Effective Group Leadership Functions, Roles, and Techniques (Essay Sample)

Effective Group Leadership Functions, Roles, and Techniques Name Institution Course Instructor Date Effective Group Leadership Functions, Roles, and Techniques In "Social Work with Groups," Charles Zastrow and Sarah Hessenauer discuss the various aspects of leading and being a part of a group. They maintain that the distributed-functions approach is a framework for social work with groups that emphasizes the importance of distributed leadership, co-leadership, and distributed functions within a group. This approach can be used in leadership, co-leadership, forming and leading a group, and setting goals and norms. Leadership is not always a single role but can take on a distributed function. Additionally, co-leadership helps ensure everyone has an equal voice and responsibility. Forming and leading a group is also important in social work, as it helps create goals and norms everyone can follow. Zastrow and Hessenauer (2019) define distributed leadership as the ability of one or more individuals to lead a group effectively while delegating tasks and responsibilities to other group members. Co-leadership is a leadership style in which two or more individuals share equal responsibility for leading and directing a group. This type of leadership allows for a more collaborative approach to problem-solving and decision-making. Distributed functions within a group are the various tasks and responsibilities required to function effectively (Zastrow & Hessenauer, 2019). These functions can include roles such as leader, coordinator, problem solver, and decision-maker. From the reading, I learned that a group could provide individuals with a sense of belonging and community that can benefit people feeling isolated. There is great comfort and support in groups, both large and small. I also understood that social workers need to understand the dynamics of groups and how best to work with them. For example, one key element in working with a group is establishing boundaries. Too often, social workers allow themselves to become attached to the group and neglect their own needs to serve the group as a whole. This can damage the individual members and the social work relationship. In my experi...