Communication

Please I need someone who knows how to follow instructions. I have a  video and a reading material followed by 5 questions! If you are not proficient in English please don’t accept this work!

H
CHAPTER 7
Guiding Discussion
If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will do.
—BASHO
ANSEN is a speck on the map about thirty miles southeast of Twin Falls, Idaho. My wife’s
uncle runs a cattle ranch just outside Hansen, right at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains.
Uncle Chuck’s house is nestled in a sleepy little hollow, flanked on both sides by a year-round
creek and shaded by a grove of willows.
Several years ago, my family and I spent four days at Uncle Chuck’s. Time stands still at his
ranch. It takes me two days just to unwind and slip into country time. Schedules there are
governed by the rising and the setting of the sun. Folks there talk slow, with a deep richness,
unhurried, and seemingly unaffected by this century. I like all this, up at Hansen.
But what I like best is watching Sheila and Ted, Uncle Chuck’s two spirited border collies,
keeping a hundred head of cattle moving straight on course during a cattle drive.
Border collies, I’m told, are the smartest cattle dogs in the world. A hundred cows can be
packed into a tightly stuffed orb by one dog and moved almost effortlessly, like the shadow of a
cloud rolling silently over the flowing landscape. The dogs dodge, dart, shove, and pack the
cows into one obedient, single-minded mass of livestock, headed for a yet unseen destination.
One rancher down the road from Chuck’s went into a three-month depression when his
border collie, Nick, died of old age. The rancher shed more tears over Nick’s death than he did
when his wife left him. At least that’s what Uncle Chuck says, and Uncle Chuck doesn’t
exaggerate. In fact, he doesn’t say much at all. And that’s why the last night we were in Hansen,
Uncle Chuck surprised me with something he shared.
“Too bad our cattlemen’s association didn’t have some border collies to keep us in line,” he
lamented, as we sat on the back porch steps. “Seems like our association can’t ever seem
to agree on anything because we don’t stick to the topic.”
“Like those cows, maybe you need some help staying on track,” I suggested.
“Yeah. And we might be dumber than cows. At least cows don’t fight with one another.” He
smiled.
I smiled too as we listened to the water in the creek begin its journey to the sea.
This chapter will show you specific ways to guide the discussion of a group in the task and
social dimensions of interaction. Strangely enough, your influence and impact on the discussion
of a group is initiated more through asking questions than making statements, or through stating
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
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your opinions and feelings. You can have a more positive and productive impact on your group
by encouraging others to participate and contribute, rather than always focusing on sharing your
ideas and opinions. In addition to learning specific ways to guide the group’s discussion, you
will be introduced to some guidelines on being a more effective follower in group work.
Without the willingness and ability to follow, there can be no effective leadership. Create more
effective groups by learning to guide and follow.
Guiding Discussion to a Shared Path
The funny thing about trying to keep five or six people on track during a discussion is that it’s
not as easy as you might think. One person will start the discussion with one idea only to be
interrupted by someone else, who begins to weave a second, unrelated thought or idea into the
discussion, while two people chuckle at a humorous remark made by a third speaker. And the
sixth member of the group is staring out the window, oblivious to the other three conversations.
Each person, it seems, has a different idea of where to go, what to do, and how to do it.
Some members talk a lot; others don’t. At times, each group member seems to be taking a
separate path.
The initial task during any discussion is not solving a problem. That will come in its own
time, if it is to come at all. The initial task of the group is to keep the discussion focused,
coordinated, and on track in a supportive, open atmosphere. No matter how well informed,
committed, and articulate each member might be, the group can wander aimlessly, like cattle
without those border collies, if it cannot stay focused.
This chapter will show you specific ways to guide the discussion of the group to a shared
path. Like border collie training, but with a higher calling in mind. You won’t be as pushy and
controlling as a border collie, but you will know the moves to keep the group on track during
your discussions.
The communication behaviors you will learn are called guiding behaviors because they keep
the discussion focused and coordinate the participation and contributions of the individual
members in the most productive manner possible.
You will learn two categories of guiding behaviors. First, task-guiding behaviors are
intended to keep the discussion productive, participatory, and on track. The second, socialguiding behaviors are designed to establish and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships
between group members. The goal is for each group member to discover a wide array of
guiding behaviors he or she can put to use during a discussion, depending on the situation, the
mood of the group, and his or her particular inclination at that given moment.
One question, one gentle word, can change the course of a conversation and a life.
ALFRED ADLER
Task-Guiding Behaviors
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
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Kenneth Benne and Paul Sheats have proposed a list of task and social roles that have enabled
us to get a clearer idea of what specific behaviors individuals can perform in groups. The
following is a modified list of these behaviors sets. Task-guiding behaviors are those
behaviors that initiate and maintain a productive task dimension during the group’s discussions.
The six task-guiding behaviors are requesting information, providing information, clarifying
information, guiding/summarizing discussion, analyzing, and negotiating.
Requesting Information
Requesting information from the group is an important function of every group member. It
serves to broaden the information base of the group, initiate interaction when the discussion
lulls, and encourage low-verbal members to contribute. Requesting information is a basic
communication skill that invites others to communicate, participate, and contribute. Here are
some examples of requesting information:
“What do we think about . . . ?” “How do we feel about . . . ?” “Does anyone have any
information dealing with . . . ?” “Does anyone have any evidence concerning . . . ?” “Did
anyone interview an expert about . . . ?” “What information haven’t we shared yet?”
