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GROUP ROLES

Task Behaviors

• Initiates discussion
• Suggests new goals or ideas
• Clarifies pertinent key issues
• Asks others for justification
• Promotes greater understanding
• Pulls together key ideas and suggestions -- summarizes
• Keeps group headed toward its stated goals
• Tests and evaluates the group’s accomplishments
• Prods group to move along or to accomplish more
• Performs a “group memory” function

Relations (Maintenance) Behaviors

• Fosters group solidarity – encourages and supports group members
• Recognizes contributions
• Mediates conflict through reconciliation or humor
• Demonstrates openness to other members’ ideas
• Helps resolve conflict by meeting others “half way”
• Encourages all group members to participate
• Evaluates the quality of group processes

Blocking Behaviors

• Verbal or nonverbal behavior which is perceived to be hostile or derogatory by other team members
• One person takes power not assigned or delegated by other team members or assigned by outside authority
• Dominates: the loudest, most frequent speaker who interrupts others
• Verbal or nonverbal behavior which distracts other team members
• Motivated by anger, boredom or some other emotion, stops participating in the team process in a way obvious to other team members
• Overreacts to another member’s challenge of one’s statements
• Argues endlessly about the meaning of words and seems to dwell on nonessentials.
• Calls attention to self by boasting, bragging, acting superior