or twice a week to discuss their progress with the garden and chat about their lives. They’ve grown
much closer since the day when they first decided to start the gardening project, and not a day goes by
without at least two of them meeting. June is approaching, and the vegetable garden is almost fully-
grown.

Stage #5 — The Adjourning Stage

The Adjourning Stage triggers a sense of closure:

The project is completed, with most or all project goals reached. And, it’s probably time for the team
members to go their separate ways. Now, if the team members have grown close over time, and grown
accustomed to working with each other, they may mourn the fact that it’s now time to move on and work
with other people. If the team members have grown attached to the project, they may even mourn the fact
that the project is ending and that they need to move on to work on other projects. The Adjourning Stage
is usually associated with short term projects, where team members are expected to disband over time.
However, even “permanent” teams working on long-term projects may get gradually disbanded — as a
result of a company’s organizational restructuring.

SW PRACTICE WITH GROUPS : MODULE 3 Page 17

Signs your team has entered the Adjourning stage:
● the workload slowly diminishes
● most of the project goals are completed
● you’re working on leftover tasks
● some team members are gradually allocated to different teams and projects

Example for Stage #5 — Adjourning

The garden is in full bloom, and the 5 neighbors enjoy the fruits (or shall we say, “vegetables”) of their
labor. Each time someone wants to use peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, or zucchinis in their meals, they
just go to the garden and take what they need. New vegetables appear daily, and the garden is a
complete success. The team even gets a commendation from the county council for their initiative. Time
passes in bliss, and the vegetable garden helps many delicious meals spur into being. But, one day,
Adam gets a job abroad, and Daisy’s job gets her relocated to a different county — they both need to
move in a couple of weeks. Soon after, Mark declares that he needs to move to the city in a couple of
months because his son is starting school. Stella and Daniel believe the garden is too much work for two
people only, so they all decide to sell it. They feel sad that their project is ending. They’re also sad that
they won’t get to see each other on a regular basis, as they’ve grown quite close. In the end, they sell the
garden, and go their separate ways, capping off the project as a complete success in every way. It feels
like the end of an era.

Why are the stages of group development important?

Now, what is the importance of group development we just talked about?

Well, as we’ve seen from the previous examples, teams are an ever-moving, vibrant being governed by
unspoken norms and a natural order of events: At first, people are led by their natural desire to be liked by
others and accepted among their peers. After all, when you have to cooperate with someone for a longer
period, it’s easier to do it if you get along well. That’s part of the reason HR departments task their job
candidates with personality tests — to see whether they’d be an adequate in terms of behavior and
values.
As time goes by, sub-groups form within a team, opinions and personalities clash (at least to an extent)
and some teams may even get stuck in the Storming Stage, unwilling to talk about their problems.This is
the exact reason why stages of team development are so important — the team has to keep moving
forward.

Stagnation is always worse than conflict — instead of maintaining a facade of politeness, it’s crucial that
you identify your problems, analyze them, AND talk about them. Otherwise, you won’t be able to solve
them. In addition to handling conflicts, you’ll need to determine workflows, follow them, and constantly
tweak and improve them as you go along. As a natural consequence of it all, your project is bound to
progress at a steady rate — mismatched, uncompromising teams can only produce incomplete, confusing
projects. If they produce anything in the end at all. Speaking of ends, the Adjourning Stage is the
bittersweet cherry on the top of each team and project, and it will happen whether you want it or not. It’s a
great opportunity to reflect on your accomplishments and think about what you learned.

J. Tips on how to facilitate proper group development

Now that you understand the “What?” and “Why?” behind the stages of group development, here’s
the “How?” — 11 quick tips that will help managers, leaders, and teams ensure that each stage plays out
as it should:

Facilitating the Forming Stage:

1. Clarify the expected stages of group development right from the start, to highlight that conflicts
and problems throughout the project are normal, and not a sign of failure.
2. Establish clear and attainable objectives for individuals, to help direct them towards their
individual goals within a project.
3. Establish clear and attainable objectives for the team, to help direct them towards their ultimate
project goal.

SW PRACTICE WITH GROUPS : MODULE 3 Page 18

Facilitating the Storming Stage:
4. Address and resolve conflicts and problems as soon as they arise.
5. Coach all team members to be assertive, and stand up for their ideas and opinions in a positive
and calm way.
6. Provide extra support and guidance to help team members who are less secure about voicing
their opinions and ideas stand their ground.
7. Build trust among team members, by advocating honesty, transparency, and accountability.

Facilitating the Norming Stage:

8. Arrange at least 1 team-building activity, to help people grow closer as a team.

Facilitating the Performing Stage:

9. Delegate tasks appropriately, and according to the skills, experience, and interests of individual
team members.
10. Track the time you spend on individual tasks, to build daily and weekly reports of the time you
spend on the project. You can then further analyze your reports to see how much time you need
to finish individual project tasks and whether there is room for improvement in that time.

Facilitating the Adjourning Stage:

11. Recognize and celebrate the team’s achievements, to make sure your work as a team ends on a
positive note. This is important considering that at least some of you may work together in the
future once again.

REFERENCES & SUGGESTED READINGS

Forsyth, Donelson (2014) Group dynamics, volume 1 (16-0389730)

Galances, Adams (2010) Effective group discussion, volume 1 (302.34 G1311)

Garvin, Gutierrez, and Galinsky (2004), Handbook of social work with groups., the gulford press new york
London

Grusec, J., et. Al ( 2016) Handbook of socialization 2 nd ed., volume 1 (17-07187)

Johnson, et.al. (2016) Group dynamics, volume 1 (17-07161)

Kelly, Rossi, and Palombo (2001), Groupwork strategies for strenghthening resiliency., the Haworth
press, newyork, London, oxford.

Mendoza, Thelma L., (2003) Social work with groups, Megabooks company, Quezon City Philippines.

Thornton, Christine (2016) Group and team coaching: the secret life of groups, volume 1 (17-07172)

Tria (2009) Group dynamics, volume 2 (15-0365783 to 784)

MODULE 4
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 LEADERSHIP & DIVERSITY

INTRODUCTION

In globalized, multicultural organizations, social workers need to learn to create value out of diversity.   As
the world moves forward in technology and advancement, there are dangers that a number of society
groups might be left behind because they are minority and nobody represents their interests. Diversity is
about empowering people. It makes an organization effective by capitalizing on all of the strengths of
members. Diversity is understanding, valuing, and using the differences in every person. We need to
grow our work-force from groups into teams that use the full potential of every individual. Teams are much
more than a group. A group is collection of individuals where each person is working towards his or her
own goal, while a team is a collection of individuals working towards a common goal or vision.

Essential Questions:
● 1. What is the importance of leadership and diversity in groupwork process?
● 2. What are the difference between a boss and a leader?
● 3. What are the different multicultural approaches in groupwork process?

Intended learning outcomes:

● Acquire the ability to guide group members depends on the power attributed to the
worker by group members, by the supporting agency or organization, and by the larger
society that sanctions the work of the group.
● Familiarize with a range of leadership skills that can be applied in many different types of
groups and in many different settings.
● Enhance their awareness of their leadership styles through a number of exercises
presented to help them identify their preference for a particular leadership style and
understand how their preferences influence their practice with treatment and task group.

LESSON INPUT & ILLUSTRATIONS

A. Leadership and power

It’s fair to conclude that an individual can have the ability to

influence, develop and enable without necessarily being the
leader of the team. In many situations it is possible to exert
influence without being in authority. People with power have
ability to influence following and to some extent control the
action of others. If you observe a group of people working
together, you will be able to determine who is the leader of the
group.

Power is a person’s ability to control activities of other

individuals. Leadership is the ability to inspire people to follow
your instructions voluntarily and manage the completion of a
project without exercising any form of force. Traditionally, it was believed that power was derived from
leadership. However, in many instances, power leads to leadership. However, the two are interrelated

SW PRACTICE WITH GROUPS : MODULE 3 Page 20

and can be a source of confusion between different people who don’t fully understand the differences.
Leadership is dependent on power; a good leader is he/she who has some form of power.
 

What is Power?

Power is broadly defined as the ability of an

individual to exercise some form of control
over another individual. There is a distinct
relationship between power and influence.
Different definitions of power regard it to be a
causal efficacy which either be a change
noticed in the world or a psychological
pressure that gives people reasons to choose
one alternative over the other. As a kid, your
parents had significant influence over your
actions, and you would often try to imitate
their preferred behavior so as to please them. In school, the same case applies with teachers,
they could easily influence you to do one thing instead of the other. In these two cases, both the
parents and teachers, have derived authority which gave them the influence over you.

There are however other sources where power cab be derived from. Reward power is that which
is acquired from the ability to award the followers or give some form of benefits. Coercive power
is that derived from the ability to enforce punishments or sanctions. Legitimate power is that
derived from an official position of authority either in an organization or election. Referent power
is based solely on the individuals following. Expert power is acquired from one’s expertise,
knowledge of specialized skills. Integrative power is that which is derived from the ability to bring
people together.

In the scene of politics, power is essential. There are some instances where novices have
managed to inherit extreme power by virtue of their birth either being the daughter or son of a
President, Prime Minister or the Royal family. Heads of armies have also been able to take over
governments forcefully or by staging coup. Power is often used by individuals for their own
personal benefits just as the saying goes, ‘Power Corrupts’.

What is Leadership?

The term, ‘leadership’ brings about a bunch of

ideas, a political leader, an explorer leading a
team of people through some jungle or an
executive within a company. Other people also
broadly define a leader as someone who
basically leads a group of people either in
politics or within religion. What really is the right
definition of a leader? A leader is an effective
individual who creates a vision, motivates
people to work towards achieving the vision,
coaches and builds the team that will pioneer
the completion of the vision and manages the end delivery of the vision.

Just like power there are different types of leadership. In total there are twelve types, but here we
discuss five of the main ones that you have probably come across. Autocratic leadership is that
which the leader maintains full authority and responsibility over his/her subjects. Democratic
leadership is where the subordinates are involved in decision making. Transformational
leadership is that leadership type that is centered around initiating some form of change.
Monarchy leadership is that which authority is passed on from one person to another as a birth
right. Laissez-faire is the leadership type where subordinates are given all the necessary tools to
manage and complete projects on their own.
 

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 Differences Between Leadership and Power

1. Definition
Power is the
ability of an
individual to
exercise
some form of
control over
another
individual. On
the other hand,
leadership is
the ability to
create a vision,
motivate
people to
work towards
achieving the
vision,
coaching and
building the
team that will
pioneer the completion of the vision and managing the end delivery of the vision.
2. Credibility
Credibility is needed in leadership but not a necessity in power.
3. Source
Power is derived form a position of authority. Leadership is a personal attribute.
4. Nature
Power is generally controlling and forceful in making followers follow commands. Leadership
involves inspiring the subordinates to complete tasks.
5. Dependence
Leadership requires power in order to be effective. However, power does not depend on
leadership. One can have power but not be a leader. But, all leaders require some form of power
in order to successfully inspire subordinates.

6. Types
The types of power include coercive, legitimate, expert, referent and reward. The main types of
leadership include autocratic, democratic, transformational, monarchical and laisses-faire.

B. Situational Approaches to Leadership

The theme in early approaches to understanding leadership was the desire to identify traits or behaviors
that effective leaders had in common. A common set of characteristics proved to be elusive, however.
Researchers were continually frustrated by the lack of consistent support for their findings and
conclusions. As a result, research began to focus on what style of leadership was most effective in a
particular situation. Contingency or situational theories examine the fit between the leader and the
situation and provide guidelines for social workers to achieve this effective fit.
The theorists in this section believe that members choose leadership styles based on leadership
situations. Members adjust their decision‐making, orientation, and motivational approaches based upon a
unique combination of factors in their situations: characteristics of members, types of work, organizational
structures, personal preferences, and influences.
The following sections describe the three most well‐known situational theories.

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 1. Fiedler's contingency theory
Fred E. Fiedler's contingency theory centers on
the belief that there is no best way for managers
to lead. Different situations create different
leadership style requirements for managers. The
style that works in one environment may not work
in another.

Fiedler looked at three elements that dictate a

leader's situational control. These elements are:
● Task structure. Is the job highly
structured, fairly unstructured, or
somewhere in between? The spelling out in detail (favorable) of what is required of
subordinates affects task structure.
● Leader/member relations. This element applies to the amount of loyalty,
dependability, and support that a leader receives from his or her employees. In a
favorable relationship, a manager has a highly formed task structure and is able to
reward and/or punish employees without any problems. In an unfavorable
relationship, the task structure is usually poorly formed, and the leader possesses
limited authority.
● Positioning power. Positioning power measures the amount of power or authority a
manager perceives the organization has given him or her for the purpose of directing,
rewarding, and punishing subordinates. Positioning powers of managers depends on
the taking away (favorable) or increasing (unfavorable) of the decision‐making power
of employees.
Fiedler then rated managers as to whether they were relationship oriented or task oriented. Task‐
oriented managers tended to do better in situations with good leader/member relationships,
structured tasks, and either weak or strong position power. They also did well when the tasks
were unstructured but position power was strong, as well as when the leader/member relations
were moderate to poor and the tasks were unstructured. Relationship‐oriented managers, on the
other hand, do better in all other situations.
The task‐motivated style leader experiences pride and satisfaction in task accomplishment for his
or her organization, while the relationship‐motivated style leader seeks to build interpersonal
relations and extend extra help for team development in his or her organization.
Judging whether a leadership style is good or bad can be difficult. Each manager has his or her
own preferences for leadership. Task‐motivated leaders are at their best when their teams
perform successfully—such as achieving new sales records or outperforming major competitors.
Relationship‐oriented leaders are at their best when greater customer satisfaction is gained and
positive company images are established.
2. Hersey-Blanchard's situational model
The Hersey‐Blanchard Model of
Situational Leadership, shown in
Figure , is based on the amount of
direction (task behavior) and amount of
socioemotional support (relationship
behavior) a leader must provide given
the situation and the level of maturity of
the followers.