The important thing to remember about requesting information is that you are opening up the
discussion to everyone again. This behavior can often have an invigorating effect on a
discussion that is needlessly stuck on an overworked item. It can also serve to discourage a
high-verbal member from monopolizing a discussion.
Providing Information
Sharing evidence, information, or personal opinion is a vital behavior each group member is
expected to perform. Without the sharing of information, there can be no discussion. You have
thought about and researched the topic before attending the meeting, so you are prepared to
provide the group with the fruits of your labor. Here are some ways to begin:
(Providing evidence/information)
“In my research I discovered . . . ,” “I read that . . . ,” “One study suggested . . . ,”
“During my interview with ______ I learned that . . . ,” “According to . . . ,” “A recent
poll concluded that . . .”
(Providing opinion)
“I think . . . ,” “It’s my opinion that . . . ,” “I believe . . . ,” “I feel . . . ,” “It’s my
understanding that . . .”
If you research the topic, you owe it to the group to share or provide as much relevant
information to the discussion as possible. By withholding or failing to share your information,
you can prevent the group from arriving at the wisest decisions and proposing the best
solutions. You could be holding the one piece of information the group needs to succeed!
Clarifying Information
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After a group member shares information, some confusion or question might arise about the
content or meaning of the statement. This is when you need to clarify any ambiguous
information. Here are some ways you can initiate that process:
“Are you saying . . . ?” “Do you mean . . . ?” “Do I understand your research to suggest
that . . . ?” “So this tells us that . . . ?” “Another way to say this may be . . . ?” “Can we
interpret the evidence to suggest . . . ?” “Could you repeat it?”
The purpose of clarifying information is to ensure that the picture in the speaker’s head is the
same as or similar to the one you intended. Clarify any ambiguous information presented to the
group. Take the time to ask questions. This is true for group discussion work as well as for
your personal life.
Guiding/Summarizing Discussion
Guiding/summarizing discussion behaviors keep the discussion on the agenda, regulate
participation, and announce time limits. Without these behaviors the group loses direction.
Notice how powerful each of these behaviors is in guiding the group:
(Initiating the agenda)
“Let’s define the problem.”
“Can we move on to brainstorming solutions?”
“I think we can move to the next step of. . . .”
(Maintaining the agenda)
“I think we need to return to the agenda.”
“We need to return to the topic of . . .”
“How does this relate to our agenda item?”
“We’re off track. Can we get back to . . . ?”
(Regulating participation)
“So, what you’re telling us is . . . ?” (regulate high-verbal)
“Can you summarize your point?” (regulate high-verbal)
“What is your opinion, Mary?” (encourage low-verbal)
(Announcing time limits)
“Our meeting should last one hour. It will end at 2:30.”
“We have ten minutes left. Do we want to go to the next agenda item?”
“Our time is up; shall we table this until next time?”
(Summarizing discussion)
“So far, we’ve heard three explanations. They are . . .”
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
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“The brainstorming list of solutions is. . . .”
“I’m hearing two schools of thought on this. First . . . and second. . . .”
In dealing with others be gentle and kind.
LAO TSU
Analyzing Evidence and Testing Reasoning
As mentioned earlier, the need for careful and thoughtful analysis of evidence and reasoning is
crucial in the problem-solving process. You need to be able and willing to analyze the
evidence presented and test the reasoning of the proposals set forth. Here are ways you can
analyze evidence and test reasoning:
Analyzing evidence
“Do you have additional evidence for this position?” (testing quantity)
“What makes this researcher qualified?” (testing quality)
“When was the article published?” (testing recency)
“How does this relate to our topic?” (testing relevancy)
Testing reasoning
“Have we looked at enough examples to explain this event?” (testing overgeneralization)
“Are there other causes that would explain this event?” (testing causal fallacy)
“Are these two situations similar enough to warrant comparison?” (testing false analogy)
“Could there be other positions?” (testing either-or thinking)
“Are we analyzing issues or attacking personalities?” (testing ad hominem attack)
Analysis of evidence and reasoning is the hallmark of critical thinking. I cannot overstate
your responsibility to test the thinking and information of your group. Without diligent effort on
your part in analyzing evidence and testing the reasoning of arguments, the group’s
effectiveness will be compromised. Discover the detective within you.
Negotiating
We all possess the capacity to suspend personal judgment and appreciate the benefits of
different points of view. Negotiating is the skill of bringing differing parties to mutual
agreement, and you’ll find this skill particularly valuable as the group gets closer to consensus.
These negotiating skills are also helpful in settling minor conflicts and differences throughout
the course of discussion. Here are some ways you can help in the negotiating process:
“Can we all agree that . . . ?” “Do we all think/feel . . . ?” “Is anyone opposed to . . . ?”
“What things can we all agree to?” “Can we combine the strengths of these two
proposals?” “Is this solution workable and acceptable to all of us?” “Can we all live with this
solution for a period of time?”
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
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Your ability and willingness to negotiate and serve as a consensus builder will be one of the
most important contributions to the success of the group. Try to see the beauty and strengths in
all the ideas and proposals presented to the group. Be positive and constantly alert to any
common ground—areas of agreement, common ideas, and similar beliefs—where your group
can meet as one.
Social-Guiding Behaviors
Social-guiding behaviors encourage and maintain a healthy social dimension during group
discussion. They include encouraging, expressing feelings, harmonizing, and energizing. Each
behavior is designed to ensure a friendly, supportive, and trusting atmosphere within the group.
