Group RolesSmall Group Communication

Task RolesThe group's task is the job to be done. People who are concerned with the task tend to:

• 1. make suggestions as to the best way to proceed or deal with a problem;

• 2. attempt to summarize what has been covered or what has been going on in the group;

• 3. give or ask for facts, ideas, opinions, feelings, feedback, or search for alternatives;

• 4. keep the group on target; prevent going off on tangents.

Relationships means how well people in the group work together. People who are concerned with relationships tend to:

• 1. be more concerned with how people feel than how much they know;

• 2. help others get into the discussion;• 3. try to reconcile disagreements;• 4. encourage people with friendly

remarks and gestures.

Relationship Roles

3 Types of Roles• Behavior in the group can be of 3

types:– 1. that which helps the group accomplish its

task; – 2. that which helps group members get along

better (relationships); and– 3. self oriented behavior which contributes to

neither group task nor group relationships.

• Examples of these types of behavior, called roles, are:

Task Roles• 1. Initiating:

– proposing tasks or goals; defining a group problem; suggesting ways to solve a problem.

• 2. Seeking information or opinions: – requesting facts; asking for expressions of

feeling; requesting a statement or estimate; seeking suggestions and ideas.

• 3. Giving information or opinion: – offering facts; providing relevant

information; stating an opinion; giving suggestions and ideas.

Task Roles (cont.)• 4. Clarifying and elaborating:

– interpreting ideas or suggestions; clearing up confusion; defining terms; indicating alternatives and issues before the group.

• 5. Summarizing: – pulling together related ideas; restating

suggestions after the group has discussed them; offering a decision or conclusion for the group to accept or reject.

• 6. Consensus testing: – asking if the group is nearing a decision;

taking a straw vote."

Relationship Roles• 1. Harmonizing:

– attempting to reconcile disagreements; reducing tension; getting people to explore differences.

• 2. Gate keeping: – helping to keep communication

channels open; facilitating the participation of others; suggesting procedures that permit sharing remarks.

Relationship Roles (cont.)• 3. Encouraging:

– being friendly, warm, and responsive to others; indicating by facial expression or remarks the acceptance of others' contributions.

• 4. Compromising: – when one's own idea or status is involved in

a conflict, offering a compromise which yields status; admitting error; modifying one's position in the interest of group cohesion or growth.

Self-Oriented Roles• 1. Dominator:

– interrupts others; launches on long monologues; is over-positive and over- dogmatic; tries to lead group and assert authority; is generally autocratic.

• 2. Negativist: – rejects ideas suggested by others;

takes a negative attitude on issues; argues frequently and unnecessarily; is pessimistic, refuses to cooperate; pouts.

Self-Oriented Roles (cont.)• 3. Aggressor:

– tries to achieve importance in group; boasts; criticizes or blames others; tries to get attention; shows anger or irritation against group or individuals; deflates importance or position of others in group.

• 4. Playboy:– is not interested in the group except

as it can help him or her to have a good time.

Self-Oriented Roles (cont.)• 5. Storyteller:

– likes to tell long "fishing stories" which are not relevant to the group; gets off on long tangents.

• 6. Interrupter:– talks over others; engages in side

conversations; whispers to neighbor.

• 7. Poor me: – tries to get the group's attention to deal with

own personal concerns, discomfort, bad luck, etc

Your Group Roles

A group member who can play a variety of task and relationship roles and can avoid self oriented roles will be most helpful to the group.