Group Roles

Small Group Communication

 Task Roles
The group's task is the job to be done. People
who are concerned with the task tend to:
1. make suggestions as to the best way to proceed or
deal with a problem;
2. attempt to summarize what has been covered or
what has been going on in the group;
3. give or ask for facts, ideas, opinions, feelings,
feedback, or search for alternatives;
4. keep the group on target; prevent going off on
tangents.
 Relationship Roles
Relationships means how well people in
the group work together. People who
are concerned with relationships tend
to:

1. be more concerned with how people feel

than how much they know;
2. help others get into the discussion;
3. try to reconcile disagreements;
4. encourage people with friendly remarks and
gestures.
 3 Types of Roles
Behavior in the group can be of 3
types:
1. that which helps the group accomplish its task;
2. that which helps group members get along
better (relationships); and
3. self oriented behavior which contributes to
neither group task nor group relationships.

Examples of these types of behavior, called

roles, are:
 Task Roles
1. Initiating:
proposing tasks or goals; defining a group
problem; suggesting ways to solve a problem.

2. Seeking information or opinions:

requesting facts; asking for expressions of feeling;
requesting a statement or estimate; seeking
suggestions and ideas.

3. Giving information or opinion:

offering facts; providing relevant information;
stating an opinion; giving suggestions and ideas.
Task Roles (cont.)
4. Clarifying and elaborating:
interpreting ideas or suggestions; clearing up
confusion; defining terms; indicating
alternatives and issues before the group.

5. Summarizing:
pulling together related ideas; restating
suggestions after the group has discussed
them; offering a decision or conclusion for the
group to accept or reject.

6. Consensus testing:
asking if the group is nearing a decision; taking a
straw vote."
 Relationship Roles
1. Harmonizing:
attempting to reconcile disagreements;
reducing tension; getting people to
explore differences.

2. Gate keeping:
helping to keep communication channels
open; facilitating the participation of
others; suggesting procedures that permit
sharing remarks.
Relationship Roles (cont.)
3. Encouraging:
being friendly, warm, and responsive to others;
indicating by facial expression or remarks the
acceptance of others' contributions.

4. Compromising:
when one's own idea or status is involved in a
conflict, offering a compromise which yields status;
admitting error; modifying one's position in the
interest of group cohesion or growth.
 Self-Oriented Roles
1. Dominator:
interrupts others; launches on long
monologues; is over-positive and over-
dogmatic; tries to lead group and assert
authority; is generally autocratic.

2. Negativist:
rejects ideas suggested by others; takes a
negative attitude on issues; argues
frequently and unnecessarily; is
pessimistic, refuses to cooperate; pouts.
Self-Oriented Roles (cont.)
3. Aggressor:
tries to achieve importance in group;
boasts; criticizes or blames others;
tries to get attention; shows anger or
irritation against group or individuals;
deflates importance or position of others
in group.

4. Playboy:
is not interested in the group except as it
can help him or her to have a good time.
Self-Oriented Roles (cont.)
5. Storyteller:
likes to tell long "fishing stories" which are not
relevant to the group; gets off on long tangents.

6. Interrupter:
talks over others; engages in side conversations;
whispers to neighbor.

7. Poor me:
tries to get the group's attention to deal with own
personal concerns, discomfort, bad luck, etc
 Your Group Roles

A group member who can play a

variety of task and relationship
roles and can avoid self oriented
roles will be most helpful to the
group.