Task behavior is the extent to which the leader

engages in spelling out the duties and
responsibilities to an individual or group. This
behavior includes telling people what to do,
how to do it, when to do it, and where to do it.
In task behavior, the leader engages in one‐
way communication. Relationship
behavior, on the other hand, is the extent to
which the leader engages in two‐way or
multiway communications. This behavior

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includes listening to, facilitating, and supporting employees. And maturity is the willingness and ability of
a person to take responsibility for directing his own behavior. Employees tend to have varying degrees of
maturity, depending on the specific tasks, functions, or objectives that they attempt to accomplish.

To determine the appropriate leadership style to use in a given situation, a leader must first
determine the maturity levels of his or her followers in relationship to the specific task. As
employee maturity levels increase, a leader should begin to reduce task behavior and increase
relationship behavior until his or her followers reach moderate maturity levels. As the employees
move into above‐average maturity levels, the leader should decrease not only task behavior but
also relationship behavior.
Once maturity levels are identified, a manager can determine the appropriate leadership style: telling,
selling, participating, or delegating.
● Telling. This style reflects high task/low relationship behavior (S1). The leader provides clear
instructions and specific direction. Telling style is best matched with a low follower readiness
level.
● Selling. This style reflects high task/high relationship behavior (S2). The leader encourages
two‐way communication and helps build confidence and motivation on the part of the
employee, although the leader still has responsibility and controls decision making. Selling
style is best matched with a moderate follower readiness level.
● Participating. This style reflects high relationship/low task behavior (S3). With this style, the
leader and followers share decision making and no longer need or expect the relationship to
be directive. Participating style is best matched with a moderate follower readiness level.
● Delegating. This style reflects low relationship/low task behavior (S4). Delegating style is
appropriate for leaders whose followers are ready to accomplish a particular task and are
both competent and motivated to take full responsibility. This style is best matched with a
high follower readiness level.

3. House's path-goal theory

The path‐goal
theory,

developed by Robert House, is based on the expectancy theory of motivation. A manager's job is
to coach or guide workers to choose the best paths for reaching their goals. Based on the goal‐
setting theory, leaders engage in different types of leadership behaviors depending on the nature
and demands of a particular situation.
A leader's behavior is acceptable to subordinates when viewed as a source of satisfaction. He or
she is motivational when need satisfaction is contingent on performance; this leader facilitates,

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 coaches, and rewards effective performance. Path‐goal theory identifies several leadership
styles:
● Achievement‐oriented. The leader sets challenging goals for followers, expects them to
perform at their highest levels, and shows confidence in their abilities to meet these
expectations. This style is appropriate when followers lack job challenges.
● Directive. The leader lets followers know what is expected of them and tells them how to
perform their tasks. This style is appropriate when followers hold ambiguous jobs.
● Participative. The leader consults with followers and asks them for suggestions before
making a decision. This style is appropriate when followers are using improper procedures or
are making poor decisions.
● Supportive. The leader is friendly and approachable. He or she shows concern for the
followers' psychological well‐being. This style is appropriate when followers lack confidence.
Path‐goal theory assumes that leaders are flexible and that they can change their styles as
situations require. This theory proposes two contingency variables that moderate the leader
behavior‐outcome relationship:
● Environment characteristics are outside the control of followers, task structure, authority
system, and work group. Environmental factors determine the type of leader behavior
required if follower outcomes are to be maximized.
● Follower characteristics are the focus of control, experience, and perceived ability. Personal
characteristics of subordinates determine how the environment and leader behavior are
interpreted.
Effective leaders clarify the path to help their followers achieve their goals, and make their
journeys easier by reducing roadblocks and pitfalls. Research demonstrates that employee
performance and satisfaction are positively influenced when leaders compensate for
shortcomings in either their employees or the work settings.

C. Group Leadership Skills & Qualities

C.1. Group Leadership Skills

When you have the privilege and responsibility of leading a

company, having the right skillset is vital to success. Business
owners and managers need to understand the difference
between a leader and a boss and which skills distinguish the
two. Below is a personally curated, tried-and-tested list of the 10
most important leadership skills needed to succeed in business
and team-building.

1. Ability to Lead
This skill refers to how clearly a leader sees his or her vision, shares it with employees, and
inspires them to support that vision. The ability to lead also entails how well a leader can motivate
employees in order to get the desired business results. For example, each employee should
understand how his or her job contributes to the company’s overarching goals. Instilling this
information is part of a leader’s responsibility, and will help employees feel motivated and have a
sense of purpose.
2. Effective Communication
All great leaders are good communicators. They must understand how to get a point across,
describe the company vision to their employees, make sure daily tasks are getting done, facilitate
office conversations, and know when it’s the right time or the wrong time for a meeting. Leaders
must also be able to communicate what a job entails before someone is hired, and explain the
reasons for firing someone. For example, if the team has an unusually busy time coming up, a
leader might email a timetable listing the most important tasks to make sure team members
understand what needs to be done.
3. Relationship Building
Creating and fostering relationships with both employees and clients is one of the marks of a
leader who is truly dedicated to his or her position and company. It takes an investment of time,
emotion, and effort to maintain business relationships, and this isn’t overlooked by your team

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 members or customers. These relationships will help inspire your team to work harder, possibly
even going beyond their job responsibilities. A team member who feels personally mentored by
his or her manager is more likely to go the extra mile for that manager.
4. Industry Expertise
It is difficult and demotivating to follow a leader who doesn’t understand what he or she is doing
or is less qualified than the employees. Great leaders must truly lead; both in the workplace and
in their respective fields. They must be a voice of authority that clients, employees, and other
industry professionals look to and respect. This expertise must also drive important decisions and
help them understand what is and isn’t possible for each position. For example, a good website
design leader won’t ask his or her team to build a website function that isn’t feasible. Instead, the
leader should suggest an alternative, possibly better solution.
5. Perceptive of Team Needs
In addition to having important leadership skills, managers must make sure their teams also have
the skills they need to succeed. Leaders should be able to determine the most vital skills for a
position, and either find someone who already has those skills or hire someone who is a good
company fit and then train them. Great leaders can identify all of the skills within the scope of a
role, and then ensure that the new team member has the proper training and certifications, when
applicable. You must also understand what your team needs in terms of equipment and logistics.
For example, a leader shouldn’t ask employees to do intense Web-based research with a slow,
outdated computer.
6. Trustworthiness
The most trusted leaders display integrity and honesty, gaining the trust and respect of their
employees and clients. Being seen as trustworthy will increase your team members’ commitment
to their goals, and inspire their best efforts. Many factors go into being seen as trustworthy,
including competence and perceived intent. Being trusted by your team also helps the
communication process, because team members will be more likely to take risks during
brainstorming sessions and come to you with any problems that are hindering their work.
7. Time Management
Although time management is often seen as an important skill for employees, it’s even more
important for leaders. Great leaders not only have to manage their own time, they have to
manage an entire company’s time and efforts. Time management for leaders entails knowing how
and where to spend their own time, understanding how employees spend their time, and what
objectives each department should spend its time on. Leaders must decide where to invest the
company’s time and resources; which clients have a good return-on-investment; which
employees need a little more mentoring; which business ventures will benefit customers, and so
on.
8. Commitment
Great leaders are committed to their business, their employees, and their customers. They
understand that what makes a product or service great is an ongoing commitment to excellence.
A leader who isn’t committed to his or her team may end up abusing them; one who isn’t
committed to a company shouldn’t be leading it; and a lack of commitment to customers means
that customer service will decline. For example, if leaders don’t listen to customer complaints and
suggestions, innovation and satisfaction standards will go down.
9. Confidence
Confidence inspires trust and helps leaders present themselves and their company well. Leaders
need confidence in order to make important decisions and stick to them. There is a lot of pressure
in business for leaders to be decisive, and changing your mind often is usually detrimental. For
example, deciding to offer a new product then cancelling it once the research and development
has started will cost the business time and money, at the very least.
10. Problem Solving
Last but certainly not least comes problem-solving skills. All leaders must know how to solve
problems for their team and company. The best companies solve a particular problem for their
clients, and the best leaders solve problems at work. For example, if an employee comes to you
with a problem, your number one goal as a leader is to solve that problem in the best interest of
both the company and employee. Turning problems around for an employee can also inspire
loyalty and retention.

All ten factors contribute to a well-rounded and highly effective leader. Consider each of these
elements as you move forward into becoming the best leader you can be.

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 C.2. Group Leadership qualities

Although the attributes of an effective interpersonal

process group leader treating substance abuse are
not strikingly different from traits needed to work
successfully with other client populations, some of the
variations in approach make a big difference. Clients,
for example, will respond to a warm, empathic, and
life‐affirming manner. Flores (1997) states that “many
therapists do not fully appreciate the impact of their
personalities or values on addicts or alcoholics who
are struggling to identify some viable alternative
lifestyle that will allow them to fill up the emptiness or
deadness within them” (p. 456). For this reason, it is
important for group leaders to communicate and share the joy of being alive. This life‐affirming
attitude carries the unspoken message that a full and vibrant life is possible without alcohol or drugs.

In addition, because many clients with substance abuse histories have grown up in homes that
provided little protection, safety, and support, the leader should be responsive and affirming, rather
than distant or judgmental. The leader should recognize that group members have a high level of
vulnerability and are in need of support, particularly in the early stage of treatment. A discussion of
other essential characteristics for a group leader follows. Above all, it is important for the leader of
any group to understand that he or she is responsible for making a series of choices as the group
progresses. The leader chooses how much leadership to exercise, how to structure the group, when
to intervene, how to effect a successful intervention, how to manage the group’s collective anxiety,
and the means of resolving numerous other issues. It is essential for any group leader to be aware of
the choices made and to remember that all choices concerning the group’s structure and her
leadership will have consequences (Pollack and Slan 1995).

Constancy

An environment with small, infrequent changes is helpful to clients living in the emotionally turbulent
world of recovery. Group facilitators can emphasize the reality of constancy and security through a
variety of specific behaviors. For example, group leaders always should sit in the same place in the
group. Leaders also need to respond consistently to particular behaviors. They should maintain clear
and consistent boundaries, such as specific start and end times, standards for comportment, and
ground rules for speaking. Even dress matters. The setting and type of group will help determine
appropriate dress, but whatever the group leader chooses to wear, some predictability is desirable
throughout the group experience. The group leader should not come dressed in a suit and tie one day
and in blue jeans the next.

Active listening

Excellent listening skills are the keystone of any effective therapy. Therapeutic interventions require
the clinician to perceive and to understand both verbal and nonverbal cues to meaning and
metaphorical levels of meaning. In addition, leaders need to pay attention to the context from which
meanings come. Does it pertain to the here‐and‐now of what is occurring in the group or the then‐
and‐there history of the specific client?

Firm identity

A firm sense of their own identities, together with clear reflection on experiences in group, enables
leaders to understand and manage their own emotional lives. For example, therapists who are aware
of their own capacities and tendencies can recognize their own defenses as they come into play in
the group. They might need to ask questions such as: “Am I cutting off discussions that could lead to

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 verbal expression of anger because I am uncomfortable with anger? Have I blamed clients for the
group’s failure to make progress?”

Group work can be extremely intense emotionally. Leaders who are not in control of their own
emotional reactions can do significant harm—particularly if they are unable to admit a mistake and
apologize for it. The leader also should monitor the process and avoid being seduced by content
issues that arouse anger and could result in a loss of the required professional stance or distance. A
group leader also should be emotionally healthy and keenly aware of personal emotional problems,
lest they become confused with the urgent issues faced by the group as a whole. The leader should
be aware of the boundary between personal and group issues (Pollack and Slan 1995).

Confidence

Effective group leaders operate between the certain and the uncertain. In that zone, they cannot rely
on formulas or supply easy answers to clients’ complex problems. Instead, leaders have to model the
consistency that comes from self‐knowledge and clarity of intent, while remaining attentive to each
client’s experience and the unpredictable unfolding of each session’s work. This secure grounding
enables the leader to model stability for the group.

Spontaneity

Good leaders are creative and flexible. For instance, they know when and how to admit a mistake,
instead of trying to preserve an image of perfection. When a leader admits error appropriately, group
members learn that no one has to be perfect, that they—and others—can make and admit mistakes,
yet retain positive relationships with others.

Integrity

Largely due to the nature of the material group members are sharing in process groups, it is all but
inevitable that ethical issues will arise. Leaders should be familiar with their institution’s policies and
with pertinent laws and regulations. Leaders also need to be anchored by clear internalized standards
of conduct and able to maintain the ethical parameters of their profession.

Trust

Group leaders should be able to trust others. Without this capacity, it is difficult to accomplish a key
aim of the group: restoration of group members’ faith and trust in themselves and their fellow human
beings (Flores 1997).

Humor

The therapist needs to be able to use humor appropriately, which means that it is used only in
support of therapeutic goals and never is used to disguise hostility or wound anyone.

Empathy

Empathy, one of the cornerstones of successful group treatment for substance abuse, is the ability to
identify someone else’s feelings while remaining aware that the feelings of others are distinct from
one’s own. Through these “transient identifications” we make with others, we feel less alone.
“Identification is the antidote to loneliness, to the feeling of estrangement that seems inherent in the
human condition” (Ormont 1992, p. 147).