Encouraging
Many times group members need encouragement to continue speaking, participating, or even
remaining in the group. Encouragement fosters a caring, supportive group atmosphere. You can
be encouraging to others by acknowledging their presence, agreeing with their statements,
complimenting their behaviors, or reframing negatives into positives. Some things you can say
to encourage others are:
(Acknowledging)
“I’m glad you’re here today, Ingrid!” “I see your point, Seth!”
(Agreeing)
“I agree with you, Frank.” “Your comment makes sense to me.”
(Complimenting)
“I appreciate the handouts you prepared for us, Sarah.” “Your idea is wonderful!”
(Reframing negatives into positives)
“Another way of looking at this is _____.” (positive interpretation)
“By pointing this out, you showed me some positive aspects, such as _____.”
When you participate in a discussion, look for ways to encourage others. We all need
encouragement and compliments. Discover the part of you that nurtures, cares, and supports
others. It can also be an enriching experience for you, the encourager.
Expressing Feelings
Although your problem-solving group is not a therapy group, the expression of feelings and the
acknowledgment of those feelings are essential to a healthy social dimension of any group.
Whether it’s to congratulate the group’s successes or explore the group’s interpersonal
conflicts, the expression of feelings is crucial to the health and maintenance of the group. Here
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
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are some ways to encourage the expression of emotions:
“How are we feeling right now?”
“Are you guys feeling as frustrated as I am? Maybe we need a break.”
“I love being in this group.”
Many groups avoid expressing any emotion. They incorrectly believe such disclosure is
inappropriate to the group process or a sign of weakness. Nothing could be further from the
truth.
Without some gauge to measure the social dimension of the members, the group will not
know when to devote attention to resolving an interpersonal conflict, celebrate a task success,
or merely take a much-needed five-minute break. Do what you can to encourage the expression
of feelings within the group.
Helping others to express their feelings is an act of liberation, a freeing of the soul.
STEPHEN LEVINE
Harmonizing
Occasionally a disruption appears in an otherwise supportive and friendly group atmosphere.
The tension or conflict between two or more members rises to a level that affects the group’s
task dimension effectiveness. Whether it’s a disagreement over a substantive issue, hurt
feelings because of an insensitive remark, or a minor feud between two individuals, the social
dimension of the group is negatively affected. You should make some attempt to bring harmony
back to the group. Here are some things you can say to reestablish harmony:
“Maybe the two of you can discuss this matter after the meeting.”
“Let’s not allow our feelings to get the best of us.”
“Can you two disagree without disliking one another?”
“We need to focus on the issues, not personalities.”
Continued conflict needs to be brought to the attention of the group. To ignore or deny its
existence would give the conflict more power to disrupt the social dimension. Therefore, the
initial intervention is to bring the tension or conflict to the conscious awareness of the group.
Then the individuals involved can strive to discover some way to disagree without disliking,
punishing, or hurting one another. We will cover specific ways to deal with this in greater
detail in a later chapter. For now, however, you might want to try some harmonizing behavior
when there is tension or conflict within the group.
Energizing
Working with other people in a small group can be psychologically, emotionally, and
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Created from alaskauniv-ebooks on 2022-02-22 06:33:48. Copyright © 2013. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. All rights reserved.
physically draining. Extended periods of time spent discussing, debating, and deliberating are
taxing and can quickly deplete our energy levels and exhaust our enthusiasm. When you sense
that the vitality of the group is slipping, you can try to energize the group by saying:
“We’ve done well so far and we only have a little ways to go!”
“I think we’re doing a great job!”
“I know we can accomplish what we’ve set out to do!”
There are no magic words you can chant or somersaults you can perform that guarantee
bringing a group to life. But your attempt at energizing the group can be inspiring in and of
itself. Enthusiasm is contagious! Choose to be the source of energy when the rest of the group
is ready for a nap—you might be surprised at your impact on the group’s enthusiasm.
Why is the sea the king of a hundred streams? Because it lies below them. Therefore it is the
king of a hundred streams.
LAO TSU
Being an Effective Follower
The emphasis of this chapter has been on taking an active role in guiding the task and social
dimensions of group discussion. But you have to know how to be an effective follower also.
Every member of the group cannot be guiding and leading the others all of the time. Chaos
would result if everyone was trying to lead and no one was willing to follow. The purpose of
this chapter is to provide you with the skills to guide and direct the flow of discussion when
appropriate opportunities arise, not all of the time. What specific attitudes and behaviors can
help you be an effective follower?
Putting the group first. The focus of most people is on the self. How am I feeling? What am
I thinking? How does that affect me? What do I want? What can I get? To be an effective
follower, you must be willing to put the group first and yourself second. This is not forever,
just for a period of time. If the individual members do not subordinate their personal goals and
needs to those of the group, there is no effective group.
So the first question you might want to ask yourself is “What’s good for the group?” instead
of “What’s best for me?” This subtle shift in focus and emphasis might be your first step
toward being an effective follower.
Listening to others. After you have made the decision to put the group first, you should
know what the desires and needs of the group are. Pay attention to the discussion of the other
members of your group. In other words, keep quiet and listen. My father always used to tell me
that “you never learn anything new when you’re talking,” so one very obvious way to follow
the discussion is to listen. You might just learn some new things. Be a receptive follower.
Discovering things to agree with. I have the hardest time working with the chronically
disagreeable person, that individual who must disagree with everything everyone says. He
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
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constantly searches for weaknesses in your ideas, flaws in your thinking, and objections to
your proposals. He is the opposite of the team player. He’s not only out for himself; he is
against everyone else as well. He helps create groups that experience strife, exhaustion, and
often failure.
