The University

of Choice

Group Leadership

NURAIHAN M NOORDIN

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 The University
of Choice
Group Leader as a Person
• The most important instrument you have is YOU
 Your living example, of who you are and how you
struggle to live up to your potential, is the best way to
model for members

• Strive to live a growth-oriented life

 Live the way you encourage group members to live

Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (1) 2

 The University
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Key Characteristics of Effective
Group Leaders

Personality and character 
Sincerity and authenticity


Presence 
Sense of identity


Personal power 
Belief in the group process and
enthusiasm

Courage

Inventiveness and creativity

Willingness to confront oneself

Theory and Practice of Group Counseling– Chapter 2 (2)

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Issues For Beginning of Choice
Group Leaders
• Initial anxiety
– Realistic versus unrealistic anxiety

• Self-disclosure
– How much or how little to disclose
– Appropriate and facilitative self-disclosure

 Challenges of dealing with a system

– Retaining one’s dignity and integrity in a system aimed at
cost-cutting
– Being one’s own advocate

Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (3)

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Group Leadership Skillsof Choice
• Active listening • Confronting

• Restating • Reflecting Feelings

• Clarifying • Supporting

• Summarizing • Empathizing

• Questioning • Facilitating

• Interpreting

Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (4) 5

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Group Leadership Skills
• Initiating • Disclosing oneself

• Setting goals • Modeling

• Evaluating • Linking

• Giving feedback • Blocking

• Suggesting • Terminating

• Protecting

Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (5) 6

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Skills for Opening of Choice
Group Sessions
• Ask members to briefly check in and comment on what they want to
explore

• Be attentive to unresolved issues from prior sessions

• Ask members to report their progress or difficulties during the week

• Encourage the group members to share their thoughts about the

previous group session with the newcomers

• Group leader shares his/her experience during the first session with the
rest of the group members based on his/her observation.

Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (6) 7

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Skills for Closing of Choice
Group Sessions

• Group leaders should strive to close the session without

closing the issues raised during the session.

• Summarizing can be effective at the end of each session.

• Encourage group members to express their experiences

and opinions about the session.

• Focus on positive feedback.

Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (7) 8

 The University
Skills for Closing of Choice
Group Sessions
• Report their homework assignments.

• Put on the agenda for the next session.

• Group leaders may express their observations.

• Members who will be leaving the group may share with

other group members what they have gotten from the
session.

Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (8) 9

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Becoming a Diversity-Competent
Group Leader
• The following three areas of the multicultural
counseling competencies must be addressed:
 Beliefs and attitudes

 Knowledge

 Skills and intervention strategies

 Recognize limitations

Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (10) 10

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Tips for Increasing Diversity Competence

• Become aware of your biases and values

• Try to understand the world from the member’s vantage

point

• Gain a knowledge of the dynamics of oppression, racism,

discrimination, and stereotyping

• Study the traditions and values of the members of your

group

Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (11) 11

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Tips for Increasing Diversity Competence

• Learn general knowledge, but avoid stereotyping

• Be open to learning from your members

• Recognize that diversity can enhance the group process

Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (12) 12

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Developing Your Group of Choice
Leadership Style
• One determinant is whether you lead short- or long-
term groups

• Develop a style that fits your personality and expresses

your uniqueness

• Your theoretical stance should be closely related to

your values, beliefs, and personal characteristics

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Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (13)
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Developing Your Group
Leadership Style
• Become familiar with the diverse range of theories of
group counseling and consider the contributions and
limitations of each approach

• Consider incorporating alternative perspectives into

your approach to group leading

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Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (14)
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The Role of Research in of Choice
Group Work
• Research can help group workers to identify specific factors
that contribute to successful outcomes

• Accountability is currently being stressed in all settings;

thus, familiarity with research and evaluation practices is
essential

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Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (15)
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The Role of Research in
Group Work

• Collaboration between practitioners and researchers can

benefit both parties and the field of group work
– A community-based research paradigm has
been proposed

• A shift from process research to a focus on outcome studies

has occurred

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Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (16)
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Evidence-Based Practice of Choice
in Group Work
• The current trend:
– Promoting specific interventions for specific
problems based on empirically supported
treatments

• EBP should incorporate three pillars:

– Best available evidence
– Clinician expertise
– Client characteristics
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Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (17)
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Evidence-Based Practice
in Group Work
• Critique of EBP:

– It is mechanistic and does not consider the relational

dimensions of the therapeutic process

– Human change is complex; EBP may not adequately capture

complexity

– Third-party payers could use research findings as cost-

containment measures rather than to improve the quality of
services delivered
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Theory and Practice of Group Counseling—Chapter 2 (18)
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THANK YOU