For the counselor, the ability to project empathy is an essential skill. Without it, little can be
accomplished. Empathic listening requires close attention to everything a client says and the
formation of hypotheses about the underlying meaning of statements (Miller and Rollnick 1991). An
empathic substance abuse counselor
● Communicates respect for and acceptance of clients and their feelings

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 ● Encourages a nonjudgmental, collaborative relationship
● Is supportive and knowledgeable
● Sincerely compliments rather than denigrates or diminishes another person
● Tells less and listens more
● Gently persuades, while understanding that the decision to change is the client’s
● Provides support throughout the recovery process ( Center for Substance Abuse
Treatment [CSAT] 1999b , p. 41)

One of the great benefits of group therapy is that as clients interact, they learn from one another. For
interpersonal interaction to be beneficial, it should be guided, for the most part, by empathy. The
group leader should be able to model empathic interaction for group members, especially since
people with substance use disorders often cannot identify and communicate their feelings, let alone
appreciate the emotive world of others. The group leader teaches group members to understand one
another’s subjective world, enabling clients to develop empathy for each other (Shapiro 1991). The
therapist promotes growth in this area simply by asking group members to say what they think
someone else is feeling and by pointing out cues that indicate what another person may be feeling.

One of the feelings that the group leader needs to be able to empathize with is shame, which is
common among people with substance abuse histories. Shame is so powerful that it should be
addressed whenever it becomes an issue. When shame is felt, the group leader should look for it and
recognize it (Gans and Weber 2000). The leader also should be able to empathize with it, avoid
arousing more shame, and help group members identify and process this painful feeling. 

D. Co Leadership

What is co-leadership? At its core, co-leadership is shared leadership between two or more people.

Each individual takes shared ownership over a shared outcome — much like improve actors on a stage
all working together to co-create a single scene.

The leadership structure of a group

therapy environment has a direct influence
on how the participants respond, according
to a new study led by Dennis M. Kivlighan,
Jr. of the Department of Higher Education
and Special Education at the University of
Maryland in College Park. “Co-leadership
describes a group therapy leadership
structure in which two therapists are
partnered to facilitate meaningful
interactions among group members,” said
Kivlighan. “Today, co-leadership is a widely
used leadership structure across various mental health, and is often utilized in the training of group
psychotherapists.” Leadership structure can have advantages for a group, but can also have
disadvantages. Kivlighan said, “For example, large groups often out-perform small group including time,
energy, and expertise. Unfortunately, in larger groups, there is also more conflict, absenteeism, and less
cooperation than in smaller groups.” He added, “Finally, members of large groups are less satisfied with
their group.”

In an effort to identify which structure best supports positive group therapy outcomes, Kivlighan and his
colleagues evaluated the interaction between leaders and adolescents in 32 group therapy clusters. The
groups had as little as 3 members and as many as 12, and were assessed based on participant
satisfaction and overall climate. The team found that members of larger groups participated less than
members of smaller groups, except when they were co-led. “In the current study, consistent with our first
set of hypotheses regarding group leadership structure, we found some potential advantages of co-
leadership over leadership by an individual therapist,” said Kivlighan. “Specifically, group members in co-
led groups reported greater benefits of therapy than those in individually led groups, as well as significant
interactions of group leadership structure and group size in relationship to avoidance and relationship with

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the group.” Kivlighan added, “These results suggest that co-led groups have several advantages over
individually led groups.”

Co Leadership Advantages and Disadvantages

Co-leadership is a model of operating a business where there are two people who are in charge instead
of just one. The leaders involved will take a split-task approach to the responsibilities of leading the
company, creating an advantage because each leader can focus on their strengths.

List of the Advantages of Co-Leadership

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 1. It flattens out the hierarchy of the organization. When there are co-leaders in place to lead
a company, then less emphasis is placed on the actual chain-of-command in the company. When
everyone involved has an opportunity to be a leader in their own way, the company benefits
because everyone is paired and supported by everyone else. That means there are more
opportunities for personal growth and creativity, as there are fewer hierarchy restrictions in place.

2. Co-leadership can grow company revenues quickly.When there are fewer artificial blocks
put in place that affect personal job performance, employees have more opportunities to grow.
When there are more growth opportunities in place, the revenue growth opportunities for the
company improve as well. To generate these benefits, co-leaders need to work in a way where
their contrasts can be used in a complementary way, creating a synergy which allows for
maximum productivity.

3. It creates added diversity into the company and brand. Diversity helps a company to grow
as well. With different personalities, experiences, and perspectives available within the leadership
core of a business, there are more opportunities to find for growth. Although differences in
personality can create conflict triggers, if they are effectively managed, the depth of
conversations, ideas, and creative moments will generally make the company better.

4. Logistics are improved with a co-leadership dynamic. When there are two leaders running
a company, the responsibilities of leadership can be split to allow those with the most strengths in
each specific area where some work needs to be done. That makes the logistics of moving
forward easier for the company because there is more overall availability. Even something as
simple as meeting availability improves when there is a co-leadership structure in place. Because
of the positional equality, progress can be made even if one of the leaders is not available for
some reason.

5. It provides more feedback to each employee. Co-leaders will invariably look at each
situation with a unique perspective. That gives employees two or more forms of feedback to
utilize for personal improvement instead of just one. A co-leadership structure offers more sets of
eyes that can identify potential problems, evaluate situations, or offer ideas because one person
can lead out with their strengths instead of trying to shore up their weaknesses to be effective.

6. Co-leadership can increase productivity at the top of the business. Think about co-
leadership like this. You have a group of 10 boys. Half of them like to play football. The other half
like to play basketball. When there are two leaders in place, the needs of all the employees can
be met. One leader plays football while the other employee plays basketball. Now take that
process to needs in the business world, like recruiting, employee development, budget
structuring, and all the other daily operations that a successful business requires. More areas of
the business receive personal attention from the leadership, which means there are fewer
chances for something to go overlooked.

List of the Disadvantages of Co-Leadership

1. There can be incompatibility within the leadership group. For co-leadership to be effective,
there must be compatible leadership styles in place within the organization. Without compatibility,
the co-leaders will send mixed messages to their employees. This issue often comes up when
one leader has a more authoritarian leadership style when compared to the other leader. That
causes employees to tailor their responses to each leadership style, which creates confusion
within each role.

2. It creates blame that applies to everyone. Even if one leader isn’t involved in a specific
failure in the business, a co-leadership team shares the blame all the time. That is because the
employees in the business see co-leaders as a single CEO for their business. If one of the co-
leaders decides to pursue something that is unethical, or they make a mistake on a project, then
those negative actions will be assigned to the other co-leader as well. That can make one leader
feel helpless about the problems which exist.

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 3. There can be an imbalance with the corporate vision.Some co-leaders may have a different
level of commitment to the business than others. That act alone can create an imbalance within
the leadership relationship. If there are dissimilar goals which are being pursued, the balance of
the company will be affected as well. Disagreements occur frequently within a co-leadership
arrangement unless everyone involved is committed to the future of the company, which can
affect its overall progress.

4. It may create a strain on workplace morale. Co-leadership relationships become strained

over time if one leader has a greater skillset than the other. If the pay levels for all parties are
equal, but the skill levels are unequal, then resentment tends to build into the relationship over
time. Resentment can also build in a co-leadership arrangement when one person is committed
to the company, while the other person is committed to earning a paycheck. When this
relationship is strained, the morale of all other employees tends to dip lower as well.

5. There are increased expenses for the company. In a co-leadership arrangement, the
company will usually compensate each leader in a similar way. Although the split responsibilities
create a lower overall salary for each leader when compared to what a traditional CEO would
earn, the combined costs of labor and benefits tend to be higher than if one person was at the
reins. When a company is first starting out, this kind of arrangement can tighten the margins
found in the budget, making it more difficult for profits to be obtained.

6. It may create confusion in the workplace. Employees working in a co-leadership situation

will technically report to both individuals. If there is a difference in opinion between the two
leaders, the direct reports may be unsure about who should receive information updates about a
project. Many employees find themselves caught in the middle of these disagreements as well,
which often leads to reduced productivity levels until the disagreement can be resolved. This
setup may also create two separate sets of instructions for the employees to follow which may be
contrary to each other.’

7. Decision-making processes are increased. Organizations which focus on co-leadership are

less nimble when it comes time to make an immediate decision. That is because everyone in the
leadership must be able to give their input before moving forward. If the business is a fast-paced
environment and immediate decisions must be made, then having just one leader responsible for
decisions can help the company move faster than one with 2+ leaders at the helm. Some of this
issue can be offset by having defined responsibilities and necessary actions outlined during a
worst-case scenario issue, but there will always be times when one head might be better than
two.

8. Some split responsibility structures place too much power in one person. There are
certain leadership responsibilities which naturally have more power than others. Duties that
involve the setting of the strategic direction of the company, investment choices, or choosing key
employees would place one leader in a superior position over another leader. Unless the power
structures are equitable in these power roles, a company may find that one of the co-leaders is a
CEO in name only. That can create high levels of resentment if pay levels are equal, which
creates even more stress in the workplace.

These co-leadership advantages and disadvantages tend to focus on the relationship that is present
between those involved. When this relationship is cooperative and equal in talent and skill, then the
company and its employees benefit from its presence. If there are differences in the vision for the
company, or there are gaps in a skill set which remain unresolved, then the company may find itself at a
disadvantage.

E. Multicultural Collaboration : An approach in Groupwork Process

As our society becomes more culturally diverse, organizations are understanding the need to work with
other organizations in order to "turn up the sound," so their voices are heard and their issues will be
addressed. This means that individuals and institutions can no longer deny the sometimes uncomfortable

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realities of cultural diversity. Organizers and activists are realizing that we have to come to grips with our
multicultural society, or we won't get anything done. But how do we do that?

One Wisconsin labor activist says, "We want to include communities of color, but we just don't know
where to begin. We hold open meetings, but no people of color even show up."

A neighborhood organization member in South Los Angeles, says, "Last year, we decided to move
toward organizing in the Latino community for the simple reason that we have a lot of new immigrants
from Central America in the neighborhoods. We wanted to make an authentic multicultural organization,
but we learned an important lesson -- it doesn't just happen."

Many organizers have begun to come to grips with diversity issues, even though they may not have all
the answers. These organizers realize they have to develop new strategies and tactics to attract
multicultural interest in their collaborative initiatives. They also know there will be problems to solve if their
collaborations are to be effective. This section will discuss how to help organizations collaborate
effectively with people of different cultures.

What Is Multicultural Collaboration?

First of all, what's the difference between a

coalition, a collaboration, and a
multicultural collaboration?

A coalition involves two or more

organizations working together around an
issue or a common set of interrelated
issues that they can't address on their own.
The purpose is to harness enough
influence and resources to have an impact
on an issue beyond the grasp of one group
alone. The life of a coalition is usually
shorter than the life of the complex issue or issues it faces. When the issue or issues are resolved
the coalition disbands and the organizations go their separate ways. Coalition members
understand that there will be shared risks, responsibilities, and rewards. The level of commitment
is moderate. Diversity in a coalition is a strength as well as a problem because there is often
dissension.

A collaboration involves two or more organizations working together on multiple issues and goals
in a long-term commitment. This is the highest and most difficult level of working with others,
involving formalized organizational relationships. There is a long-term commitment and a focus
on a range of issues of wide concern. Turf protection can be high and the ability to let go of
control over the direction of the group is critical. Involved organizations share resources (develop,
implement, and evaluate programs), establish policy, and jointly conduct educational programs.
The core values of collaboration are mutual respect, a valuing of difference, and a high level of
trust.

“Turf protection” is guarding what you see as your rightful control over an issue, a funding source,
a job function, or other area, even when sharing that control could both make your job easier and
make your efforts more effective.

A multicultural collaboration is between two or more groups or organizations, each comprised of

members from different cultural backgrounds and orientations (e.g., Latino, Native American
Indian, white) or with goals or missions oriented to populations with differing cultures (e.g.,
African-American, Asian-American). The cultural differences among groups may consist of ethnic
heritage, values, traditions, languages, history, sense of self, and racial attitudes. Any of these
cultural features can become barriers to working together. Unless they become part of the
relationship, the collaboration will probably be challenged.

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 Culture is one of the most powerful forces in our world. It's central to what we see, how we make
sense of our world, and how we express ourselves. As people from different cultural groups work
together, values sometimes conflict. When we don't understand each other we sometimes react
in ways that make a partnership ineffective. Often we're not aware that cultural differences are the
root of miscommunication.

In an effective multicultural collaboration, as with any other collaboration, the participants must
have a sense of common purpose. But they must consider that different cultural groups may have
differing ideas about how leaders are chosen and exercise power, and about how conflict and
disagreement should be managed. For example, someone from an American Indian tribe may
believe that a leader can be respected only if they are an elder, while this may not be an
important factor to someone in another group.

A multicultural collaboration requires a plan, lots of patience, and determination to confront old
attitudes in new ways by pulling in partners usually not involved. In order for a multicultural
collaboration to be effective, the groups involved must overcome differences to promote a unified
effort. Because of different skill levels and expertise, the collaboration may seem uneven at first.
And, initially, participants may come for different reasons. For example, some may have been
invited to take on responsibilities others don't want; others may want a scapegoat in case things
don't work. But if the focus is on the common goal, shared decision making, defined roles, and
setting time lines, the organizations involved can make it work.
Why Is Multicultural Collaboration Important?