You can be an effective follower by being on the lookout for ideas and suggestions that you
can agree with and support. Look for those aspects of the discussion that are going well, those
things you can agree with and support. Don’t always focus on the weaknesses and flaws of
everything you hear. Discover things to which you can agree. Be a positive follower.
Whenever someone shares an opinion or suggestion that you strongly agree with, don’t just
sit there in silence; say something. Something simple like “I like that idea,” “I think that’s a
good point,” or “I agree with your idea 100 percent!” You might even want to compliment the
individual whose idea or opinion you agree with by saying, “Barbara, I think you have a
wonderful idea,” or, “Congratulations, Tim! That’s the best suggestion I’ve heard this entire
meeting!” People need to hear confirmation and affirmation that their ideas or suggestions are
shared by others. You can follow their lead by simply agreeing with the ideas and opinions of
others. Be a verbal follower.
Volunteering to support the suggestions of others. In addition to voicing your agreement
with the ideas and suggestions of others, you can venture forth and commit to supporting them
in tangible ways. Not only can you agree with them; you can volunteer to “put your money
where your mouth is” and help in some physical way to bring their idea, opinion, or suggestion
to fruition. You can volunteer to do something to support their idea or suggestion by stating that
“I’ll do some of your research on the Internet,” “I’ll make the arrangements for the luncheon,”
“I can call those four managers and get their opinions if you’d like me to,” or, “Let me contact
the personnel office and see what the policy is regarding your wonderful suggestion.” Talk is
cheap; volunteer your time and effort to support the ideas and suggestions of others. Be a
helpful follower.
Rather than suggesting specific ways you can show your physical support of someone’s idea
or suggestion, you can ask what is the most helpful or effective way you can be of help to
advance his or her idea or suggestion. You can simply inquire, “What can I do to support your
suggestion?” “How can I help you advance this idea to management?” or “Count me in on
implementing this solution.” Many times the author of an idea or suggestion will know best as
to the process or procedure to implement his or her idea or suggestion. Let him or her tell you
how you can best serve. Let him or her be the boss and you concentrate on being the follower
who asks helpful questions.
Following through. Once you’ve been assigned a responsibility or given a task to support
someone’s idea or suggestion, follow through. Be good on your word. Keep your promises. If
you say you will do something, just do it. If you don’t keep your promises, you not only let
down the group; you can jeopardize or destroy your reputation in the group as someone who
can be trusted. Once you’ve agreed to something, complete the task. Your good name is at
stake.
Being cheerful. Above all else, choose to be cheerful as you follow others. Don’t go about
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
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U
F
your tasks and responsibilities with a grudging attitude or negative spirit. This type of behavior
will harm the group’s spirit and effort. It’s better that you withdraw from the group than be a
source of resentment and ill will. Take your pity party somewhere else and sulk. So you
promise to be cheerful following the ideas and suggestions of others? Good! A happy, cheerful
attitude will bring joy and productivity wherever it goes. Be a cheerful follower, above all
else.
This chapter shows you specific ways to guide group discussion in the task and social
dimensions of interaction. By asking guiding questions and making guiding statements, you can
have a more effective and productive effect upon the group. Being a willing follower is just as
essential to creating an effective group as guiding the group, so realize that leading and
following are simply two sides of the same process—creating an effective group.
Choose to be happy. It’s one way to be wise.
COLETTE
Individual and Group Exercises
Guiding Behavior in Your Personal Life
Exercise 7.1
se one or two of the task-guiding behaviors from this chapter and implement them in
your relationships with others. For instance, you might want to ask people more
questions (requesting or clarifying information), compromise your positions
(negotiating), or think more critically (analyzing). How does using these guiding behaviors feel
in your daily interactions with those individuals in your life?
Guiding Behaviors in a Small Group Meeting
Exercise 7.2
orm groups of five in class and hold a twenty-minute meeting to plan a hypothetical
class picnic. During the meeting, decide on where the picnic will be held, how long the
picnic will last, what to bring, who is to bring what, a list of six fun class activities or
games, who is to lead each game, prizes that should be awarded, and who will clean up. Your
group is to perform all of these functions and the rest of the class will simply come and enjoy
the event your group has planned.
During the twenty-minute planning meeting, each of the five group members will take a turn
at guiding the task dimension of the discussion for four minutes. After all five members have
led the discussion, take a few minutes to share your reactions to the exercise and give feedback
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
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T
to one another regarding their strengths and weaknesses.
Learning to Be a Follower
Exercise 7.3
his exercise will teach your body (not your mind) how to follow another person. The
exercise will require another person to provide the finger your finger will follow for
three minutes. You and your partner are to sit comfortably in chairs facing one another,
close enough so your knees can touch. Your partner is to raise her right pointing finger about
eye level and point it in your direction. Her finger should be above her knees. You are to raise
your left pointing finger so it is within one or two inches of her finger.
The object of the exercise is for you to simply follow her finger with yours for a period of
three minutes. No matter where she goes with her finger, you simply follow it as best you can.
Your partner is to keep her finger in the two dimensional plane that separates your knees.
Pretend a sheet of glass is separating you and your partner extending from the floor, between
your knees, and above your heads. Your partner is not to move her finger so quickly that it’s
impossible for you to follow. And neither of you are allowed to talk during the three minutes.
Just see what it’s like to simply follow her finger.
What was this experience like for you? Do your responses to this exercise give you any insight
into your willingness and ability to be a follower in your group work? How might you modify
or change your attitudes and behaviors to be a more effective follower in the future?
