Unit Four/Leadership

Introduction

1. Understanding Group Dynamics
2. The Effectiveness of Two-way Communication
3. Developing Consensus in a Group
4. Determining Priorities through Negotiation
5. Discovering Why Prejudice is Wrong  

Introduction

Leadership

The Leadership Unit of the Guide is meant to be used as a resource for activities to be done with the class throughout the year. Some may be drawn upon during the first semester and others during class time in the second semester. There is no particular order for their use.

Leadership is not an ability one is born with, rather it is learned. It is a process that works towards a goal. All of us can learn the skills that make it easier for groups of people to accomplish great things. What the students learn in these activities are skills that will stay with them all their lives. When we speak of empowering people, I believe we are talking about teaching people the skills that help them to make things happen. It is a great gift.

These lessons are drawn from a large body of leadership material. We have acknowledged the sources when we have known them. For the others that have been handed down and whose creator's name has been lost, we can only say thank you.

---

Lesson One

Instructional Objectives

• To identify the different roles people play in a group 
• To recognize how these roles affect the group

Activities

• Hand out information sheets on "Functional Roles of Group Members." Ask students to read aloud and discuss each role and its definition. Students may write role and definition in their own words in their notebooks. All handouts immediately follow the lesson.
• Give 8 volunteers from class the following instructions: "You are on a task force asked to come up with a solution to the drop-out problem [or any current topic]. Each of you will be given an index card with a particular role to play. You must play that role and not reveal your role.  The rest of the class will be observers and will be given a process observation sheet." Each task force member is given one of the following roles. They are instructed to play this role (mainly)—but they may also play other roles, if they choose, during the discussion.

  1. TheInitiator/Contributor
  2. The Information Seeker
  3. The Recognition Seeker
  4. The Blocker
  5. The Dominator
  6. The Harmonizer
  7. The Aggressor
  8. The Withdrawer
  9. Any other role

Students are given a few minutes to prepare their role, then discuss the chosen topic. The observers fill out process observation sheet and report to class. The task force students then identify their roles and briefly discuss the experience of trying to play that role (or roles).

• Discuss types of leadership (e.g., autocratic, etc.) on worksheet.
• Distribute other handouts (Observing the Process, Types of Leadership, Helpful Hints for All Leaders, Leadership Techniques for Increasing Group Participation and The Art of Leadership) for future discussions.

Pivotal Question

• Which roles had the greatest effect on the group? Why?

Homework

• You have been called in as a special assistant and asked to help the task force find a solution to the problem assigned them: what advice would you give?  Write your suggestions in a brief essay of at least one paragraph. Use complete sentences. Be specific. What type of leader would you be most comfortable working with?

Adapted, with permission, from the National Conference of Christians and Jews, New York, NY.

Worksheet #1
The Functional Roles of Group Members

The Initiator/Contributor suggests or proposes to the group new ideas or a changed way of regarding the group problem or goal.

The Information Seeker asks for clarification of suggestions in terms of factual adequacy.

The Recognition Seeker often looks for the attention of group members. Struggles to prevent being placed in an "inferior" position.

The Blocker stubbornly resists the group beyond reason. Attempts to maintain or bring back an issue after the group has rejected it.

The Dominator tries to assert authority or superiority over the group or over certain members within the group.

The Harmonizer tries to smooth over differences and get people to agree.

The Aggressor deflates the status of others, expresses disapproval, attacks the group, jokes aggressively, shows envy toward another's contribution.

The Withdrawer tries to remove the source of anxiety or possible embarrassment by mentally "tuning out" the rest of the group of activities.

Pairs are two (or more) members who form a sub-group and support and protect one another at the expense of the larger group and its task.

Worksheet #2
Observing the Process

1. What group roles were evident? Who played these roles? List as many as you can.
2. Was the group more oriented toward tasks or the process of group work? How do you know this?
3. Were any steps taken to include those members of the group who were not involved? What steps were taken and by whom?

Worksheet #3
Types of Leadership

Autocratic:

• has a firm grip on the organization
• solicits little opinion
• assigns roles
• follows his/her own judgment
• feels superior to other group members
• dictates responsibilities

   Where autocratic leaders are most effective:

• in large groups
• in passive groups
• in groups that seldom meet

Democratic:

• encourages group decisions
• works for group goals
• allows for individual glory
• has a high regard and respect for group members
• guides, does not rule
• takes action after group has made decision

   Where democratic leaders are most effective:

• in large groups
• in motivated groups
• in representative groups

Laissez-faire:

• gives group members free rein
• spreads decisions out
• rarely plays favorites
• allows individual feelings to prevail over group feelings
• sets few guidelines

   Where laissez-faire leaders are most effective:

• in a highly motivated group
• in committed groups
• in small groups

Helpful Hints for All Leaders

All leaders operate more effectively when they provide positive reinforcement to members of their group. To provide such reinforcement, leaders

• allow opportunity for individual glory;
• cite contributions;
• show appreciation and gratitude;
• are vocal with ignitor phrases;
• praise individuals in front of peers and identify special interest and talents;
• allow for growth
• try to promote unity among group members;
• acknowledge success;
• are confident of goals (both group and individual).