● It gets everyone to the table. Because most groups have some community-wide concerns,
it's essential to get them to the same table, uneven or not. According to John Gardner, the biggest
problem of having many groups in society is the war of the parts against the whole. Separately they don’t
have the power to resolve a problem, but because they are all tied together, one part can hold up the
others for ransom -- everything can be frozen if one group's efforts are focused on thwarting another's
● It emphasizes common interests rather than differences. Though it's odd and self-
destructive, in-fighting has increased dramatically in recent years. Becoming more aware of our
similarities, along with cultural differences, doesn't have to paralyze or divide us. Through common
interests we can learn to translate "different from me" and "less than me" into "like me in lots of important
ways." As a result "difference" becomes less of a barrier to effectiveness.
● It makes for more effective communication among groups. Understanding how people
communicate is the first step toward understanding and respecting each other.
● It enriches everyone's life when there is shared knowledge of others' cultures. Different
communication styles reflect philosophies and worldviews that are the foundations of cultures. New
understanding gives us a broader view of our world and the opportunity to see a mirror image of
ourselves.
● It takes advantage of "strength in numbers." History shows that when groups are organized
through common purpose they can wield great power and succeed. Because no one group is responsible
for a problem, no one group alone can solve it. Competition among groups doesn't aid survival in today's
turbulent world.
● It creates community.  As our population becomes more culturally diverse, some cultural
groups are experiencing more problems. If we learn to understand and value other cultures and to look at
each other as neighbors with similar interests rather than adversaries, we will be more vested in the idea
of taking better care of each other. Caring about our neighbors builds a sense of community and unites us
in solving community-wide problems.
● It leads to a more just society. Multicultural collaboration can build collective capacity to help
make things better, and promote the consensus that it's important to do so. This offers a good chance at
solving complex problems in an atmosphere of trust, cooperation, and mutual respect.

When Should You Commit To Multicultural Collaboration?

Vicente, a community activist, suggests a way to think about collaborating with people from
different cultures: "To me what's important is where do we make connections? Where do our
pasts tie in? We all come from agrarian backgrounds at some point in our past that are very rich
with folklore, history, oral history, and values."

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 Another man, Estevan, says, "If I see that you're hurting, that there's something wrong with you,
and I can help you out -- why do I have to care about what color of skin you have, what color of
eyes you have, or where you come from? In New Mexico we say, 'Mi casa es tu casa.' My house
is your house."

The comments above indicate that the human connection can be reason enough to work at
overcoming cultural barriers. The following are other significant indicators of when you should
commit to multicultural collaboration:

● Those most affected by the problem are not participating in a solution. This could mean that
one group (possibly the group in power) needs to commit to improving its cultural
understanding and appreciation (its cultural competence) with regard to other groups, in order
for those groups to feel welcome.
● There is more at stake than individual organizations, but competing organizations are at each
other's throats and coming to unilateral decisions that hurt themselves and others.
● There are problems among many diverse groups that one organization can't solve alone or in
a short period of time.
● There are several groups willing to make a long-term commitment to work for a change in
thinking and to establish a common language and effective communication.
● Several organizations recognize a bad situation that could get worse if nothing is done.
● There is a desire to identify others involved in the problem and bring them to the table.
Everyone at the table will share a vision and be committed to the process of reaching out to
new partners, explaining the rationale, and continuing to recruit group members.
● All parties involved are clear about what they are getting into, see the tasks as meaningful
work that will make a difference, and are strong stakeholder groups in the community.
● The groups represent every cultural group involved in the problem, are well organized, and
are able to speak and act credibly for the groups they represent.
● The leadership of the process is committed to keeping the focus on the goals, keeping
stakeholders at the table through periods of frustration and disagreement, acknowledging
small successes along the way, and enforcing the group's agreed-upon rules.

It's important not to go blindly into a collaboration. Organizations should be aware of the potential
problems and to realize that all collaborations may not be voluntary. Circumstances may place
organizations in partnerships they may not have anticipated. For example, competition for
increasingly limited funds, federal or state mandates for the establishment of initiatives, and social
crises may create non-voluntary collaborations. Forces such as these may turn a step-by-step
process of recognition, initiation, structuring, and definition into one giant leap. A giant leap
without forethought can lead to a painful fall.

Finally, organizations thinking about collaborating must ask themselves, given the potential
problems, if they should collaborate at all. Is it an impossible goal? On the other hand, the
problems shouldn't scare anyone off if there's potential to work them out with special effort. There
won't be unanimous agreement on everything. That's OK because healthy disagreement can be
productive and desirable. At the same time, there may be lots of ways to work together and
experience the many rewards gained through building the relationships needed to do the work.

What Are Some Guidelines For Multicultural Collaboration?

Cultural questions about who we are and how we identify ourselves are at the heart of
multicultural collaboration. Consider these guidelines as you confront the communication barriers:

● Learn from generalizations about other cultures and races, but don't use those generalizations
to stereotype, write off, or oversimplify your ideas about another person. The best use of a generalization
is to add it to your storehouse of knowledge, so that you better understand and appreciate other
interesting, multi-faceted human beings.
● Practice, practice, practice. That's the first rule because it's in the doing that we actually get
better at cross-cultural communication.

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● Don't assume that there is one right way to communicate. Keep questioning your assumptions
about the "right way" to communicate. For example, think about your body language; postures that
indicate receptivity in one culture might indicate aggressiveness in another.
● Don't assume that breakdowns in communication occur because other people are on the
wrong track. Search for ways to make the communication work, rather than searching for whom should
receive the blame for the breakdown.
● Listen actively and empathetically. Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes, especially
when another person's perceptions or ideas are very different from your own. You might need to operate
at the edge of your own comfort zone.
● Respect others' choices about whether or not to engage in communication with you. Honor
their opinions about what is going on.
● Stop, suspend judgment, and try to look at the situation as an outsider. For example, when
you notice blocks or difficulties in working with people, revisit your own beliefs or behaviors that may be
holding you back. Also, think about how others view your work relationship and decide on ways you might
change your behavior to make them more comfortable. For example, you might be speaking or dressing
in a very formal manner. Being more informal in dress and behavior might improve the situation.
● Be prepared for a discussion of the past. Use this as an opportunity to develop an
understanding from "the other's" point of view, rather than getting defensive or impatient. Acknowledge
historical events that have taken place. Be open to learning more about them. Honest acknowledgment of
the mistreatment and oppression that have taken place on the basis of cultural difference is vital for
effective communication.
● Be aware of current power imbalances. And be open to hearing each other's perceptions of
those imbalances. It's necessary to understand each other and work together.
● Remember that cultural norms may not apply to the behavior of any particular individual. We
are all shaped by many factors (ethnic background, family, education, personalities) and are more
complicated than any cultural norm could suggest. Check your interpretations if you are uncertain what is
meant.
● To journey with fellow travelers we must prepare ourselves for customs and values that differ
from ours. We must understand that we each have customs that may seem foreign to others. For
example, in the United States, Midwesterners tend to call colleagues by their first name as a sign of
friendliness. Yet in many African-American communities, respect is shown by using last names and titles.
People on the East Coast arch their eyebrows at the suggestion of a seven-thirty breakfast meeting --
nine is the preferred starting time. In the Midwest, however, early meetings are common. Native
Americans often begin their meetings by sharing food before business gets started. To others, eating
before working seems unproductive.

How Do You Build A Multicultural Collaboration?

There are three steps to developing any collaboration:

● Define the setting of the problem
● Set a direction
● Implement your plan
Multicultural collaboration requires considerations that may not be involved in other
collaborations. There are 6 components in building a multicultural collaboration:

FORMULATE AND STATE CLEARLY THE VISION AND MISSION OF THE COLLABORATION TO
MODEL THE MULTICULTURAL RELATIONSHIPS.

● Make a commitment to create an organizational culture that embraces and grows from diversity.
Assemble a multicultural team. A group may not appear to be serious about being multicultural
when all staff members are from one group. This helps get across the message that you really
mean it when your collaborative says it's committed to involving every group in all phases of the
initiative. Practicing the principles you champion builds trust, so lead by example.
● Become aware of what dimensions of cultural diversity exist in your coalition.
● Respect and celebrate the various ethnic, racial, cultural, gender, and other differences in your
group. Make the time and create the space for this to occur.
● Cultivate a multicultural atmosphere. Incorporate language, art, music, rituals, and ways of
working together that derive from diverse cultures. Have appropriate resources and educational
materials available, and encourage people to use them.

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CONDUCT STRATEGIC OUTREACH AND MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.

● If possible, include diverse groups at the inception, rather than later. This can ensure that your
collaboration's development reflects many perspectives from the very beginning. It can also
minimize real or perceived tokenism (e.g., bringing one person of color into a largely white
organization and giving her a title with no authority or responsibility, setting her up to look
ineffectual and bad), paternalism, and inequality among the people who join later.
● Consciously give priority to increasing diversity. Consider all the different dimensions of diversity
when identifying, selecting, and recruiting prospective collaborative members. Set ground rules
that maintain a safe and nurturing atmosphere. Plan to invest significantly more up-front time in
outreach and follow-up to build trust.
● Tap into networks (yours and others'), and use word-of-mouth and personal references to
enhance your credibility. Personal contact is important. Ask if you can go to meetings of existing
groups -- faith groups, civic associations, coalitions, wherever people meet. Get on their agenda
for a few minutes, and make a personal invitation. Then follow up formal invitations with personal
phone calls.Recognize that changing the appearance of your membership -- seeing variety -- is
only the first step toward attaining an understanding of and respect for people of other cultures.
● Welcome and highlight different sorts of contributions, special skills, and experiences.
● Provide incentives and trade-offs to recruit diverse participants. Be prepared to operate in new
ways, to share control, and build trust. Make an ongoing commitment of collaborative resources
to issues of importance to the diverse group members.
● Respect the right of member organizations to maintain their own separatism if they wish. Given
their own political perspective or stage of organizational development, they may prefer to work
strictly on their own, rather than to join a multicultural collaboration. Try to initiate a relationship
that might lead to a stronger alliance in the future.
● Develop and use ground rules for your collaborative that establish shared norms, reinforce
constructive and respectful conduct, and protect against damaging behavior.
● Encourage or help people to develop qualities such as patience, empathy, trust, tolerance, and a
nonjudgmental attitude.

ESTABLISH STRUCTURES AND OPERATING PROCEDURES THAT REINFORCE EQUITY.

● Create a decision-making structure in which all cultural groups and genders have a recognized
voice, and regularly participate in high-level decision making.
● Make sure that staff and board reflect and represent the community in which you operate. Invite
input from a representative group of participants, if not all of them, in the design of any event. Use
their input in noticeable ways, so that they can see their "fingerprints" on the project.
● Find ways to involve everyone. Use different kinds of meetings, committees, and dialogue by
phone, mail, or e-mail as means of including everyone in as active a role, or as informed a
position as they want. Give people multiple opportunities to participate.
● Make sure that your commitment to multiculturalism translates into the public image of the
coalition. When running meetings or presentations, be sure the presenters represent the diversity
of your collaborative, and not just as tokens, but as substantial participants and leaders.
● Structure equal time for different groups to speak at meetings.
● Develop operational policies and programs that confront and challenge racism, sexism, and other
forms of prejudice.
● Conduct reviews of meetings that articulate and build a common set of expectations, values, and
operating methods for coalition functioning.

PRACTICE NEW AND VARIOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION AND SPECIAL SUPPORT.

Find out if anyone needs special support to participate effectively. In any invitations to meetings or
events (which could be written in more than one language) or follow-up conversations, ask if there is
a need for translators, translated materials, sign language interpreters for the deaf, large-print
materials, or audio versions of materials. Many groups automatically communicate through writing
and speaking in English. This does not take into account language differences that make it hard for
people to understand information or participate equally in discussions and decision making. Special

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 efforts to communicate in multiple languages may be required in order to ensure the full participation
of a diverse membership.
● Use inclusive and valuing language, quote diverse sources, and readily adapt to differences in
communication styles.
● Learn and apply the cultural etiquette of your members.
● Avoid false praise or other forms of insincere communication.
● Learn to read different nonverbal behaviors, and interpret them as part of the dialogue.
● Make sure that everyone understands words and references that are used. Do not assume
common understanding and knowledge of unwritten rules of culture. Spell things out and answer
questions so that everyone is up to speed.
● Prohibit disrespectful name-calling and use of stereotypes. Respect and use personal names.
● Use humor appropriately and carefully. Don't laugh at each other, but with each other. If someone
makes an insulting joke or comment, the person it was addressed to should say it was hurtful.
This alerts the group to their discomfort and signals that the joke was not funny. Never let this
slide by. At a minimum, take the joker aside and alert them to the hurt feelings.
● Bridge language barriers in various ways.

CREATE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY MINORITIES AND

WOMEN.

● Develop a variety of leadership positions and a mechanism for leaders to work together, such as
a steering committee composed of different committee chairpersons. This enables many people
to function as leaders and also encourages an interchange of leadership styles.
● Include different types of people in leadership positions so that your collaborative organization
can legitimately articulate a multicultural vision and values.
● Help to cultivate leadership capacity in others, particularly minorities and women. Help people to
gain competence in new areas. Build opportunities into the organizational structure for shared
tasks, mentoring, and pairing leaders with inexperienced people so that skills are transferred and
confidence is increased.

ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES THAT ARE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE OR THAT DIRECTLY FIGHT

OPPRESSION.