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
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CHAPTER 7
Guiding Discussion
If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will do.
—BASHO
ANSEN is a speck on the map about thirty miles southeast of Twin Falls, Idaho. My wife’s
uncle runs a cattle ranch just outside Hansen, right at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains.
Uncle Chuck’s house is nestled in a sleepy little hollow, flanked on both sides by a year-round
creek and shaded by a grove of willows.
Several years ago, my family and I spent four days at Uncle Chuck’s. Time stands still at his
ranch. It takes me two days just to unwind and slip into country time. Schedules there are
governed by the rising and the setting of the sun. Folks there talk slow, with a deep richness,
unhurried, and seemingly unaffected by this century. I like all this, up at Hansen.
But what I like best is watching Sheila and Ted, Uncle Chuck’s two spirited border collies,
keeping a hundred head of cattle moving straight on course during a cattle drive.
Border collies, I’m told, are the smartest cattle dogs in the world. A hundred cows can be
packed into a tightly stuffed orb by one dog and moved almost effortlessly, like the shadow of a
cloud rolling silently over the flowing landscape. The dogs dodge, dart, shove, and pack the
cows into one obedient, single-minded mass of livestock, headed for a yet unseen destination.
One rancher down the road from Chuck’s went into a three-month depression when his
border collie, Nick, died of old age. The rancher shed more tears over Nick’s death than he did
when his wife left him. At least that’s what Uncle Chuck says, and Uncle Chuck doesn’t
exaggerate. In fact, he doesn’t say much at all. And that’s why the last night we were in Hansen,
Uncle Chuck surprised me with something he shared.
“Too bad our cattlemen’s association didn’t have some border collies to keep us in line,” he
lamented, as we sat on the back porch steps. “Seems like our association can’t ever seem
to agree on anything because we don’t stick to the topic.”
“Like those cows, maybe you need some help staying on track,” I suggested.
“Yeah. And we might be dumber than cows. At least cows don’t fight with one another.” He
smiled.
I smiled too as we listened to the water in the creek begin its journey to the sea.
This chapter will show you specific ways to guide the discussion of a group in the task and
social dimensions of interaction. Strangely enough, your influence and impact on the discussion
of a group is initiated more through asking questions than making statements, or through stating
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Created from alaskauniv-ebooks on 2022-02-22 06:33:48. Copyright © 2013. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. All rights reserved.
your opinions and feelings. You can have a more positive and productive impact on your group
by encouraging others to participate and contribute, rather than always focusing on sharing your
ideas and opinions. In addition to learning specific ways to guide the group’s discussion, you
will be introduced to some guidelines on being a more effective follower in group work.
Without the willingness and ability to follow, there can be no effective leadership. Create more
effective groups by learning to guide and follow.
Guiding Discussion to a Shared Path
The funny thing about trying to keep five or six people on track during a discussion is that it’s
not as easy as you might think. One person will start the discussion with one idea only to be
interrupted by someone else, who begins to weave a second, unrelated thought or idea into the
discussion, while two people chuckle at a humorous remark made by a third speaker. And the
sixth member of the group is staring out the window, oblivious to the other three conversations.
Each person, it seems, has a different idea of where to go, what to do, and how to do it.
Some members talk a lot; others don’t. At times, each group member seems to be taking a
separate path.
The initial task during any discussion is not solving a problem. That will come in its own
time, if it is to come at all. The initial task of the group is to keep the discussion focused,
coordinated, and on track in a supportive, open atmosphere. No matter how well informed,
committed, and articulate each member might be, the group can wander aimlessly, like cattle
without those border collies, if it cannot stay focused.
This chapter will show you specific ways to guide the discussion of the group to a shared
path. Like border collie training, but with a higher calling in mind. You won’t be as pushy and
controlling as a border collie, but you will know the moves to keep the group on track during
your discussions.
The communication behaviors you will learn are called guiding behaviors because they keep
the discussion focused and coordinate the participation and contributions of the individual
members in the most productive manner possible.
You will learn two categories of guiding behaviors. First, task-guiding behaviors are
intended to keep the discussion productive, participatory, and on track. The second, socialguiding behaviors are designed to establish and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships
between group members. The goal is for each group member to discover a wide array of
guiding behaviors he or she can put to use during a discussion, depending on the situation, the
mood of the group, and his or her particular inclination at that given moment.
One question, one gentle word, can change the course of a conversation and a life.
ALFRED ADLER
Task-Guiding Behaviors
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Kenneth Benne and Paul Sheats have proposed a list of task and social roles that have enabled
us to get a clearer idea of what specific behaviors individuals can perform in groups. The
following is a modified list of these behaviors sets. Task-guiding behaviors are those
behaviors that initiate and maintain a productive task dimension during the group’s discussions.
The six task-guiding behaviors are requesting information, providing information, clarifying
information, guiding/summarizing discussion, analyzing, and negotiating.
Requesting Information
Requesting information from the group is an important function of every group member. It
serves to broaden the information base of the group, initiate interaction when the discussion
lulls, and encourage low-verbal members to contribute. Requesting information is a basic
communication skill that invites others to communicate, participate, and contribute. Here are
some examples of requesting information:
“What do we think about . . . ?” “How do we feel about . . . ?” “Does anyone have any
information dealing with . . . ?” “Does anyone have any evidence concerning . . . ?” “Did
anyone interview an expert about . . . ?” “What information haven’t we shared yet?”