Worksheet #4
Leadership Techniques that Increase Group Participation

To obtain maximum effectiveness from a group or committee, the Chairperson has certain responsibilities in leading the group. One of the group techniques most frequently used to stimulate committee decision-making and activity is the buzz group or discussion cluster. The following suggestions will help those who have to chair a committee.

1. The Chairperson must make sure that each member of the group is introduced to every other member. Try to create an informal atmosphere in which it will be easy for everyone to participate.

2. Be sure that you and your committee members understand the assigned task.

3. Before beginning discussion, give each member a moment to write down or think about the assigned task.

4. When discussion starts, give each member an opportunity to express his/her opinion or ideas for implementing the assigned task.

5. Be sure that everyone who wishes has an opportunity to express his/her opinion before the group reaches a decision.

6. Call on those who do not join in the discussion if you are sure it will not embarrass them.

7. Interrupt the "speech maker" as tactfully as possible.

8. Keep the discussion on track; keep it directed but let the people in the group do their thing. Don't groove it narrowly to yourself or your ideas.

9. Remember: your job is to bring the ideas of others out into the open.

10. Keep spirits high. Encourage ease, informality and participation. If you see that some important angle is being neglected, point it out.

11. Listen with respect and appreciation to all ideas, but stress what is important and turn discussion away from what is not.

12. Take time, as necessary, to draw the loose ends together. Close discussion with a summary—your own or the recorders'. Nourish a desire in group members for continuing study and discussion. Set a definite date and time for the next meeting of the committee by mutual agreement.

13. Ask recorder to write up summary of committee discussion. Use for next group meeting. Make final report to club President and/or club membership.

Worksheet #5
The Art of Leadership

Simply and plainly defined, a leader is one who has followers. A leader deserves to have followers if he has earned respect and recognition. Authority alone is no longer enough to command respect. The following provides a guide to the ideal attributes of a modern leader.

A leader sees things through the eyes of followers and puts himself/herself in their shoes, and helps them actualize their dreams and aspirations.

A leader does not say, "Get going!" Instead, a leader says, "Let's go!" and leads the way. He/she does not walk behind with a whip, but is out in front with a banner.

A leader assumes that followers are working with him/her, not for him/her. He/she considers them partners in the effort, and sees to it that they share in the rewards. A leader glorifies team spirit.

Leaders try to duplicate themselves in others. They help those under them to grow personally. They realize that the better people an organization has, the stronger it will be.

A leader does not hold people down but lifts them up. A leader reaches out to help followers scale the peaks.

A leader has faith in people, believes in them, trusts them, and thus draws out the best in them. He/she has found that they rise to meet his high expectations.

A leader is a self-starter. He/she creates plans and sets them in motion. A leader is a person of thought and of action, both dreamer and doer.

A leader has a sense of humor and is not a stuffed shirt. He/she can laugh at him/herself and has a humble spirit.

Leaders can be led, and are not interested in having their own way, but in finding the best way. A leader should have an open mind.

True leaders keep their eyes on high goals, strive to make their efforts and those of their followers contribute to the enrichment and the achievement of better living for all.

---

Lesson Two

Instructional Objectives

• Discover that instruction that allows for questions and answers leads to a better understanding of a task

Activities

• Following directions on the worksheets, ask students to draw squares, first using one-way communication, then using two-way communication.

Materials

• Communication worksheets

Conclusions

• Without talking with others, it is almost impossible to accomplish certain tasks. Two-way communication is often better than one-way communication.

Homework

• Draw your own set of figures to present in class.

Worksheet #1
One-way Communication

(see instructions below)

Instructions: Study the figures above. With your back to the group, you Are to instruct the members of the group how to draw them. Begin with the top square and describe each in succession, taking particular note of the relationship of each to the preceding one. No questions are allowed.

For Two-way Communication draw a set of figures that are different from those above. Facing the group instruct the members to draw them. Begin with the top square and describe each in succession, taking particular care to note the relationship of each to the preceding one. Answer all questions from participants and repeat if necessary.

---

Lesson Three

Instructional Objective

• Learn to arrive at a group consensus through group discussion.

