Roles That a Group Member

¶ … roles that a group member may assume in the process of working in a small group. These roles can be broken down into subgroups: group task roles, group-building and maintenance roles, and individual roles (Text, p.83-84). The group task roles include: initiator/contributor, information seeker, opinion seeker, information giver, opinion giver, elaborator, coordinator, orienter, evaluator-critic, energizer, procedural technician, and recorder (Text, p.83). The group building and maintenance roles include: encourager, harmonizer, compromiser, gatekeeper and expediter, standard setter, group observer, and follower (Text, p.83-84). The individual roles are not always positive, but include ways that the individual's behavior can impact group dynamics. These roles include: aggressor, blocker, recognition seeker, self-confessor, joker, dominator, help-seeker, and special interest pleader (Text, p.84).

There are nine core small group communication competencies, which are divided into four categories: problem-oriented competencies, solution-oriented competencies, discussion-management competencies, and relational competencies (Text, p.28). Looking at the above group roles, it becomes apparent that some of these roles fall naturally into group communication competencies. It is equally apparent that some of the roles, including all of the individual roles described in the text, are not part of the core small group communication competencies.

Problem-oriented competencies focus on problem definition and analysis and include: defining the problem and analyzing the problem (Text, p.28). The roles that fit into the defining the problem competency include: initiator / contributor, who defines approaches to the problem; information seeker who looks for the information needed to define the problem, and the information giver (Text, p.83). The analyzing the problem core competency is served by the following roles: opinion giver, information giver, opinion seeker, orienter, and evaluator-critic, because all of these roles help delineate the parameters of the problem (Text p.83)

Solution-oriented competencies focus on identifying, generating, and evaluating solutions and include: identifying the criteria for the solution, generating possible solutions to the problem, and evaluating the submitted solutions (Text, p.29). The procedural technician, recorder, evaluator-critic, orienter, coordinator, and elaborator roles all help identify different components for the solution (Text, p.83). The evaluator-critic plays an important role in evaluating the submitted solutions (Text, p.83).

Discussion-management competencies concern group communication dynamics and include: maintaining the task focus and managing interactions between group members (Text, p.29). The group-building and maintenance roles are important to the discussion-management competencies. The group building and maintenance roles include: encourager, harmonizer, compromiser, gatekeeper and expediter, standard setter, group observer, and follower (Text, p.83-84). The encourager offers praise, understanding, and acceptance of other group members (Text, p.83). The harmonizer manages interactions between group members by mediating disagreements among group members, while the compromiser plays a similar role by seeking to find compromises between seemingly opposing positions (Text, p.83). Finally, the gatekeeper tries to ensure that all group members have an opportunity to participate in the group (Text, p.84).