● Integrate aspects of different cultures into all your activities (rather than holding isolated
"multinational dinners," for example). Virtually all activities lend themselves to a multicultural
approach, including: social events, sports, street fairs, talent shows, campaigns, neighborhood
improvement projects, demonstrations, and lobbying efforts.
● Hold events in mutually acceptable locations. Organizers should go to the community to hold
events, rather than expecting the community to come to them. Some locations will implicitly
reinforce power disparities. For example, if a meeting focuses on police/community tensions, you
would not want to hold it at the police station. Attend to access issues for those with disabilities.
Often an informal environment will help people relax and get to know one another more easily.
● Consciously develop projects that people from different cultural backgrounds can work on
together. Create mixed teams or small groups so that people gain more experience in working
together.
● Sanction the periodic use of single-culture caucuses or teams as a way of valuing the need for
each group to solidify its position and fortify its own approach to working with the larger group.
● Conduct special activities to educate everyone about different cultural concerns (e.g., forums,
conferences, panels, organized dialogues).
● If your activities are not attracting or involving a diverse crowd, try running special events that are
geared specifically to different groups. Such events need to be led and organized by
representatives of these groups. Let your collaborative organization or community population
determine the issues and events that they feel are important. Don't presume that you know what
is best.
● Take responsibility for making sure that your group activities and programs address multicultural
concerns. Begin with a needs assessment and review of your collaborative's track record on
cultural sensitivity. Examine any racial incidents, insults, harassment, or violence that have
plagued the organization or community you work in. Remember if and how the organization

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 responded. Identify strategies or programmatic changes that would strengthen the multicultural
capacity and enhance its response to incidents of prejudice or discrimination.
● Conduct prejudice reduction work, such as diversity training or multicultural awareness training to
change assumptions and attitudes among your membership or community. Using skilled
facilitators/trainers. Such training can help your collaborative organization appreciate differences
and understand how to reduce insensitive behavior.
● Network and collaborate with other groups committed to multiculturalism, or those fighting
discrimination/ promoting social justice.

Building a multicultural collaboration entails changing the way people think, perceive, and communicate.
There is a difference between recognizing cultural differences and consciously incorporating inclusive and
anti-discriminatory attitudes in all aspects of the organization. Embracing cultural differences is not
something separate from your issue-oriented work. It is at the core of the group's perspective on issues,
possible solutions, and membership and operating procedures. The organization's structure, leadership,
and activities must reflect multiple perspectives, styles, and priorities. Changing how the organization
looks and acts is just the first step in the ongoing process of creating a reality that maximizes and
celebrates diversity

REFERENCES & SUGGESTED

READINGS

Forsyth, Donelson (2014) Group dynamics, volume 1 (16-0389730)

Galances, Adams (2010) Effective group discussion, volume 1 (302.34 G1311)

Grusec, J., et. Al ( 2016) Handbook of socialization 2nd ed., volume 1 (17-07187)

Johnson, et.al. (2016) Group dynamics, volume 1 (17-07161)

Kelly, Rossi, and Palombo (2001), Groupwork strategies for strenghthening resiliency., the Haworth press, newyork,
London, oxford.

Lindsay, Orton (2008), Groupwork practice in social work, learning matters Ltd.

Mendoza, Thelma L., (2003) Social work with groups, Megabooks company, Quezon City Philippines.

Sapin, Kate (2013) Essential skills for youth work practice, volume 1, (15-0367370)

Thornton, Christine (2016) Group and team coaching: the secret life of groups, volume 1 (17-07172)

SW PRACTICE WITH GROUPS : MODULE 3 Page 39

 MODULE 4

LEADERSHIP & DIVERSITY

INTRODUCTION

In globalized, multicultural organizations, social workers need to learn to create value out of diversity.   As
the world moves forward in technology and advancement, there are dangers that a number of society
groups might be left behind because they are minority and nobody represents their interests. Diversity is
about empowering people. It makes an organization effective by capitalizing on all of the strengths of
members. Diversity is understanding, valuing, and using the differences in every person. We need to
grow our work-force from groups into teams that use the full potential of every individual. Teams are much
more than a group. A group is collection of individuals where each person is working towards his or her
own goal, while a team is a collection of individuals working towards a common goal or vision.

Essential Questions:
● 1. What is the importance of leadership and diversity in groupwork process?
● 2. What are the difference between a boss and a leader?
● 3. What are the different multicultural approaches in groupwork process?

Intended learning outcomes:

● Acquire the ability to guide group members depends on the power attributed to the
worker by group members, by the supporting agency or organization, and by the larger
society that sanctions the work of the group.
● Familiarize with a range of leadership skills that can be applied in many different types of
groups and in many different settings.
● Enhance their awareness of their leadership styles through a number of exercises
presented to help them identify their preference for a particular leadership style and
understand how their preferences influence their practice with treatment and task group.

LESSON INPUT & ILLUSTRATIONS

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A. Leadership and power

It’s fair to conclude that an individual can have the ability to

influence, develop and enable without necessarily being the
leader of the team. In many situations it is possible to exert
influence without being in authority. People with power have
ability to influence following and to some extent control the
action of others. If you observe a group of people working
together, you will be able to determine who is the leader of the
group.

Power is a person’s ability to control activities of other

individuals. Leadership is the ability to inspire people to follow
your instructions voluntarily and manage the completion of a
project without exercising any form of force. Traditionally, it was believed that power was derived from
leadership. However, in many instances, power leads to leadership. However, the two are interrelated
and can be a source of confusion between different people who don’t fully understand the differences.
Leadership is dependent on power; a good leader is he/she who has some form of power.
 

What is Power?

Power is broadly defined as the ability of an

individual to exercise some form of control
over another individual. There is a distinct
relationship between power and influence.
Different definitions of power regard it to be a
causal efficacy which either be a change
noticed in the world or a psychological
pressure that gives people reasons to choose
one alternative over the other. As a kid, your
parents had significant influence over your
actions, and you would often try to imitate
their preferred behavior so as to please them. In school, the same case applies with teachers,
they could easily influence you to do one thing instead of the other. In these two cases, both the
parents and teachers, have derived authority which gave them the influence over you.

There are however other sources where power cab be derived from. Reward power is that which
is acquired from the ability to award the followers or give some form of benefits. Coercive power
is that derived from the ability to enforce punishments or sanctions. Legitimate power is that
derived from an official position of authority either in an organization or election. Referent power
is based solely on the individuals following. Expert power is acquired from one’s expertise,
knowledge of specialized skills. Integrative power is that which is derived from the ability to bring
people together.

In the scene of politics, power is essential. There are some instances where novices have
managed to inherit extreme power by virtue of their birth either being the daughter or son of a
President, Prime Minister or the Royal family. Heads of armies have also been able to take over
governments forcefully or by staging coup. Power is often used by individuals for their own
personal benefits just as the saying goes, ‘Power Corrupts’.

What is Leadership?

The term, ‘leadership’ brings about a bunch of

ideas, a political leader, an explorer leading a
team of people through some jungle or an
executive within a company. Other people also
broadly define a leader as someone who

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 basically leads a group of people either in politics or within religion. What really is the right
definition of a leader? A leader is an effective individual who creates a vision, motivates people to
work towards achieving the vision, coaches and builds the team that will pioneer the completion
of the vision and manages the end delivery of the vision.

Just like power there are different types of leadership. In total there are twelve types, but here we
discuss five of the main ones that you have probably come across. Autocratic leadership is that
which the leader maintains full authority and responsibility over his/her subjects. Democratic
leadership is where the subordinates are involved in decision making. Transformational
leadership is that leadership type that is centered around initiating some form of change.
Monarchy leadership is that which authority is passed on from one person to another as a birth
right. Laissez-faire is the leadership type where subordinates are given all the necessary tools to
manage and complete projects on their own.
 
Differences Between Leadership and Power

2. Definition
Power is the
ability of an
individual to
exercise
some form of
control over
another
individual. On
the other hand,
leadership is
the ability to
create a vision,
motivate
people to
work towards
achieving the
vision,
coaching and
building the
team that will
pioneer the completion of the vision and managing the end delivery of the vision.
3. Credibility
Credibility is needed in leadership but not a necessity in power.
4. Source
Power is derived form a position of authority. Leadership is a personal attribute.
5. Nature
Power is generally controlling and forceful in making followers follow commands. Leadership
involves inspiring the subordinates to complete tasks.
6. Dependence
Leadership requires power in order to be effective. However, power does not depend on
leadership. One can have power but not be a leader. But, all leaders require some form of power
in order to successfully inspire subordinates.

7. Types
The types of power include coercive, legitimate, expert, referent and reward. The main types of
leadership include autocratic, democratic, transformational, monarchical and laisses-faire.

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B. Situational Approaches to Leadership

The theme in early approaches to understanding leadership was the desire to identify traits or behaviors
that effective leaders had in common. A common set of characteristics proved to be elusive, however.
Researchers were continually frustrated by the lack of consistent support for their findings and
conclusions. As a result, research began to focus on what style of leadership was most effective in a
particular situation. Contingency or situational theories examine the fit between the leader and the
situation and provide guidelines for social workers to achieve this effective fit.
The theorists in this section believe that members choose leadership styles based on leadership
situations. Members adjust their decision‐making, orientation, and motivational approaches based upon a
unique combination of factors in their situations: characteristics of members, types of work, organizational
structures, personal preferences, and influences.
The following sections describe the three most well‐known situational theories.
4. Fiedler's contingency theory
Fred E. Fiedler's contingency theory centers on
the belief that there is no best way for managers
to lead. Different situations create different
leadership style requirements for managers. The
style that works in one environment may not work
in another.

Fiedler looked at three elements that dictate a

leader's situational control. These elements are:
● Task structure. Is the job highly
structured, fairly unstructured, or
somewhere in between? The spelling out in detail (favorable) of what is required of
subordinates affects task structure.
● Leader/member relations. This element applies to the amount of loyalty,
dependability, and support that a leader receives from his or her employees. In a
favorable relationship, a manager has a highly formed task structure and is able to
reward and/or punish employees without any problems. In an unfavorable
relationship, the task structure is usually poorly formed, and the leader possesses
limited authority.
● Positioning power. Positioning power measures the amount of power or authority a
manager perceives the organization has given him or her for the purpose of directing,
rewarding, and punishing subordinates. Positioning powers of managers depends on
the taking away (favorable) or increasing (unfavorable) of the decision‐making power
of employees.
Fiedler then rated managers as to whether they were relationship oriented or task oriented. Task‐
oriented managers tended to do better in situations with good leader/member relationships,
structured tasks, and either weak or strong position power. They also did well when the tasks
were unstructured but position power was strong, as well as when the leader/member relations
were moderate to poor and the tasks were unstructured. Relationship‐oriented managers, on the
other hand, do better in all other situations.
The task‐motivated style leader experiences pride and satisfaction in task accomplishment for his
or her organization, while the relationship‐motivated style leader seeks to build interpersonal
relations and extend extra help for team development in his or her organization.
Judging whether a leadership style is good or bad can be difficult. Each manager has his or her
own preferences for leadership. Task‐motivated leaders are at their best when their teams
perform successfully—such as achieving new sales records or outperforming major competitors.
Relationship‐oriented leaders are at their best when greater customer satisfaction is gained and
positive company images are established.

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 5. Hersey-Blanchard's situational model
The Hersey‐Blanchard Model of
Situational Leadership, shown in
Figure , is based on the amount of
direction (task behavior) and amount of
socioemotional support (relationship
behavior) a leader must provide given
the situation and the level of maturity of
the followers.

Task behavior is the extent to which the leader

engages in spelling out the duties and
responsibilities to an individual or group. This
behavior includes telling people what to do,
how to do it, when to do it, and where to do it.
In task behavior, the leader engages in one‐
way communication. Relationship
behavior, on the other hand, is the extent to
which the leader engages in two‐way or
multiway communications. This behavior
includes listening to, facilitating, and supporting
employees. And maturity is the willingness and
ability of a person to take responsibility for
directing his own behavior. Employees tend to
have varying degrees of maturity, depending on the specific tasks, functions, or objectives that they
attempt to accomplish.

To determine the appropriate leadership style to use in a given situation, a leader must first
determine the maturity levels of his or her followers in relationship to the specific task. As
employee maturity levels increase, a leader should begin to reduce task behavior and increase
relationship behavior until his or her followers reach moderate maturity levels. As the employees
move into above‐average maturity levels, the leader should decrease not only task behavior but
also relationship behavior.
Once maturity levels are identified, a manager can determine the appropriate leadership style: telling,
selling, participating, or delegating.
● Telling. This style reflects high task/low relationship behavior (S1). The leader provides clear
instructions and specific direction. Telling style is best matched with a low follower readiness
level.
● Selling. This style reflects high task/high relationship behavior (S2). The leader encourages
two‐way communication and helps build confidence and motivation on the part of the
employee, although the leader still has responsibility and controls decision making. Selling
style is best matched with a moderate follower readiness level.
● Participating. This style reflects high relationship/low task behavior (S3). With this style, the
leader and followers share decision making and no longer need or expect the relationship to
be directive. Participating style is best matched with a moderate follower readiness level.
● Delegating. This style reflects low relationship/low task behavior (S4). Delegating style is
appropriate for leaders whose followers are ready to accomplish a particular task and are
both competent and motivated to take full responsibility. This style is best matched with a
high follower readiness level.