Activities

• Discussion of motivation question (5 minutes)
• Hand out the Ranking Values worksheet. Individual students will choose 10 and number these from 1 to 10 in order of importance to them.
• Ask the students to make a list of the 5 values that are most important to them.
• Break students into small discussion groups of 5 or 6 students. Through discussion and compromise, the group arrives at a consensus and agrees on a list of the 5 most important values.
• The list is reported to the whole class.
• The facilitator or teacher lists the 5 values of each small group on the board, notes differences between the small groups and then requests that each group cut down to 4 values, then to 3.

Pivotal Questions

• How did you react when your group continued to eliminate values?
• How did the group decide which value was less important than the others?

Materials

• Values worksheet

Conclusions

• It is hard to give up values that we cherish.
• It is possible for a group to arrive at a consensus, even on sensitive topics such as personal values.

Homework

• Write a few paragraphs in your journals about the values finally chosen.

Click here to download the worksheet for lesson 3.

---

Lesson Four

Instructional Objectives

• Learn to resolve problems by negotiation
• Learn democratic procedures

Activities

• Ask students to list all school-related concerns and problems. Write them on the board or newsprint paper—without comment or discussion (except for definition.) Do not number concerns. Ask that concerns and problems be specific, not just broad ones. Don't let number exceed 25.
• Break into at least 4 small groups. Ask each group to select the 10 items they consider the most important. Take at most 10 minutes for this activity.
• Ask each group to send a representative with its list of 10 items to the center or front of the room.
• With representatives sitting in a circle or facing each other across a table, ask them to come to a total group consensus of the 5 most important items they want to deal with in a small discussion group later. Total agreement among the representatives is necessary. No combinations allowed.
• Rules for negotiation, to be read by the teacher:

1. Representatives speak loudly enough to be heard.

2. Everyone else is quiet.

3. No one should speak to representatives from the floor. Since representatives represent the group, anyone in the group may call "caucus" and bring the representative back to the group for discussion and instructions from the group.

4. Representatives may "caucus" to confer with their groups.

5. Representatives may be changed by the group at any time.

6. During "caucus" time, all conversation at the negotiating table stops.

7. Teacher gets representatives back to the conference table quickly.

8. As each priority (not necessarily in order) is selected, check it on the blackboard.

Note: The purpose of the process is to make every participant a member of a panel through the representative on the negotiating team. The 5 priorities selected can become workshop topics for action or further and more specific discussion.

Conclusions

• It is possible to arrive at a group consensus through a democratic process of negotiation.
• Abiding by established rules of democratic procedure, and using care and thought, people can come to some agreement.

Homework

• Write about your feelings regarding one of the topics and make suggestions for some solutions.

---

Lesson Five

 

Purple People Can	Green People Can
==============	==============
vote	vote
be elected officials	hold office
own companies	have meaningful jobs
be rich	be rich
get an education	get an education
1) According to the law, how are things different for Purples and Greens?
2) How would you like to live on Planet Purple?
3) How do you imagine the Purples justify, and the Greens criticize, life on Planet Purple? Why?

 

Instructional Objectives

• Summarize "Purple" rationale for maintenance of the status quo
• Explore the internalization of inferior status and treatment and negative self-image by the Greens
• Show the illogicality and unfairness of the "separate and unequal treatment" of people
• Provide a working definition of "prejudice"
• Compare the hypothetical situation to actual historical ones (for example, English treatment of Ireland, slave codes, Nuremburg Laws, South African apartheid, Jim Crow laws, etc.)

Activities

• Students share responses to the "Motivation."
• Working in groups, students explore the realities of life for either Purples or Greens, extrapolating the feelings of each group for its self and the "other" group.
• Groups share their perceptions of each other.
• Students write a paragraph stating what they learned about prejudice from this experience.
• Students discuss at least two actual situations in which prejudice has been and institutionalized.

Pivotal Questions

• What's right or wrong with life on Planet Purple?
• How do the Purple groups justify the code?
• How do Green groups criticize it?
• How easy or difficult will it be to change things on Planet Purple? Explain.

Note: Some factors to consider: rejection of status quo by some elements of Purple intelligentsia, self-determination movements among Greens, revolution or reform movement, civil disobedience, resistance, etc.

• Where did the people of Planet Purple get their ideas about how things should be? How could those ideas be changed?
• What were some of the common values reflected?

Homework

Write a paper on one of the following topics:

• What was the point of the Planet Purple activity?
• What practical indications of Planet Purple can be found in history and the world today?
• How can prejudice be eliminated?
• Look up and explain the meanings of the following words: prejudice, discrimination, bias, racism, anti-Semitism, sexism, intolerance, legal inequality.