Group Process - Week 3

Stages of Group Development

• Majority of Group Development Models share the notion that most groups will…

  • Require a period for getting to know members

  • Development strategies to relate with one another

  • Rework in the presence of challenge or stress

  • Experience loss of motivation, focus, productivity, and/or direction at some point

  • Resolve with an accepted conclusion 

Tuckman’s Model & Stages

• Stage 1 - Forming

• Stage 2 - Storming 

• Stage 3 - Norming

• Stage 4 - Performing

• Stage 5 - Transforming, Reforming, Adjourning

Factors that Influence Group Development

• Group & individual roles

• Leadership style

• Group goals

• Group cohesiveness

• Degree of assessment, planning & design

• Group membership

• Group norms

Responsibilities of Group Leaders

• Listen and Respond

• Giving and Receiving Feedback

• Using Concrete Language

• Challenging Clients Behavior or Actions

• Self Disclosure

• Meaning Attribution

• Bridging

• Reality Testing

Co-Leaders

•  allows one person to attend to the group task while the other manages the process

• Model interpersonal relationship skills either as a part of the content or within the context of the group

• Advantage during the processing of the group - they can both contribute their observations of the effectiveness of the plan and to identify and solve group issues

• Must discuss aspects of leadership ahead of time, such as leadership styles, conflict management plans, primary therapeutic modes..etc

Effective Leaders help the group…

• Come to a clear understanding of the goals

• Be aware of procedures and norms

• Understand the skills, talents and needs of its members

• Develop methods to evaluate the groups progress

• Learn to accept new ideas 

• Create new tasks and terminate outdated ones