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 6. House's path-goal theory

The path‐goal
theory,

developed by Robert House, is based on the expectancy theory of motivation. A manager's job is
to coach or guide workers to choose the best paths for reaching their goals. Based on the goal‐
setting theory, leaders engage in different types of leadership behaviors depending on the nature
and demands of a particular situation.
A leader's behavior is acceptable to subordinates when viewed as a source of satisfaction. He or
she is motivational when need satisfaction is contingent on performance; this leader facilitates,
coaches, and rewards effective performance. Path‐goal theory identifies several leadership
styles:
● Achievement‐oriented. The leader sets challenging goals for followers, expects them to
perform at their highest levels, and shows confidence in their abilities to meet these
expectations. This style is appropriate when followers lack job challenges.
● Directive. The leader lets followers know what is expected of them and tells them how to
perform their tasks. This style is appropriate when followers hold ambiguous jobs.
● Participative. The leader consults with followers and asks them for suggestions before
making a decision. This style is appropriate when followers are using improper procedures or
are making poor decisions.
● Supportive. The leader is friendly and approachable. He or she shows concern for the
followers' psychological well‐being. This style is appropriate when followers lack confidence.
Path‐goal theory assumes that leaders are flexible and that they can change their styles as
situations require. This theory proposes two contingency variables that moderate the leader
behavior‐outcome relationship:
● Environment characteristics are outside the control of followers, task structure, authority
system, and work group. Environmental factors determine the type of leader behavior
required if follower outcomes are to be maximized.
● Follower characteristics are the focus of control, experience, and perceived ability. Personal
characteristics of subordinates determine how the environment and leader behavior are
interpreted.
Effective leaders clarify the path to help their followers achieve their goals, and make their
journeys easier by reducing roadblocks and pitfalls. Research demonstrates that employee
performance and satisfaction are positively influenced when leaders compensate for
shortcomings in either their employees or the work settings.

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C. Group Leadership Skills & Qualities

C.1. Group Leadership Skills

When you have the privilege and responsibility of leading a

company, having the right skillset is vital to success. Business
owners and managers need to understand the difference
between a leader and a boss and which skills distinguish the
two. Below is a personally curated, tried-and-tested list of the 10
most important leadership skills needed to succeed in business
and team-building.

11. Ability to Lead

This skill refers to how clearly a leader sees his or her vision, shares it with employees, and
inspires them to support that vision. The ability to lead also entails how well a leader can motivate
employees in order to get the desired business results. For example, each employee should
understand how his or her job contributes to the company’s overarching goals. Instilling this
information is part of a leader’s responsibility, and will help employees feel motivated and have a
sense of purpose.
12. Effective Communication
All great leaders are good communicators. They must understand how to get a point across,
describe the company vision to their employees, make sure daily tasks are getting done, facilitate
office conversations, and know when it’s the right time or the wrong time for a meeting. Leaders
must also be able to communicate what a job entails before someone is hired, and explain the
reasons for firing someone. For example, if the team has an unusually busy time coming up, a
leader might email a timetable listing the most important tasks to make sure team members
understand what needs to be done.
13. Relationship Building
Creating and fostering relationships with both employees and clients is one of the marks of a
leader who is truly dedicated to his or her position and company. It takes an investment of time,
emotion, and effort to maintain business relationships, and this isn’t overlooked by your team
members or customers. These relationships will help inspire your team to work harder, possibly
even going beyond their job responsibilities. A team member who feels personally mentored by
his or her manager is more likely to go the extra mile for that manager.
14. Industry Expertise
It is difficult and demotivating to follow a leader who doesn’t understand what he or she is doing
or is less qualified than the employees. Great leaders must truly lead; both in the workplace and
in their respective fields. They must be a voice of authority that clients, employees, and other
industry professionals look to and respect. This expertise must also drive important decisions and
help them understand what is and isn’t possible for each position. For example, a good website
design leader won’t ask his or her team to build a website function that isn’t feasible. Instead, the
leader should suggest an alternative, possibly better solution.
15. Perceptive of Team Needs
In addition to having important leadership skills, managers must make sure their teams also have
the skills they need to succeed. Leaders should be able to determine the most vital skills for a
position, and either find someone who already has those skills or hire someone who is a good
company fit and then train them. Great leaders can identify all of the skills within the scope of a
role, and then ensure that the new team member has the proper training and certifications, when
applicable. You must also understand what your team needs in terms of equipment and logistics.
For example, a leader shouldn’t ask employees to do intense Web-based research with a slow,
outdated computer.
16. Trustworthiness
The most trusted leaders display integrity and honesty, gaining the trust and respect of their
employees and clients. Being seen as trustworthy will increase your team members’ commitment
to their goals, and inspire their best efforts. Many factors go into being seen as trustworthy,
including competence and perceived intent. Being trusted by your team also helps the
communication process, because team members will be more likely to take risks during
brainstorming sessions and come to you with any problems that are hindering their work.

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 17. Time Management
Although time management is often seen as an important skill for employees, it’s even more
important for leaders. Great leaders not only have to manage their own time, they have to
manage an entire company’s time and efforts. Time management for leaders entails knowing how
and where to spend their own time, understanding how employees spend their time, and what
objectives each department should spend its time on. Leaders must decide where to invest the
company’s time and resources; which clients have a good return-on-investment; which
employees need a little more mentoring; which business ventures will benefit customers, and so
on.
18. Commitment
Great leaders are committed to their business, their employees, and their customers. They
understand that what makes a product or service great is an ongoing commitment to excellence.
A leader who isn’t committed to his or her team may end up abusing them; one who isn’t
committed to a company shouldn’t be leading it; and a lack of commitment to customers means
that customer service will decline. For example, if leaders don’t listen to customer complaints and
suggestions, innovation and satisfaction standards will go down.
19. Confidence
Confidence inspires trust and helps leaders present themselves and their company well. Leaders
need confidence in order to make important decisions and stick to them. There is a lot of pressure
in business for leaders to be decisive, and changing your mind often is usually detrimental. For
example, deciding to offer a new product then cancelling it once the research and development
has started will cost the business time and money, at the very least.
20. Problem Solving
Last but certainly not least comes problem-solving skills. All leaders must know how to solve
problems for their team and company. The best companies solve a particular problem for their
clients, and the best leaders solve problems at work. For example, if an employee comes to you
with a problem, your number one goal as a leader is to solve that problem in the best interest of
both the company and employee. Turning problems around for an employee can also inspire
loyalty and retention.

All ten factors contribute to a well-rounded and highly effective leader. Consider each of these
elements as you move forward into becoming the best leader you can be.

C.2. Group Leadership qualities

Although the attributes of an effective interpersonal

process group leader treating substance abuse are
not strikingly different from traits needed to work
successfully with other client populations, some of the
variations in approach make a big difference. Clients,
for example, will respond to a warm, empathic, and
life‐affirming manner. Flores (1997) states that “many
therapists do not fully appreciate the impact of their
personalities or values on addicts or alcoholics who
are struggling to identify some viable alternative
lifestyle that will allow them to fill up the emptiness or
deadness within them” (p. 456). For this reason, it is
important for group leaders to communicate and share the joy of being alive. This life‐affirming
attitude carries the unspoken message that a full and vibrant life is possible without alcohol or drugs.

In addition, because many clients with substance abuse histories have grown up in homes that
provided little protection, safety, and support, the leader should be responsive and affirming, rather
than distant or judgmental. The leader should recognize that group members have a high level of
vulnerability and are in need of support, particularly in the early stage of treatment. A discussion of
other essential characteristics for a group leader follows. Above all, it is important for the leader of

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 any group to understand that he or she is responsible for making a series of choices as the group
progresses. The leader chooses how much leadership to exercise, how to structure the group, when
to intervene, how to effect a successful intervention, how to manage the group’s collective anxiety,
and the means of resolving numerous other issues. It is essential for any group leader to be aware of
the choices made and to remember that all choices concerning the group’s structure and her
leadership will have consequences (Pollack and Slan 1995).

Constancy

An environment with small, infrequent changes is helpful to clients living in the emotionally turbulent
world of recovery. Group facilitators can emphasize the reality of constancy and security through a
variety of specific behaviors. For example, group leaders always should sit in the same place in the
group. Leaders also need to respond consistently to particular behaviors. They should maintain clear
and consistent boundaries, such as specific start and end times, standards for comportment, and
ground rules for speaking. Even dress matters. The setting and type of group will help determine
appropriate dress, but whatever the group leader chooses to wear, some predictability is desirable
throughout the group experience. The group leader should not come dressed in a suit and tie one day
and in blue jeans the next.

Active listening

Excellent listening skills are the keystone of any effective therapy. Therapeutic interventions require
the clinician to perceive and to understand both verbal and nonverbal cues to meaning and
metaphorical levels of meaning. In addition, leaders need to pay attention to the context from which
meanings come. Does it pertain to the here‐and‐now of what is occurring in the group or the then‐
and‐there history of the specific client?

Firm identity

A firm sense of their own identities, together with clear reflection on experiences in group, enables
leaders to understand and manage their own emotional lives. For example, therapists who are aware
of their own capacities and tendencies can recognize their own defenses as they come into play in
the group. They might need to ask questions such as: “Am I cutting off discussions that could lead to
verbal expression of anger because I am uncomfortable with anger? Have I blamed clients for the
group’s failure to make progress?”

Group work can be extremely intense emotionally. Leaders who are not in control of their own
emotional reactions can do significant harm—particularly if they are unable to admit a mistake and
apologize for it. The leader also should monitor the process and avoid being seduced by content
issues that arouse anger and could result in a loss of the required professional stance or distance. A
group leader also should be emotionally healthy and keenly aware of personal emotional problems,
lest they become confused with the urgent issues faced by the group as a whole. The leader should
be aware of the boundary between personal and group issues (Pollack and Slan 1995).

Confidence

Effective group leaders operate between the certain and the uncertain. In that zone, they cannot rely
on formulas or supply easy answers to clients’ complex problems. Instead, leaders have to model the
consistency that comes from self‐knowledge and clarity of intent, while remaining attentive to each
client’s experience and the unpredictable unfolding of each session’s work. This secure grounding
enables the leader to model stability for the group.

Spontaneity

Good leaders are creative and flexible. For instance, they know when and how to admit a mistake,
instead of trying to preserve an image of perfection. When a leader admits error appropriately, group
members learn that no one has to be perfect, that they—and others—can make and admit mistakes,
yet retain positive relationships with others.

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 Integrity

Largely due to the nature of the material group members are sharing in process groups, it is all but
inevitable that ethical issues will arise. Leaders should be familiar with their institution’s policies and
with pertinent laws and regulations. Leaders also need to be anchored by clear internalized standards
of conduct and able to maintain the ethical parameters of their profession.

Trust

Group leaders should be able to trust others. Without this capacity, it is difficult to accomplish a key
aim of the group: restoration of group members’ faith and trust in themselves and their fellow human
beings (Flores 1997).

Humor

The therapist needs to be able to use humor appropriately, which means that it is used only in
support of therapeutic goals and never is used to disguise hostility or wound anyone.

Empathy

Empathy, one of the cornerstones of successful group treatment for substance abuse, is the ability to
identify someone else’s feelings while remaining aware that the feelings of others are distinct from
one’s own. Through these “transient identifications” we make with others, we feel less alone.
“Identification is the antidote to loneliness, to the feeling of estrangement that seems inherent in the
human condition” (Ormont 1992, p. 147).

For the counselor, the ability to project empathy is an essential skill. Without it, little can be
accomplished. Empathic listening requires close attention to everything a client says and the
formation of hypotheses about the underlying meaning of statements (Miller and Rollnick 1991). An
empathic substance abuse counselor
● Communicates respect for and acceptance of clients and their feelings
● Encourages a nonjudgmental, collaborative relationship
● Is supportive and knowledgeable
● Sincerely compliments rather than denigrates or diminishes another person
● Tells less and listens more
● Gently persuades, while understanding that the decision to change is the client’s
● Provides support throughout the recovery process ( Center for Substance Abuse
Treatment [CSAT] 1999b , p. 41)

One of the great benefits of group therapy is that as clients interact, they learn from one another. For
interpersonal interaction to be beneficial, it should be guided, for the most part, by empathy. The
group leader should be able to model empathic interaction for group members, especially since
people with substance use disorders often cannot identify and communicate their feelings, let alone
appreciate the emotive world of others. The group leader teaches group members to understand one
another’s subjective world, enabling clients to develop empathy for each other (Shapiro 1991). The
therapist promotes growth in this area simply by asking group members to say what they think
someone else is feeling and by pointing out cues that indicate what another person may be feeling.

One of the feelings that the group leader needs to be able to empathize with is shame, which is
common among people with substance abuse histories. Shame is so powerful that it should be
addressed whenever it becomes an issue. When shame is felt, the group leader should look for it and
recognize it (Gans and Weber 2000). The leader also should be able to empathize with it, avoid
arousing more shame, and help group members identify and process this painful feeling. 

D. Co Leadership

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What is co-leadership? At its core, co-leadership is shared leadership between two or more people.
Each individual takes shared ownership over a shared outcome — much like improve actors on a stage
all working together to co-create a single scene.

The leadership structure of a group

therapy environment has a direct influence
on how the participants respond, according
to a new study led by Dennis M. Kivlighan,
Jr. of the Department of Higher Education
and Special Education at the University of
Maryland in College Park. “Co-leadership
describes a group therapy leadership
structure in which two therapists are
partnered to facilitate meaningful
interactions among group members,” said
Kivlighan. “Today, co-leadership is a widely
used leadership structure across various mental health, and is often utilized in the training of group
psychotherapists.” Leadership structure can have advantages for a group, but can also have
disadvantages. Kivlighan said, “For example, large groups often out-perform small group including time,
energy, and expertise. Unfortunately, in larger groups, there is also more conflict, absenteeism, and less
cooperation than in smaller groups.” He added, “Finally, members of large groups are less satisfied with
their group.”

In an effort to identify which structure best supports positive group therapy outcomes, Kivlighan and his
colleagues evaluated the interaction between leaders and adolescents in 32 group therapy clusters. The
groups had as little as 3 members and as many as 12, and were assessed based on participant
satisfaction and overall climate. The team found that members of larger groups participated less than
members of smaller groups, except when they were co-led. “In the current study, consistent with our first
set of hypotheses regarding group leadership structure, we found some potential advantages of co-
leadership over leadership by an individual therapist,” said Kivlighan. “Specifically, group members in co-
led groups reported greater benefits of therapy than those in individually led groups, as well as significant
interactions of group leadership structure and group size in relationship to avoidance and relationship with
the group.” Kivlighan added, “These results suggest that co-led groups have several advantages over
individually led groups.”