The important thing to remember about requesting information is that you are opening up the
discussion to everyone again. This behavior can often have an invigorating effect on a
discussion that is needlessly stuck on an overworked item. It can also serve to discourage a
high-verbal member from monopolizing a discussion.
Providing Information
Sharing evidence, information, or personal opinion is a vital behavior each group member is
expected to perform. Without the sharing of information, there can be no discussion. You have
thought about and researched the topic before attending the meeting, so you are prepared to
provide the group with the fruits of your labor. Here are some ways to begin:
(Providing evidence/information)
“In my research I discovered . . . ,” “I read that . . . ,” “One study suggested . . . ,”
“During my interview with ______ I learned that . . . ,” “According to . . . ,” “A recent
poll concluded that . . .”
(Providing opinion)
“I think . . . ,” “It’s my opinion that . . . ,” “I believe . . . ,” “I feel . . . ,” “It’s my
understanding that . . .”
If you research the topic, you owe it to the group to share or provide as much relevant
information to the discussion as possible. By withholding or failing to share your information,
you can prevent the group from arriving at the wisest decisions and proposing the best
solutions. You could be holding the one piece of information the group needs to succeed!
Clarifying Information
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After a group member shares information, some confusion or question might arise about the
content or meaning of the statement. This is when you need to clarify any ambiguous
information. Here are some ways you can initiate that process:
“Are you saying . . . ?” “Do you mean . . . ?” “Do I understand your research to suggest
that . . . ?” “So this tells us that . . . ?” “Another way to say this may be . . . ?” “Can we
interpret the evidence to suggest . . . ?” “Could you repeat it?”
The purpose of clarifying information is to ensure that the picture in the speaker’s head is the
same as or similar to the one you intended. Clarify any ambiguous information presented to the
group. Take the time to ask questions. This is true for group discussion work as well as for
your personal life.
Guiding/Summarizing Discussion
Guiding/summarizing discussion behaviors keep the discussion on the agenda, regulate
participation, and announce time limits. Without these behaviors the group loses direction.
Notice how powerful each of these behaviors is in guiding the group:
(Initiating the agenda)
“Let’s define the problem.”
“Can we move on to brainstorming solutions?”
“I think we can move to the next step of. . . .”
(Maintaining the agenda)
“I think we need to return to the agenda.”
“We need to return to the topic of . . .”
“How does this relate to our agenda item?”
“We’re off track. Can we get back to . . . ?”
(Regulating participation)
“So, what you’re telling us is . . . ?” (regulate high-verbal)
“Can you summarize your point?” (regulate high-verbal)
“What is your opinion, Mary?” (encourage low-verbal)
(Announcing time limits)
“Our meeting should last one hour. It will end at 2:30.”
“We have ten minutes left. Do we want to go to the next agenda item?”
“Our time is up; shall we table this until next time?”
(Summarizing discussion)
“So far, we’ve heard three explanations. They are . . .”
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“The brainstorming list of solutions is. . . .”
“I’m hearing two schools of thought on this. First . . . and second. . . .”
In dealing with others be gentle and kind.
LAO TSU
Analyzing Evidence and Testing Reasoning
As mentioned earlier, the need for careful and thoughtful analysis of evidence and reasoning is
crucial in the problem-solving process. You need to be able and willing to analyze the
evidence presented and test the reasoning of the proposals set forth. Here are ways you can
analyze evidence and test reasoning:
Analyzing evidence
“Do you have additional evidence for this position?” (testing quantity)
“What makes this researcher qualified?” (testing quality)
“When was the article published?” (testing recency)
“How does this relate to our topic?” (testing relevancy)
Testing reasoning
“Have we looked at enough examples to explain this event?” (testing overgeneralization)
“Are there other causes that would explain this event?” (testing causal fallacy)
“Are these two situations similar enough to warrant comparison?” (testing false analogy)
“Could there be other positions?” (testing either-or thinking)
“Are we analyzing issues or attacking personalities?” (testing ad hominem attack)
Analysis of evidence and reasoning is the hallmark of critical thinking. I cannot overstate
your responsibility to test the thinking and information of your group. Without diligent effort on
your part in analyzing evidence and testing the reasoning of arguments, the group’s
effectiveness will be compromised. Discover the detective within you.
Negotiating
We all possess the capacity to suspend personal judgment and appreciate the benefits of
different points of view. Negotiating is the skill of bringing differing parties to mutual
agreement, and you’ll find this skill particularly valuable as the group gets closer to consensus.
These negotiating skills are also helpful in settling minor conflicts and differences throughout
the course of discussion. Here are some ways you can help in the negotiating process:
“Can we all agree that . . . ?” “Do we all think/feel . . . ?” “Is anyone opposed to . . . ?”
“What things can we all agree to?” “Can we combine the strengths of these two
proposals?” “Is this solution workable and acceptable to all of us?” “Can we all live with this
solution for a period of time?”
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Your ability and willingness to negotiate and serve as a consensus builder will be one of the
most important contributions to the success of the group. Try to see the beauty and strengths in
all the ideas and proposals presented to the group. Be positive and constantly alert to any
common ground—areas of agreement, common ideas, and similar beliefs—where your group
can meet as one.
Social-Guiding Behaviors
Social-guiding behaviors encourage and maintain a healthy social dimension during group
discussion. They include encouraging, expressing feelings, harmonizing, and energizing. Each
behavior is designed to ensure a friendly, supportive, and trusting atmosphere within the group.
