INTRODUCTION
So you want to be a small group leader, but are not sure what leading a small group is all about? If God has brought you to this point, it is evident that God has divinely orchestrated your life to begin leading a small group. Although it may seem impossible to do, God will be there every step of the way and will certainly provide you the amount of grace needed. Are you ready and willing to commit to seasons of servant leadership?
Although leading a small group demand the actions of commitment, faithfulness, and consistency to complete small group tasks; the most important action to remember is to take everything to God in prayer, as God is the source for every phase of small group development. Seeking God to provide for every area and aspect of small group growth, will provide an end result that will be God glorified. Please keep in mind that this instruction manual covers the surface of what is necessary to start a small group; however, purchasing the books from the bibliography will provide you with more detailed information on the entire process of leading a small group. Now you are wondering, how do you get started with small group leadership? The first half of this manual will explain what a small group is, will disclose biblical principles that founded small groups, and provide the motivational reasons for small group development. Ready to get started? On your mark, get set, go!
WHAT A SMALL GROUP IS
Andy Stanley describes a small group, “The small-group program is not an appendage; it is not a program we tacked onto an existing structure. The small group is part of our lifestyle.” This means, a small group is a small body of believers who make a conscious decision to live a Christian lifes...
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...stament Insights for the 21st Century Church. Moreno Valley, CA: CCS Publishing, 2012.
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There are many elements of a small group discussion each of which is important and play a key role. One of these elements is small group member roles and leadership which entails each member of the group taking on a specific role to benefit the group as well as gaining some form of leadership to help guide the group. The main roles that exist are; initiator-contributor role, information giver, orienter role, recorder role, and encourager and harmonizer roles. Each of these roles helps to keep the group and the discussion on the right path.
Bormann E. G. & Bormann & N. C. (1996). Effective Small Group Communication (6th Edition). Edina, MN: Burgess Publishing.
This essay will reflect on a series of activities, which were undertaken within the initial few weeks of forming a group. It will focus on the broad and specific approaches on how our current group dynamic and effectiveness was achieved. Tuckman’s model on the stages of group development will also be referenced throughout.
Groups are an essential component of society as they allow individuals to affiliate themselves with certain people, typically those who are most similar to themselves. Groups also provide social support and a greater sense of belonging for the individual, which is not provided by crowds. Due to the significance of groups, it is important that groups are maintained in organized structures that encourages group harmony and group cohesion. It is essentially the leader’s task to maintain these ideals since the leader has authority over the members of the group.
...s well which can assist in boosting self-esteem. The context of the group should be one goal attainment and positivity. This encourages members to commit to taking action in their lives. It is important that the group be focused on the here and now with members staying present. Although the group is concerned with a members past experiences and lifestyle of members, that is for the purpose of gaining insight into current maladaptive thoughts and behaviors. In addition, it is important to maintain an empathetic relationship which is based on mutual respect and trust so that members feel understood and accepted by the facilitator. The group leader challenges group member’s goals and beliefs about themselves and the world around them to help them to translate what was learned during the process of group and turn what was learned into new ideas and new beliefs.
Chrislip, David D. and Carl E. Larson. Collaborative Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass Publishers, 1994.
Tuckman, B., & Jensen, M. (2010). Stages of small-group development revisited. Group Facilitation, (10), 43-48. Retrieved March 27, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global.
Group context: Leadership occurs in a group context. It takes place in groups and involves the process of influencing individuals in the group who have a common purpose.
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To inspire and influence others, a leader must possess many skills and abilities. As motivational speaker Peter Northouse, states, “a leader should be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant” (Northouse, 2013) Moving an entire group of individuals toward a singular goal is a considerable undertaking. Without effective communication skills and a clear vision of what needs to be accomplished, one will feel like they are trying to herd cats rather than leading.
KOTTLER, J.A. ENGLAR-CARLSON, M. 2010. Learning Group Leadership, An Experiential Approach. 2nd edn. London: Sage
Kouzes, J., & Posner, B. (2007). The Leadership Challenge (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA 94103-1741: Jossey-Bass.
Leadership can take many different forms, depending on the person and the situation in which it is needed. Collaborative leadership is a leadership style in which a leader brings together a large group of people, with a variety of backgrounds, to make a productive decision and act upon it. According to Chrislip and Larson (1994):
Parker, G. (2009). Team Leadership: 20 Proven Tools for Success. Amherst MA: Human Resource Developement.
Through the process of this class I have been able to reflect and analyze how I am as a leader as well as a co-leader in a group setting. I believe throughout this process of being part of a group as a member and leader has help me further define the roles that I will play in group counseling in the future. The evolution that I am seeing are an abundance of growth in areas that I thought I was already comfortable in such as being an active listener and co-leading. I see that there are more to becoming a powerful leader and facilitator. There are various aspects of becoming a well rounded group leader as learning the skills to endure especially building your endurance. Also, being able to take risks, being competent and confidence in your ability to lead a group of any sorts. Moreover, I have found that my communication style has shifted especially learning about the process in which you communicate your informal introduction as well as the lingo that is being used as a counselor. Also, the way in which we approach each member of