Co Leadership Advantages and Disadvantages

Co-leadership is a model of operating a business where there are two people who are in charge instead
of just one. The leaders involved will take a split-task approach to the responsibilities of leading the
company, creating an advantage because each leader can focus on their strengths.

List of the Advantages of Co-Leadership

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 1. It flattens out the hierarchy of the organization. When there are co-leaders in place to lead
a company, then less emphasis is placed on the actual chain-of-command in the company. When
everyone involved has an opportunity to be a leader in their own way, the company benefits
because everyone is paired and supported by everyone else. That means there are more
opportunities for personal growth and creativity, as there are fewer hierarchy restrictions in place.

2. Co-leadership can grow company revenues quickly.When there are fewer artificial blocks
put in place that affect personal job performance, employees have more opportunities to grow.
When there are more growth opportunities in place, the revenue growth opportunities for the
company improve as well. To generate these benefits, co-leaders need to work in a way where
their contrasts can be used in a complementary way, creating a synergy which allows for
maximum productivity.

3. It creates added diversity into the company and brand. Diversity helps a company to grow
as well. With different personalities, experiences, and perspectives available within the leadership
core of a business, there are more opportunities to find for growth. Although differences in
personality can create conflict triggers, if they are effectively managed, the depth of
conversations, ideas, and creative moments will generally make the company better.

4. Logistics are improved with a co-leadership dynamic. When there are two leaders running
a company, the responsibilities of leadership can be split to allow those with the most strengths in
each specific area where some work needs to be done. That makes the logistics of moving
forward easier for the company because there is more overall availability. Even something as
simple as meeting availability improves when there is a co-leadership structure in place. Because
of the positional equality, progress can be made even if one of the leaders is not available for
some reason.

5. It provides more feedback to each employee. Co-leaders will invariably look at each
situation with a unique perspective. That gives employees two or more forms of feedback to
utilize for personal improvement instead of just one. A co-leadership structure offers more sets of
eyes that can identify potential problems, evaluate situations, or offer ideas because one person
can lead out with their strengths instead of trying to shore up their weaknesses to be effective.

6. Co-leadership can increase productivity at the top of the business. Think about co-
leadership like this. You have a group of 10 boys. Half of them like to play football. The other half
like to play basketball. When there are two leaders in place, the needs of all the employees can
be met. One leader plays football while the other employee plays basketball. Now take that
process to needs in the business world, like recruiting, employee development, budget
structuring, and all the other daily operations that a successful business requires. More areas of
the business receive personal attention from the leadership, which means there are fewer
chances for something to go overlooked.

List of the Disadvantages of Co-Leadership

1. There can be incompatibility within the leadership group. For co-leadership to be effective,
there must be compatible leadership styles in place within the organization. Without compatibility,
the co-leaders will send mixed messages to their employees. This issue often comes up when
one leader has a more authoritarian leadership style when compared to the other leader. That
causes employees to tailor their responses to each leadership style, which creates confusion
within each role.

2. It creates blame that applies to everyone. Even if one leader isn’t involved in a specific
failure in the business, a co-leadership team shares the blame all the time. That is because the
employees in the business see co-leaders as a single CEO for their business. If one of the co-
leaders decides to pursue something that is unethical, or they make a mistake on a project, then
those negative actions will be assigned to the other co-leader as well. That can make one leader
feel helpless about the problems which exist.

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 3. There can be an imbalance with the corporate vision.Some co-leaders may have a different
level of commitment to the business than others. That act alone can create an imbalance within
the leadership relationship. If there are dissimilar goals which are being pursued, the balance of
the company will be affected as well. Disagreements occur frequently within a co-leadership
arrangement unless everyone involved is committed to the future of the company, which can
affect its overall progress.

4. It may create a strain on workplace morale. Co-leadership relationships become strained

over time if one leader has a greater skillset than the other. If the pay levels for all parties are
equal, but the skill levels are unequal, then resentment tends to build into the relationship over
time. Resentment can also build in a co-leadership arrangement when one person is committed
to the company, while the other person is committed to earning a paycheck. When this
relationship is strained, the morale of all other employees tends to dip lower as well.

5. There are increased expenses for the company. In a co-leadership arrangement, the
company will usually compensate each leader in a similar way. Although the split responsibilities
create a lower overall salary for each leader when compared to what a traditional CEO would
earn, the combined costs of labor and benefits tend to be higher than if one person was at the
reins. When a company is first starting out, this kind of arrangement can tighten the margins
found in the budget, making it more difficult for profits to be obtained.

6. It may create confusion in the workplace. Employees working in a co-leadership situation

will technically report to both individuals. If there is a difference in opinion between the two
leaders, the direct reports may be unsure about who should receive information updates about a
project. Many employees find themselves caught in the middle of these disagreements as well,
which often leads to reduced productivity levels until the disagreement can be resolved. This
setup may also create two separate sets of instructions for the employees to follow which may be
contrary to each other.’

7. Decision-making processes are increased. Organizations which focus on co-leadership are

less nimble when it comes time to make an immediate decision. That is because everyone in the
leadership must be able to give their input before moving forward. If the business is a fast-paced
environment and immediate decisions must be made, then having just one leader responsible for
decisions can help the company move faster than one with 2+ leaders at the helm. Some of this
issue can be offset by having defined responsibilities and necessary actions outlined during a
worst-case scenario issue, but there will always be times when one head might be better than
two.

8. Some split responsibility structures place too much power in one person. There are
certain leadership responsibilities which naturally have more power than others. Duties that
involve the setting of the strategic direction of the company, investment choices, or choosing key
employees would place one leader in a superior position over another leader. Unless the power
structures are equitable in these power roles, a company may find that one of the co-leaders is a
CEO in name only. That can create high levels of resentment if pay levels are equal, which
creates even more stress in the workplace.

These co-leadership advantages and disadvantages tend to focus on the relationship that is present
between those involved. When this relationship is cooperative and equal in talent and skill, then the
company and its employees benefit from its presence. If there are differences in the vision for the
company, or there are gaps in a skill set which remain unresolved, then the company may find itself at a
disadvantage.

E. Multicultural Collaboration : An approach in Groupwork Process

As our society becomes more culturally diverse, organizations are understanding the need to work with
other organizations in order to "turn up the sound," so their voices are heard and their issues will be
addressed. This means that individuals and institutions can no longer deny the sometimes uncomfortable

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realities of cultural diversity. Organizers and activists are realizing that we have to come to grips with our
multicultural society, or we won't get anything done. But how do we do that?

One Wisconsin labor activist says, "We want to include communities of color, but we just don't know
where to begin. We hold open meetings, but no people of color even show up."

A neighborhood organization member in South Los Angeles, says, "Last year, we decided to move
toward organizing in the Latino community for the simple reason that we have a lot of new immigrants
from Central America in the neighborhoods. We wanted to make an authentic multicultural organization,
but we learned an important lesson -- it doesn't just happen."

Many organizers have begun to come to grips with diversity issues, even though they may not have all
the answers. These organizers realize they have to develop new strategies and tactics to attract
multicultural interest in their collaborative initiatives. They also know there will be problems to solve if their
collaborations are to be effective. This section will discuss how to help organizations collaborate
effectively with people of different cultures.

What Is Multicultural Collaboration?

First of all, what's the difference between a

coalition, a collaboration, and a
multicultural collaboration?

A coalition involves two or more

organizations working together around an
issue or a common set of interrelated
issues that they can't address on their own.
The purpose is to harness enough
influence and resources to have an impact
on an issue beyond the grasp of one group
alone. The life of a coalition is usually
shorter than the life of the complex issue or issues it faces. When the issue or issues are resolved
the coalition disbands and the organizations go their separate ways. Coalition members
understand that there will be shared risks, responsibilities, and rewards. The level of commitment
is moderate. Diversity in a coalition is a strength as well as a problem because there is often
dissension.

A collaboration involves two or more organizations working together on multiple issues and goals
in a long-term commitment. This is the highest and most difficult level of working with others,
involving formalized organizational relationships. There is a long-term commitment and a focus
on a range of issues of wide concern. Turf protection can be high and the ability to let go of
control over the direction of the group is critical. Involved organizations share resources (develop,
implement, and evaluate programs), establish policy, and jointly conduct educational programs.
The core values of collaboration are mutual respect, a valuing of difference, and a high level of
trust.

“Turf protection” is guarding what you see as your rightful control over an issue, a funding source,
a job function, or other area, even when sharing that control could both make your job easier and
make your efforts more effective.

A multicultural collaboration is between two or more groups or organizations, each comprised of

members from different cultural backgrounds and orientations (e.g., Latino, Native American
Indian, white) or with goals or missions oriented to populations with differing cultures (e.g.,
African-American, Asian-American). The cultural differences among groups may consist of ethnic
heritage, values, traditions, languages, history, sense of self, and racial attitudes. Any of these
cultural features can become barriers to working together. Unless they become part of the
relationship, the collaboration will probably be challenged.

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 Culture is one of the most powerful forces in our world. It's central to what we see, how we make
sense of our world, and how we express ourselves. As people from different cultural groups work
together, values sometimes conflict. When we don't understand each other we sometimes react
in ways that make a partnership ineffective. Often we're not aware that cultural differences are the
root of miscommunication.

In an effective multicultural collaboration, as with any other collaboration, the participants must
have a sense of common purpose. But they must consider that different cultural groups may have
differing ideas about how leaders are chosen and exercise power, and about how conflict and
disagreement should be managed. For example, someone from an American Indian tribe may
believe that a leader can be respected only if they are an elder, while this may not be an
important factor to someone in another group.

A multicultural collaboration requires a plan, lots of patience, and determination to confront old
attitudes in new ways by pulling in partners usually not involved. In order for a multicultural
collaboration to be effective, the groups involved must overcome differences to promote a unified
effort. Because of different skill levels and expertise, the collaboration may seem uneven at first.
And, initially, participants may come for different reasons. For example, some may have been
invited to take on responsibilities others don't want; others may want a scapegoat in case things
don't work. But if the focus is on the common goal, shared decision making, defined roles, and
setting time lines, the organizations involved can make it work.
Why Is Multicultural Collaboration Important?

● It gets everyone to the table. Because most groups have some community-wide concerns,
it's essential to get them to the same table, uneven or not. According to John Gardner, the biggest
problem of having many groups in society is the war of the parts against the whole. Separately they don’t
have the power to resolve a problem, but because they are all tied together, one part can hold up the
others for ransom -- everything can be frozen if one group's efforts are focused on thwarting another's
● It emphasizes common interests rather than differences. Though it's odd and self-
destructive, in-fighting has increased dramatically in recent years. Becoming more aware of our
similarities, along with cultural differences, doesn't have to paralyze or divide us. Through common
interests we can learn to translate "different from me" and "less than me" into "like me in lots of important
ways." As a result "difference" becomes less of a barrier to effectiveness.
● It makes for more effective communication among groups. Understanding how people
communicate is the first step toward understanding and respecting each other.
● It enriches everyone's life when there is shared knowledge of others' cultures. Different
communication styles reflect philosophies and worldviews that are the foundations of cultures. New
understanding gives us a broader view of our world and the opportunity to see a mirror image of
ourselves.
● It takes advantage of "strength in numbers." History shows that when groups are organized
through common purpose they can wield great power and succeed. Because no one group is responsible
for a problem, no one group alone can solve it. Competition among groups doesn't aid survival in today's
turbulent world.
● It creates community.  As our population becomes more culturally diverse, some cultural
groups are experiencing more problems. If we learn to understand and value other cultures and to look at
each other as neighbors with similar interests rather than adversaries, we will be more vested in the idea
of taking better care of each other. Caring about our neighbors builds a sense of community and unites us
in solving community-wide problems.
● It leads to a more just society. Multicultural collaboration can build collective capacity to help
make things better, and promote the consensus that it's important to do so. This offers a good chance at
solving complex problems in an atmosphere of trust, cooperation, and mutual respect.

When Should You Commit To Multicultural Collaboration?

Vicente, a community activist, suggests a way to think about collaborating with people from
different cultures: "To me what's important is where do we make connections? Where do our
pasts tie in? We all come from agrarian backgrounds at some point in our past that are very rich
with folklore, history, oral history, and values."

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 Another man, Estevan, says, "If I see that you're hurting, that there's something wrong with you,
and I can help you out -- why do I have to care about what color of skin you have, what color of
eyes you have, or where you come from? In New Mexico we say, 'Mi casa es tu casa.' My house
is your house."

The comments above indicate that the human connection can be reason enough to work at
overcoming cultural barriers. The following are other significant indicators of when you should
commit to multicultural collaboration:

● Those most affected by the problem are not participating in a solution. This could mean that
one group (possibly the group in power) needs to commit to improving its cultural
understanding and appreciation (its cultural competence) with regard to other groups, in order
for those groups to feel welcome.
● There is more at stake than individual organizations, but competing organizations are at each
other's throats and coming to unilateral decisions that hurt themselves and others.
● There are problems among many diverse groups that one organization can't solve alone or in
a short period of time.
● There are several groups willing to make a long-term commitment to work for a change in
thinking and to establish a common language and effective communication.
● Several organizations recognize a bad situation that could get worse if nothing is done.
● There is a desire to identify others involved in the problem and bring them to the table.
Everyone at the table will share a vision and be committed to the process of reaching out to
new partners, explaining the rationale, and continuing to recruit group members.
● All parties involved are clear about what they are getting into, see the tasks as meaningful
work that will make a difference, and are strong stakeholder groups in the community.
● The groups represent every cultural group involved in the problem, are well organized, and
are able to speak and act credibly for the groups they represent.
● The leadership of the process is committed to keeping the focus on the goals, keeping
stakeholders at the table through periods of frustration and disagreement, acknowledging
small successes along the way, and enforcing the group's agreed-upon rules.