Encouraging
Many times group members need encouragement to continue speaking, participating, or even
remaining in the group. Encouragement fosters a caring, supportive group atmosphere. You can
be encouraging to others by acknowledging their presence, agreeing with their statements,
complimenting their behaviors, or reframing negatives into positives. Some things you can say
to encourage others are:
(Acknowledging)
“I’m glad you’re here today, Ingrid!” “I see your point, Seth!”
(Agreeing)
“I agree with you, Frank.” “Your comment makes sense to me.”
(Complimenting)
“I appreciate the handouts you prepared for us, Sarah.” “Your idea is wonderful!”
(Reframing negatives into positives)
“Another way of looking at this is _____.” (positive interpretation)
“By pointing this out, you showed me some positive aspects, such as _____.”
When you participate in a discussion, look for ways to encourage others. We all need
encouragement and compliments. Discover the part of you that nurtures, cares, and supports
others. It can also be an enriching experience for you, the encourager.
Expressing Feelings
Although your problem-solving group is not a therapy group, the expression of feelings and the
acknowledgment of those feelings are essential to a healthy social dimension of any group.
Whether it’s to congratulate the group’s successes or explore the group’s interpersonal
conflicts, the expression of feelings is crucial to the health and maintenance of the group. Here
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are some ways to encourage the expression of emotions:
“How are we feeling right now?”
“Are you guys feeling as frustrated as I am? Maybe we need a break.”
“I love being in this group.”
Many groups avoid expressing any emotion. They incorrectly believe such disclosure is
inappropriate to the group process or a sign of weakness. Nothing could be further from the
truth.
Without some gauge to measure the social dimension of the members, the group will not
know when to devote attention to resolving an interpersonal conflict, celebrate a task success,
or merely take a much-needed five-minute break. Do what you can to encourage the expression
of feelings within the group.
Helping others to express their feelings is an act of liberation, a freeing of the soul.
STEPHEN LEVINE
Harmonizing
Occasionally a disruption appears in an otherwise supportive and friendly group atmosphere.
The tension or conflict between two or more members rises to a level that affects the group’s
task dimension effectiveness. Whether it’s a disagreement over a substantive issue, hurt
feelings because of an insensitive remark, or a minor feud between two individuals, the social
dimension of the group is negatively affected. You should make some attempt to bring harmony
back to the group. Here are some things you can say to reestablish harmony:
“Maybe the two of you can discuss this matter after the meeting.”
“Let’s not allow our feelings to get the best of us.”
“Can you two disagree without disliking one another?”
“We need to focus on the issues, not personalities.”
Continued conflict needs to be brought to the attention of the group. To ignore or deny its
existence would give the conflict more power to disrupt the social dimension. Therefore, the
initial intervention is to bring the tension or conflict to the conscious awareness of the group.
Then the individuals involved can strive to discover some way to disagree without disliking,
punishing, or hurting one another. We will cover specific ways to deal with this in greater
detail in a later chapter. For now, however, you might want to try some harmonizing behavior
when there is tension or conflict within the group.
Energizing
Working with other people in a small group can be psychologically, emotionally, and
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physically draining. Extended periods of time spent discussing, debating, and deliberating are
taxing and can quickly deplete our energy levels and exhaust our enthusiasm. When you sense
that the vitality of the group is slipping, you can try to energize the group by saying:
“We’ve done well so far and we only have a little ways to go!”
“I think we’re doing a great job!”
“I know we can accomplish what we’ve set out to do!”
There are no magic words you can chant or somersaults you can perform that guarantee
bringing a group to life. But your attempt at energizing the group can be inspiring in and of
itself. Enthusiasm is contagious! Choose to be the source of energy when the rest of the group
is ready for a nap—you might be surprised at your impact on the group’s enthusiasm.
Why is the sea the king of a hundred streams? Because it lies below them. Therefore it is the
king of a hundred streams.
LAO TSU
Being an Effective Follower
The emphasis of this chapter has been on taking an active role in guiding the task and social
dimensions of group discussion. But you have to know how to be an effective follower also.
Every member of the group cannot be guiding and leading the others all of the time. Chaos
would result if everyone was trying to lead and no one was willing to follow. The purpose of
this chapter is to provide you with the skills to guide and direct the flow of discussion when
appropriate opportunities arise, not all of the time. What specific attitudes and behaviors can
help you be an effective follower?
Putting the group first. The focus of most people is on the self. How am I feeling? What am
I thinking? How does that affect me? What do I want? What can I get? To be an effective
follower, you must be willing to put the group first and yourself second. This is not forever,
just for a period of time. If the individual members do not subordinate their personal goals and
needs to those of the group, there is no effective group.
So the first question you might want to ask yourself is “What’s good for the group?” instead
of “What’s best for me?” This subtle shift in focus and emphasis might be your first step
toward being an effective follower.
Listening to others. After you have made the decision to put the group first, you should
know what the desires and needs of the group are. Pay attention to the discussion of the other
members of your group. In other words, keep quiet and listen. My father always used to tell me
that “you never learn anything new when you’re talking,” so one very obvious way to follow
the discussion is to listen. You might just learn some new things. Be a receptive follower.
Discovering things to agree with. I have the hardest time working with the chronically
disagreeable person, that individual who must disagree with everything everyone says. He
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constantly searches for weaknesses in your ideas, flaws in your thinking, and objections to
your proposals. He is the opposite of the team player. He’s not only out for himself; he is
against everyone else as well. He helps create groups that experience strife, exhaustion, and
often failure.
