Analysis Skills Related to Group Process, Techniques, and Development - Case Study Example

Running head: ANALYSIS SKILLS RELATED TO GROUP PROCESS Analysis Skills Related to Group Process, Techniques, and Development You’re Name University Abstract This compiled literature is a reflection of my activities in group functioning with regard to the techniques that have been developed to assist myself within the profession of social work. Also there is quite a bit of discussion on the way the group processes are facilitated, and what form of development emerges as a result of this type of interaction. These three areas which are group processing, techniques utilized and final development are a major part of learning in the study of social work. These skills are necessary to have in order to be able to fully assist others when they need it in their own development. Also, learning to work in a group is an extremely crucial part of social work as well as normally there is not just one person involved. The outcome is the conclusion of this body of literature which details how I have personally developed in my studies. Analysis Skills Related to Group Process, Technique, and Development Introduction The type of group I chose to use in this literature is my seminar class which often has open discussion about many different topics that of course affect the world and the professionals today. There is a diverse range of people in this group; they all have specific techniques that they use in group activities with regard to processing gathered information, and thus acquiring their knowledge as a group from that processed data. While some openly discuss their personal opinions and give insight, others listen attentively and stay focused on what is taking place so they can develop their own intuition about the subject or subjects that come about in the seminar. In this group I have not been a leader though I have been an active participant eager to share ideas and personal experiences from the direct field placement achievements I have acquired. Basically I do involve myself in the group exercises in order to gain more knowledge about the subjects and experiences being discussed during the seminar but myself, like others, tend to pick a specific member from the group to openly discuss some of the issues after we have gone over them as a group. This is one of the group techniques that are always put to use during this seminar and it is my preference. This type of technique does not affect my own personal development that takes place with regard to certain issues that are brought up as I don’t feel that not standing up at the podium and speaking affects my desire to learn or adversely prevents me from understanding how important it is to work with others and empathize with them either. Within this group there consists of 12 students who are majoring in social work. Although we all have a different type of internship the seminar helps to develop interpersonal skills to step over any boundaries that might exist so that we can learn from one another in a consistent manner. This does not necessarily mean that every one of us has to get up and speak at the front podium. We brainstorm together, have group analysis, heavy discussion about certain subject matter, and all give personal impressions and thoughts into every assignment that comes about. Therefore; when the class speaks of active participation this is in various forms. While some of us are good public speakers and don’t have a phobia of speaking in front of strangers, others of us are tense and concerned to do so because English is often a second language. However, there is still a high percentage of active participation by all of the students. Stages of the Group There are various stages in any project or scenario that is considered a learning experience for individuals. To define the beginning stage of this seminar would be categorizing it by definition as follows in the subsequent paragraph: In initial stages of research, within the field of social work, various risk factors and other assessments have to be taken into account to gain accurate knowledge. For instance, a case presentation of child abuse has to be analyzed in order to correctly gauge the presence of possible abuse. From this initial stage the transition begins and associations develop (Warner 2003, pg. 339). This defines the fact that for everything in life, regardless of what it is, there is an initial starting point. This then develops into newer stages following the findings and associations that come into being from the initial stage. In the initial stages of this seminar class everyone had to get to know about each other and discuss the different motivations that drove each one of us to the professional field of social work. One could therefore say that the initial structure of this group was introduction and orientation of one another. This is a necessary phase in social work because individuals know that social workers have to gather information about their clients based on their ethnicity, personal beliefs, geographical location, etc. So it is important to have an initial phase in a group in order to gain the right perception and gather accurate knowledge. Initially some of the participants in the seminar (myself included) introduced different case presentations that were in the beginning stages so that peer opinions could be gleamed from the existing information. From these initial stages role plays were implemented in order to gauge each student’s knowledge and how well they comprehended specific scenarios and possible outcomes as well. A good percentage of the initial participation was centered on various professional and personal challenges that individuals might come across when dealing with other people in social work. Once the transition stage begins, participants work soundly together to put their own thoughts and opinions into the discussion. This is one step above the initial stage as it allows for individuals to start accumulating more knowledge from what they already know and thus build upon it more accurately. For example, in the transition phase an individual could possibly learn that one of the participants is from a foreign country. They take this knowledge and begin examining it and analyzing it to find reasons why there is anxiety and cultural tensions in some social atmospheres, for instance in this seminar class itself. As I stated some of the students do not want to stand up front and speak. This is because of their anxiety and fear over English not being their primary language. They have fears of ridicule and personal embarrassment just as any person would. The point being made here is multi-cultural issues are important to understand, specifically in social work. So a topic like this is brought up in the seminar and then is analyzed and goes into the transition stage so that more information can be gained, thus continuing to move on from point to point. A transition period in social work is defined in the following case scenario: Transition can mark changes in personal perceptions. Some researchers identify transitional stages as taking place in countries where disparity issues reign. For instance, in Mongolia, the business people embraced market ideology in order to change the economic structure of the country. They moved from being narrow minded to more open about their life choices for change (Pearson & Chatterjee 1999, pg. 324). Understanding transition in social work allows for social workers to see how perceptions can make all the difference in individual people’s lives. The previous paragraph was just an example of some of the case scenarios that could be presented in a seminar class for students studying social work policies and concepts. The transition period therefore simply marks a new stage in the research or in the activities of a person or group; such as in my seminar class. In the working stage enough information is gained and