Group management is a complicated issue, and group well-being and good and prolific performance at the workplace depend not only on the leader but also on each group member. In order to let small groups be effective, the members of the group should communicate with each other and create a healthy environment inside the group (Teamwork Skills, n.d). It is the leader’s responsibility to create a balance in communication inside the group without shifting the focus to each member individually or the group as a whole.
First of all, the members of the group should realize that the working process is effective if everyone does the assigned things. Thus, the leader should clearly state what things should be done by each member of the group (Teamwork Skills, n.d). Individual responsibility enables the group members to be held accountable for their tasks as well as to hold others accountable for the ones they have. It also facilitates the process of receiving encouragement and punishment from the leader of the group.
However, the leaders should not focus only on individual tasks since a group is usually created for collective work and the development of communication skills. That is why collective brainstorming is equally important to individual responsibility (Teamwork Skills, n.d). When group members work together, they learn to collaborate in order to complement their group goals. In this case, the leader can focus not on every worker but on the group as a whole and holistic unit.
Taking into consideration everything mentioned above, it is possible to conclude that the best way to balance the focus on a group member and the whole group is to combine individual tasks and a common goal. When people clearly understand what their tasks concern, they learn to take responsibility for them and focus on their own actions. At the same time, when they have a common goal, they see how their actions benefit achieving it.
Reference
Teamwork skills: Being an effective group member. (n.d.). University of Waterloo. Web.