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.
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