Building Trust within Groups: Vulnerability and Honesty

Some issues that surround trust is the members within the group will feel vulnerable. Reason why vulnerability is presented is that members are opening up to a room full of strangers. Members may feel that others may judge them or look down on them when they feel comfortable to open up to the group. There are multiple methods to build trust within a group one is “Exposing yourself” Open yourself to others. Not in a dangerous way where people can take advantage of you, but rather in a way that demonstrates honesty and humility. Your group needs to know that you are just like them. Be willing to admit your own failures. If you put up a wall around yourself, your group will too. Members of the group begin to trust the leader when they feel the leader will be helpful, guiding them through to resolution of the issues that trouble them, another

way will leader keep clients safe from blame, anger or hurtful comments, and will nourish positive feelings of hope and self-esteem.
There are multiple ways to clarify goals for a group one is understand exactly what they want to achieve from being in the group. In order to define the goal for group, first step is to determine exactly what they wish to achieve. If the group do not know where they are going, you as the leader will not be able to figure out a route to get them there. Once the group know where they want to be and what they want to achieve, the leader will be able to come up with the goals that will help the group get there. Another form of clarifying goals for the group is ensuring the goals for the group are realistic. When ensuring the goals are realistic for the group, the leader can almost guarantee that the group will be able to achieve those goals. When the group is reaching multiple goals along their journeys this will give the members a feeling of accomplishment and give them momentum and motivate to continue.
Another form of clarifying goals for the group is formulating a timeline for the group. Reason of the timeline is to eliminate procrastination and spur the group on to action to meet their goals. Having a timeline for their goals also helps to clarify them because now they know what they want. By every meeting each member should show some form of progression towards the ultimate goal or the current goal. As being a leader of group there are multiple personalities the leader must be open to refining the goals for the group. The member of the group goals may change as their life continues to change. During this process, the leader should be aware of this happening but yet still continue to motivate the group to achieve their current goals.
The initial stage is characterized by anxiety, guardedness, dependency, and a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

The initial stage contains two elements of Tuckman’s model of group development one is forming and the other is norming.
Foaming is described as most members are positive and polite. Some are anxious, as they haven't fully understood what expect within the group. Others are simply excited about having a chance to relate to others with similar issues. As the leader, this individual plays a dominant role at this stage, because members' roles aren't clear. This stage can last for some time, as people start to talk, and as they make an effort to relate and give the group a chance of helping them.
Norming is described as when the group start to resolve their personal issues, appreciate members’' strengths, and respect your authority as a leader. Now that the members know one another better, they may socialize together, and they are able to ask one another for help and provide constructive feedback. People develop a stronger commitment to their personal and group goal, and leader will start to see good progress towards

it.