You can be an effective follower by being on the lookout for ideas and suggestions that you
can agree with and support. Look for those aspects of the discussion that are going well, those
things you can agree with and support. Don’t always focus on the weaknesses and flaws of
everything you hear. Discover things to which you can agree. Be a positive follower.
Whenever someone shares an opinion or suggestion that you strongly agree with, don’t just
sit there in silence; say something. Something simple like “I like that idea,” “I think that’s a
good point,” or “I agree with your idea 100 percent!” You might even want to compliment the
individual whose idea or opinion you agree with by saying, “Barbara, I think you have a
wonderful idea,” or, “Congratulations, Tim! That’s the best suggestion I’ve heard this entire
meeting!” People need to hear confirmation and affirmation that their ideas or suggestions are
shared by others. You can follow their lead by simply agreeing with the ideas and opinions of
others. Be a verbal follower.
Volunteering to support the suggestions of others. In addition to voicing your agreement
with the ideas and suggestions of others, you can venture forth and commit to supporting them
in tangible ways. Not only can you agree with them; you can volunteer to “put your money
where your mouth is” and help in some physical way to bring their idea, opinion, or suggestion
to fruition. You can volunteer to do something to support their idea or suggestion by stating that
“I’ll do some of your research on the Internet,” “I’ll make the arrangements for the luncheon,”
“I can call those four managers and get their opinions if you’d like me to,” or, “Let me contact
the personnel office and see what the policy is regarding your wonderful suggestion.” Talk is
cheap; volunteer your time and effort to support the ideas and suggestions of others. Be a
helpful follower.
Rather than suggesting specific ways you can show your physical support of someone’s idea
or suggestion, you can ask what is the most helpful or effective way you can be of help to
advance his or her idea or suggestion. You can simply inquire, “What can I do to support your
suggestion?” “How can I help you advance this idea to management?” or “Count me in on
implementing this solution.” Many times the author of an idea or suggestion will know best as
to the process or procedure to implement his or her idea or suggestion. Let him or her tell you
how you can best serve. Let him or her be the boss and you concentrate on being the follower
who asks helpful questions.
Following through. Once you’ve been assigned a responsibility or given a task to support
someone’s idea or suggestion, follow through. Be good on your word. Keep your promises. If
you say you will do something, just do it. If you don’t keep your promises, you not only let
down the group; you can jeopardize or destroy your reputation in the group as someone who
can be trusted. Once you’ve agreed to something, complete the task. Your good name is at
stake.
Being cheerful. Above all else, choose to be cheerful as you follow others. Don’t go about
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U
F
your tasks and responsibilities with a grudging attitude or negative spirit. This type of behavior
will harm the group’s spirit and effort. It’s better that you withdraw from the group than be a
source of resentment and ill will. Take your pity party somewhere else and sulk. So you
promise to be cheerful following the ideas and suggestions of others? Good! A happy, cheerful
attitude will bring joy and productivity wherever it goes. Be a cheerful follower, above all
else.
This chapter shows you specific ways to guide group discussion in the task and social
dimensions of interaction. By asking guiding questions and making guiding statements, you can
have a more effective and productive effect upon the group. Being a willing follower is just as
essential to creating an effective group as guiding the group, so realize that leading and
following are simply two sides of the same process—creating an effective group.
Choose to be happy. It’s one way to be wise.
COLETTE
Individual and Group Exercises
Guiding Behavior in Your Personal Life
Exercise 7.1
se one or two of the task-guiding behaviors from this chapter and implement them in
your relationships with others. For instance, you might want to ask people more
questions (requesting or clarifying information), compromise your positions
(negotiating), or think more critically (analyzing). How does using these guiding behaviors feel
in your daily interactions with those individuals in your life?
Guiding Behaviors in a Small Group Meeting
Exercise 7.2
orm groups of five in class and hold a twenty-minute meeting to plan a hypothetical
class picnic. During the meeting, decide on where the picnic will be held, how long the
picnic will last, what to bring, who is to bring what, a list of six fun class activities or
games, who is to lead each game, prizes that should be awarded, and who will clean up. Your
group is to perform all of these functions and the rest of the class will simply come and enjoy
the event your group has planned.
During the twenty-minute planning meeting, each of the five group members will take a turn
at guiding the task dimension of the discussion for four minutes. After all five members have
led the discussion, take a few minutes to share your reactions to the exercise and give feedback
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T
to one another regarding their strengths and weaknesses.
Learning to Be a Follower
Exercise 7.3
his exercise will teach your body (not your mind) how to follow another person. The
exercise will require another person to provide the finger your finger will follow for
three minutes. You and your partner are to sit comfortably in chairs facing one another,
close enough so your knees can touch. Your partner is to raise her right pointing finger about
eye level and point it in your direction. Her finger should be above her knees. You are to raise
your left pointing finger so it is within one or two inches of her finger.
The object of the exercise is for you to simply follow her finger with yours for a period of
three minutes. No matter where she goes with her finger, you simply follow it as best you can.
Your partner is to keep her finger in the two dimensional plane that separates your knees.
Pretend a sheet of glass is separating you and your partner extending from the floor, between
your knees, and above your heads. Your partner is not to move her finger so quickly that it’s
impossible for you to follow. And neither of you are allowed to talk during the three minutes.
Just see what it’s like to simply follow her finger.
What was this experience like for you? Do your responses to this exercise give you any insight
into your willingness and ability to be a follower in your group work? How might you modify
or change your attitudes and behaviors to be a more effective follower in the future?
Fujishin, R. (2013). Creating effective groups : The art of small group communication. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
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