It's important not to go blindly into a collaboration. Organizations should be aware of the potential
problems and to realize that all collaborations may not be voluntary. Circumstances may place
organizations in partnerships they may not have anticipated. For example, competition for
increasingly limited funds, federal or state mandates for the establishment of initiatives, and social
crises may create non-voluntary collaborations. Forces such as these may turn a step-by-step
process of recognition, initiation, structuring, and definition into one giant leap. A giant leap
without forethought can lead to a painful fall.

Finally, organizations thinking about collaborating must ask themselves, given the potential
problems, if they should collaborate at all. Is it an impossible goal? On the other hand, the
problems shouldn't scare anyone off if there's potential to work them out with special effort. There
won't be unanimous agreement on everything. That's OK because healthy disagreement can be
productive and desirable. At the same time, there may be lots of ways to work together and
experience the many rewards gained through building the relationships needed to do the work.

What Are Some Guidelines For Multicultural Collaboration?

Cultural questions about who we are and how we identify ourselves are at the heart of
multicultural collaboration. Consider these guidelines as you confront the communication barriers:

● Learn from generalizations about other cultures and races, but don't use those generalizations
to stereotype, write off, or oversimplify your ideas about another person. The best use of a generalization
is to add it to your storehouse of knowledge, so that you better understand and appreciate other
interesting, multi-faceted human beings.
● Practice, practice, practice. That's the first rule because it's in the doing that we actually get
better at cross-cultural communication.

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● Don't assume that there is one right way to communicate. Keep questioning your assumptions
about the "right way" to communicate. For example, think about your body language; postures that
indicate receptivity in one culture might indicate aggressiveness in another.
● Don't assume that breakdowns in communication occur because other people are on the
wrong track. Search for ways to make the communication work, rather than searching for whom should
receive the blame for the breakdown.
● Listen actively and empathetically. Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes, especially
when another person's perceptions or ideas are very different from your own. You might need to operate
at the edge of your own comfort zone.
● Respect others' choices about whether or not to engage in communication with you. Honor
their opinions about what is going on.
● Stop, suspend judgment, and try to look at the situation as an outsider. For example, when
you notice blocks or difficulties in working with people, revisit your own beliefs or behaviors that may be
holding you back. Also, think about how others view your work relationship and decide on ways you might
change your behavior to make them more comfortable. For example, you might be speaking or dressing
in a very formal manner. Being more informal in dress and behavior might improve the situation.
● Be prepared for a discussion of the past. Use this as an opportunity to develop an
understanding from "the other's" point of view, rather than getting defensive or impatient. Acknowledge
historical events that have taken place. Be open to learning more about them. Honest acknowledgment of
the mistreatment and oppression that have taken place on the basis of cultural difference is vital for
effective communication.
● Be aware of current power imbalances. And be open to hearing each other's perceptions of
those imbalances. It's necessary to understand each other and work together.
● Remember that cultural norms may not apply to the behavior of any particular individual. We
are all shaped by many factors (ethnic background, family, education, personalities) and are more
complicated than any cultural norm could suggest. Check your interpretations if you are uncertain what is
meant.
● To journey with fellow travelers we must prepare ourselves for customs and values that differ
from ours. We must understand that we each have customs that may seem foreign to others. For
example, in the United States, Midwesterners tend to call colleagues by their first name as a sign of
friendliness. Yet in many African-American communities, respect is shown by using last names and titles.
People on the East Coast arch their eyebrows at the suggestion of a seven-thirty breakfast meeting --
nine is the preferred starting time. In the Midwest, however, early meetings are common. Native
Americans often begin their meetings by sharing food before business gets started. To others, eating
before working seems unproductive.

How Do You Build A Multicultural Collaboration?

There are three steps to developing any collaboration:

● Define the setting of the problem
● Set a direction
● Implement your plan
Multicultural collaboration requires considerations that may not be involved in other
collaborations. There are 6 components in building a multicultural collaboration:

FORMULATE AND STATE CLEARLY THE VISION AND MISSION OF THE COLLABORATION TO
MODEL THE MULTICULTURAL RELATIONSHIPS.

● Make a commitment to create an organizational culture that embraces and grows from diversity.
Assemble a multicultural team. A group may not appear to be serious about being multicultural
when all staff members are from one group. This helps get across the message that you really
mean it when your collaborative says it's committed to involving every group in all phases of the
initiative. Practicing the principles you champion builds trust, so lead by example.
● Become aware of what dimensions of cultural diversity exist in your coalition.
● Respect and celebrate the various ethnic, racial, cultural, gender, and other differences in your
group. Make the time and create the space for this to occur.
● Cultivate a multicultural atmosphere. Incorporate language, art, music, rituals, and ways of
working together that derive from diverse cultures. Have appropriate resources and educational
materials available, and encourage people to use them.

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CONDUCT STRATEGIC OUTREACH AND MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.

● If possible, include diverse groups at the inception, rather than later. This can ensure that your
collaboration's development reflects many perspectives from the very beginning. It can also
minimize real or perceived tokenism (e.g., bringing one person of color into a largely white
organization and giving her a title with no authority or responsibility, setting her up to look
ineffectual and bad), paternalism, and inequality among the people who join later.
● Consciously give priority to increasing diversity. Consider all the different dimensions of diversity
when identifying, selecting, and recruiting prospective collaborative members. Set ground rules
that maintain a safe and nurturing atmosphere. Plan to invest significantly more up-front time in
outreach and follow-up to build trust.
● Tap into networks (yours and others'), and use word-of-mouth and personal references to
enhance your credibility. Personal contact is important. Ask if you can go to meetings of existing
groups -- faith groups, civic associations, coalitions, wherever people meet. Get on their agenda
for a few minutes, and make a personal invitation. Then follow up formal invitations with personal
phone calls.Recognize that changing the appearance of your membership -- seeing variety -- is
only the first step toward attaining an understanding of and respect for people of other cultures.
● Welcome and highlight different sorts of contributions, special skills, and experiences.
● Provide incentives and trade-offs to recruit diverse participants. Be prepared to operate in new
ways, to share control, and build trust. Make an ongoing commitment of collaborative resources
to issues of importance to the diverse group members.
● Respect the right of member organizations to maintain their own separatism if they wish. Given
their own political perspective or stage of organizational development, they may prefer to work
strictly on their own, rather than to join a multicultural collaboration. Try to initiate a relationship
that might lead to a stronger alliance in the future.
● Develop and use ground rules for your collaborative that establish shared norms, reinforce
constructive and respectful conduct, and protect against damaging behavior.
● Encourage or help people to develop qualities such as patience, empathy, trust, tolerance, and a
nonjudgmental attitude.

ESTABLISH STRUCTURES AND OPERATING PROCEDURES THAT REINFORCE EQUITY.

● Create a decision-making structure in which all cultural groups and genders have a recognized
voice, and regularly participate in high-level decision making.
● Make sure that staff and board reflect and represent the community in which you operate. Invite
input from a representative group of participants, if not all of them, in the design of any event. Use
their input in noticeable ways, so that they can see their "fingerprints" on the project.
● Find ways to involve everyone. Use different kinds of meetings, committees, and dialogue by
phone, mail, or e-mail as means of including everyone in as active a role, or as informed a
position as they want. Give people multiple opportunities to participate.
● Make sure that your commitment to multiculturalism translates into the public image of the
coalition. When running meetings or presentations, be sure the presenters represent the diversity
of your collaborative, and not just as tokens, but as substantial participants and leaders.
● Structure equal time for different groups to speak at meetings.
● Develop operational policies and programs that confront and challenge racism, sexism, and other
forms of prejudice.
● Conduct reviews of meetings that articulate and build a common set of expectations, values, and
operating methods for coalition functioning.

PRACTICE NEW AND VARIOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION AND SPECIAL SUPPORT.

Find out if anyone needs special support to participate effectively. In any invitations to meetings or
events (which could be written in more than one language) or follow-up conversations, ask if there is
a need for translators, translated materials, sign language interpreters for the deaf, large-print
materials, or audio versions of materials. Many groups automatically communicate through writing
and speaking in English. This does not take into account language differences that make it hard for
people to understand information or participate equally in discussions and decision making. Special

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 efforts to communicate in multiple languages may be required in order to ensure the full participation
of a diverse membership.
● Use inclusive and valuing language, quote diverse sources, and readily adapt to differences in
communication styles.
● Learn and apply the cultural etiquette of your members.
● Avoid false praise or other forms of insincere communication.
● Learn to read different nonverbal behaviors, and interpret them as part of the dialogue.
● Make sure that everyone understands words and references that are used. Do not assume
common understanding and knowledge of unwritten rules of culture. Spell things out and answer
questions so that everyone is up to speed.
● Prohibit disrespectful name-calling and use of stereotypes. Respect and use personal names.
● Use humor appropriately and carefully. Don't laugh at each other, but with each other. If someone
makes an insulting joke or comment, the person it was addressed to should say it was hurtful.
This alerts the group to their discomfort and signals that the joke was not funny. Never let this
slide by. At a minimum, take the joker aside and alert them to the hurt feelings.
● Bridge language barriers in various ways.

CREATE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY MINORITIES AND

WOMEN.

● Develop a variety of leadership positions and a mechanism for leaders to work together, such as
a steering committee composed of different committee chairpersons. This enables many people
to function as leaders and also encourages an interchange of leadership styles.
● Include different types of people in leadership positions so that your collaborative organization
can legitimately articulate a multicultural vision and values.
● Help to cultivate leadership capacity in others, particularly minorities and women. Help people to
gain competence in new areas. Build opportunities into the organizational structure for shared
tasks, mentoring, and pairing leaders with inexperienced people so that skills are transferred and
confidence is increased.

ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES THAT ARE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE OR THAT DIRECTLY FIGHT

OPPRESSION.

● Integrate aspects of different cultures into all your activities (rather than holding isolated
"multinational dinners," for example). Virtually all activities lend themselves to a multicultural
approach, including: social events, sports, street fairs, talent shows, campaigns, neighborhood
improvement projects, demonstrations, and lobbying efforts.
● Hold events in mutually acceptable locations. Organizers should go to the community to hold
events, rather than expecting the community to come to them. Some locations will implicitly
reinforce power disparities. For example, if a meeting focuses on police/community tensions, you
would not want to hold it at the police station. Attend to access issues for those with disabilities.
Often an informal environment will help people relax and get to know one another more easily.
● Consciously develop projects that people from different cultural backgrounds can work on
together. Create mixed teams or small groups so that people gain more experience in working
together.
● Sanction the periodic use of single-culture caucuses or teams as a way of valuing the need for
each group to solidify its position and fortify its own approach to working with the larger group.
● Conduct special activities to educate everyone about different cultural concerns (e.g., forums,
conferences, panels, organized dialogues).
● If your activities are not attracting or involving a diverse crowd, try running special events that are
geared specifically to different groups. Such events need to be led and organized by
representatives of these groups. Let your collaborative organization or community population
determine the issues and events that they feel are important. Don't presume that you know what
is best.
● Take responsibility for making sure that your group activities and programs address multicultural
concerns. Begin with a needs assessment and review of your collaborative's track record on
cultural sensitivity. Examine any racial incidents, insults, harassment, or violence that have
plagued the organization or community you work in. Remember if and how the organization

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 responded. Identify strategies or programmatic changes that would strengthen the multicultural
capacity and enhance its response to incidents of prejudice or discrimination.
● Conduct prejudice reduction work, such as diversity training or multicultural awareness training to
change assumptions and attitudes among your membership or community. Using skilled
facilitators/trainers. Such training can help your collaborative organization appreciate differences
and understand how to reduce insensitive behavior.
● Network and collaborate with other groups committed to multiculturalism, or those fighting
discrimination/ promoting social justice.

Building a multicultural collaboration entails changing the way people think, perceive, and communicate.
There is a difference between recognizing cultural differences and consciously incorporating inclusive and
anti-discriminatory attitudes in all aspects of the organization. Embracing cultural differences is not
something separate from your issue-oriented work. It is at the core of the group's perspective on issues,
possible solutions, and membership and operating procedures. The organization's structure, leadership,
and activities must reflect multiple perspectives, styles, and priorities. Changing how the organization
looks and acts is just the first step in the ongoing process of creating a reality that maximizes and
celebrates diversity

REFERENCES & SUGGESTED

READINGS

Forsyth, Donelson (2014) Group dynamics, volume 1 (16-0389730)

Galances, Adams (2010) Effective group discussion, volume 1 (302.34 G1311)

Grusec, J., et. Al ( 2016) Handbook of socialization 2nd ed., volume 1 (17-07187)

Johnson, et.al. (2016) Group dynamics, volume 1 (17-07161)

Kelly, Rossi, and Palombo (2001), Groupwork strategies for strenghthening resiliency., the Haworth press, newyork,
London, oxford.

Lindsay, Orton (2008), Groupwork practice in social work, learning matters Ltd.

Mendoza, Thelma L., (2003) Social work with groups, Megabooks company, Quezon City Philippines.

Sapin, Kate (2013) Essential skills for youth work practice, volume 1, (15-0367370)

Thornton, Christine (2016) Group and team coaching: the secret life of groups, volume 1 (17-07172)

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