understood for participants to be able to form logical social concepts around the scenarios. Also, during this stage the group explores the ground rules, appropriate boundaries, expectations, limitations and goals of all the participants as well. There is a stable ground of organization that should exist in the working stage and thus the member’s area all ready to perform. During the performance of actions and activities members might address issues at hand, and develop critical problem solving strategies. Tuckman’s (1965) developmental model helps to illustrate how all of the stages in group organization work together to make a whole stable unit. Tuckman (1965) also points out that in any group work or interactions, all of these stages are necessary for better awareness and comprehension by the participants. In addition to Tuckman's developmental stages for group formation and success, Engleberg and Wynn (2003) noted that both verbal and non-verbal communication is an essential contributor as well. In a report published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers it was noted that oral communication, teamwork, motivation and leadership within a team or group setting was more important than individual proficiency and written communication skills. Engleberg and Wynn (2003) clearly show that in the working stage of a group all participants should have the ability to: Listen to one another effectively Understand one another’s individual goals within the group process Actively participate in any activities that are incorporated around group problem solving Make certain that questions are appropriate, detailed, directive, and clear to obtain necessary information Establish professionalism with all team members Ensure that communication is effective between all cultures and there is no discrimination Utilize language skills effectively Present a professional demeanor without verbal communication (Engleberg & Wynn 2003). If the group clearly shows that they have these acquired skills then they can use communication as the primary driving force for group work to be completed. Also, it shows that communication is the key component behind all professional group activities. In my seminar class, I have a perception about how the activities work that is very similar to the information about group organization and analysis that Tuckman, Engleberg, and Wynn all project in their literature. Group facilitation is primarily that of small working forces. These groups are made of three to six individuals, whom are dependant on one another for success. Although there are 12 participants in my seminar class the class breaks down into small groups in just this type of manner. The dependency in these groups, just as in my seminar class seemingly comes from individual specific needs, as well as education and knowledge. By facilitating "power" groups my seminar class aides in productive facilitation and effective communication. Power groups, are small groups of individuals with specific skills, needs and goals that will directly benefit the group or team. Tuckman's developmental group stages can be readily observed actively. There are, however, small deviations from the original version or model. Teams are pre-set with leaders, roles, expectations and goals. This leaves very little room for the storming and norming stages. Leadership Roles and Reasons for Group Participation Rarely are leadership roles questioned and/or challenged. Possibly, this is because leadership is a complex process by which a person influences others to accomplish a mission, task, or objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more unified. In the seminar class, the individuals who are designated leaders have proven that they have the capabilities to unify a group and have everyone work together effectively. Leadership makes people want to achieve high goals and objectives, while, on the other hand, bosses tell people to accomplish a task or objective. There is therefore a big difference between the leadership that is defined in my class and in how it is viewed in businesses within society. In the seminar class leadership pretty much stays the same although there is rotation in different phases of group interaction in order to meet the full goals of the groups. Rotation of leadership normally only occurs when an individual does not want to be in a specific role any longer or if someone were to leave the group interactions altogether. Overall however, the need for success and achievement is facilitated by individual and group knowledge. So it isn’t just those in leadership roles that make changes possible, it is the entire group process (Engleberg & Wynn 2003). Theorists such as Maslow and Shultz conclude that the formation of groups is essential to the development of the individual through need. Groups are formed, initially, to complete a required task(s). As groups are formed, and roles are established, goals are set. Members work collectively towards a common need, individual success. Though groups can be found both socially as well as professionally, they are established for the same cause, individual and organizational necessity and need. Goals bring groups together, the need for acceptance and success keep them together. In social work group participation serves a common purpose and that is to facilitate the needs of the client. This can only be done by working collaboratively together so although groups can have leaders and leadership roles, the whole of the group can not meet its goals without effectively working together and listening to one another, not just through following one person. Nevertheless, leadership has been mentioned as being shifting. In this seminar class it has shifted on more than one occasion within different groups. This all depends on four main associations found within group activities which are: directing, coaching, delegating, and participating. For an example, there are individuals that are better assisting others rather than working alone. These types of people make good coaching leaders so when a project turns towards the needs of individuals in a group a specific person might switch from a directing role to a leadership coaching role in order to better serve the group interactions and activities. At other times there might be a strong need for a leader who is good at delegating specific activities, such as telling who is going to assist in doing what. Thus again, the leadership would shift in order to fulfill the needs of the entire group. It continues on this way until a project or perhaps a role playing exercise has been fulfilled and the group has achieved its goal together. Conclusion A lot can be achieved by working together in a group, specifically if one truly evaluates and communicates with others in the group process. As was stated, knowledge can not be gained by simply listening to one person but rather a whole group of peoples thoughts and feelings have to be implemented in as well, that is for various changes and understandings to take place. Today, group activities are stronger than ever in much of the social practices that exist. Social workers have very strong interpersonal relationships and this seminar class seems to me to be a good introduction to developing this type of relationship with other people. References Engleberg, I & Wynn, D. (2003). Working in Groups: Communication Principles and Strategies 3rd Edition. New York: John Wiley and Sons Publishing. Pearson, Cecil & Chatterjee, Samir. (1999, August). Work Goals in a Country in Transition: A Case Study of Mongolian Managers. International Journal of Manpower, 20, 324-334. Tuckman, B. (1965). Developmental Sequence in Small Groups. Psychological Bulletin 63, 384-399. Warner, Joe. (2003). An Initial Assessment of the Extent to which Risk Factors Frequently Identified in Research, are taken into Account when Assessing Risk in Child Protection Cases. Journal of Social Work, 3, 339-363. Read More