| Leading a group of people can often be a tiresome, | | | | ideas rarely come from one individual - solicit opinions |
| thankless job and yet, many find the experience to be | | | | from group members, people from similar groups and |
| completely rewarding. Satisfaction is directly related to | | | | from the Web. Think outside the box but also learn |
| how well-functioning the group is. How to get a group | | | | from the backs of others. Putting together a good |
| of people to work together is both an art and a | | | | schedule of activities will help make the group excited |
| science. Volumes have been filled on numerous | | | | and engaged. |
| theories on how to make group more effective but | | | | Keep everyone on the same page - groups can |
| mostly from a business context. | | | | quickly dissolve from lack of activity and |
| Outside of work life, groups form an important part of | | | | communication. When it comes to people's increasingly |
| most everyone's life. People are a part of at least | | | | busy schedules, their personal lives often take a back |
| several groups and they include a wide diversity of | | | | seat to that urgent thing that regularly pop up. Direct |
| interests including: recreational sports teams, hobby | | | | and indirect communication is key to maintaining |
| groups, faith-based prayer groups, volunteering and | | | | cohesion in the group, particularly as everybody has |
| charity organizations, playgroups. Groups form as long | | | | their own time and. Regular get-togethers and |
| as there is a common interest. There's often no boss | | | | meetings can help strengthen emotional bonds within |
| to force people to participate in a group and so that | | | | the group. Setting up a group web page and group |
| leaves the leader to use more "carrot" than "stick" | | | | email is a great way to help provide indirect cohesion |
| methods. We'll outline some of the best advice on how | | | | across time and space. For instance, using a web |
| to get groups in your own personal life to function | | | | solution for groups enable a people to check the group |
| better. | | | | calendar at any time and to volunteer on the signup |
| Understand the motivations - don't assume you know | | | | sheet at any hour. Setting up a central website and |
| what people want. You really have to understand why | | | | group email help provide needed communication |
| they are participating and what they hope to get out | | | | infrastructure for the group for direct and indirect |
| of it. If you have good alignment amongst the | | | | communication. |
| members, then members will be motivated to | | | | Delegate, delegate, delegate. Nothing makes members |
| participate. For example, you may have some people | | | | feel more involved in the group than when they take |
| on a sports team who want to win the league | | | | ownership. When leaders delegate they not only |
| championship and others who just want to learn. The | | | | reduce their workload, but also get much needed |
| best thing to do is to spend time with each member, | | | | "buy-in" from people who are involved in the process. |
| ask open-ended questions and LISTEN. | | | | When there are problems, don't think you have to |
| Craft a good set of goals - once you understand what | | | | solve them yourself. Sometimes the critics are the |
| people want to get out of their experience in the | | | | best people to address the problems they are bringing |
| group, it's best to set up the goals that the group can | | | | up. Where possible, get volunteers and let them take |
| largely agree on. Once the goals are established you | | | | responsibility for important things that make a |
| can set up a great set of activities to support the | | | | difference. |
| goals. For example, a playgroup may have many | | | | Lead by example. Again, there are tomes written on |
| different possible goals - perhaps the playgroup wants | | | | leadership and no one article can summarize what it |
| the kids to just focus on socializing. Others may want | | | | takes to be a leader. Pick the leadership style that |
| to have more of a religious-based instruction. Others | | | | works best for the group. Every group is different and |
| may want to focus on learning a 2nd language. You | | | | has different leadership requirements. Beware of being |
| may be surprised on how difficult this can be. Work | | | | the micromanager who must control everything. Be |
| together with your fellow members and agree on a | | | | wary also be being so slack as to be irresponsible or |
| good set of clear goals. | | | | lazy. Almost universally, good leaders lead by example, |
| Plan some great activities - Once the goals have been | | | | solicit ideas from everybody, listen carefully before |
| agreed upon, brainstorm with the group to find a great | | | | acting, invest some time thinking a few steps ahead, |
| set of activities to accomplish your goals. The best | | | | and most importantly, trust their members. |