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Assignment 5: Leadership Paper: Self-Reflection and Group Plan

Jennifer Medeiros

Bridgewater State University

SCWK 531-00: Social Work Practice II: Groups and Community-Based Practice

Meg Gonzalez, LICSW

May 3, 2023
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People join a group due to circumstances, as group membership is a fundamental aspect

of life. Individuals would benefit significantly from the group, including developing teamwork,

communication skills, and knowledge. Some individuals with comparable experiences may join

a self-help and mutual aid group because the group provides a support system/relationship

throughout the group process. The group comprises individuals of different ages, sexes, and

cultural backgrounds. Therefore, social workers must be aware of the difference and respond

appropriately to oppressive practices and policies regarding culturally diverse individuals in

group work (AASW, 2010; AASW, 2013). Social group work aims to assist individuals and

groups in meeting their needs through group experiences to influence and advocate for changes

in particular issues. Group work and facilitation are fundamental to the social work profession

and require a high level of skill and awareness from the facilitator. The first part of this paper

will focus on what I learned about my role and behavior as a group member, facilitator, and co-

facilitator. The second half will focus on the plan to lead an eating disorders group using an

evidence-based intervention. I will conclude by sharing how my leadership skills will support

my group plan.

Leadership Skills Reflection

Through this course, I discovered my democratic leadership style. Taking on a

democratic style of leadership has numerous benefits for group members. This leadership style

encourages substantial participation from group members. Members of the group are encouraged

to interact with one another while freely exchanging ideas, emotions, and thoughts. Through

readings and class discussions, I discovered that democratic leadership is the most effective,

resulting in increased productivity, group morale, and involvement and commitment (Cherry &
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Cherry, 2016). I aspire to become an effective leader through courage, modeled behavior,

presence, benevolence, genuineness, caring, openness, cultural sensitivity, and self-awareness.

To become an effective leader, I will use the skills of active listening, reflection, facilitation,

empathy, interpretation, and support (Corey et al., 2010).

As a group member, I contribute by giving sincere and honest opinions freely. This has

aided in building the group's sense of trust. I feel really at ease in the group, and I like how

genuine compassion is. Being part of the smaller group practice gave me a more accurate picture

of how others see me. The feedback that I received helped me evaluate my interpersonal

behavior.

As a facilitator, you are expected to guide a group while keeping everyone on track and

encouraging a sense of security, inclusion, and trust. I take a relaxed and friendly approach,

drawing off of members' verbal and nonverbal cues, and frequently employ humor to encourage

members to communicate and feel comfortable. As I reflect on my role as a group facilitator, I

learned that I am responsive, affirming, and recognize that group members are vulnerable and

need support. Being aware of the dynamics within the group and sensitive to their roles helps me

be in tune with each group member.

Co-leadership is when the group's commander has a partner or another individual to lead

alongside them. Co-leadership is the sharing of equal authority between two individuals in order

to enhance management aspects. In our co-leading ED group, Lilly and I assisted members in

identifying behaviors hindering their progress and enhancing meeting their goals. We also

encouraged members and pointed out when members were helping one another.
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Even though the concept of cultural competence is frequently debated in the literature

(e.g., Sue et al., 2009), I believe it is a skill I continue to develop as I work with diverse groups.

Cultural differences impact communication and interaction patterns and the facilitator's

leadership style. Prendiville (2008) suggests that the facilitator provides access, openness, and

sensitivity to all/other perspectives to ensure equality within the group. In my co-facilitation

group, Lilly and I were able to explore how family dynamics, culture, and gender had played an

impact on each of the members' eating habits. I felt an effort was made to attain equality by

demonstrating these concepts with cultural sensitivity. As I begin my social work practice with

actual individuals and groups, I intend to be more cognizant of cultural differences, as they play

an integral role in group dynamics and function.

Group Plan

I have been co-leading an eight-week support group for young adults and teenagers who

have eating disorders (ED), are being treated for them, or are at risk of developing them. The

purpose of this group is to enable participants to rely on one another for help, and as learning

theory proposes, participants might learn from one another's accomplishments and struggles. The

group is not intended for participants with severe eating disorders; a pre-screening procedure was

used to refer participants with severe EDs to a healthcare provider for treatment.

Group Structure

This is the fifth session, and my co-facilitator and I welcome the group members back,

introduce themselves, and quickly review the agreements created in the prior sessions to begin

the fifth group session. We asked the participants to participate in a check-in process by briefly

expressing any unresolved emotions or lingering thoughts about the previous session. The group
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members were thanked for sharing, and others were urged to do the same. The co-facilitators

used a "round robin" method to invite the participants to talk about the common emotions they

experienced, identifying emotionally triggering situations and what happened when they found

themselves in them. Keeping with the group format, we ended by reviewing the journal topic for

next week and a checkout process by briefly expressing participants' thoughts and feelings and

any issues to table for the following week.

Middle Stage:

Group members have grown to trust and feel more at ease around one another during the

working phase of the group and have become more unified. However, discussions can also result

in conflicts within the group, so my co-facilitator and I must manage the group cautiously by

encouraging the participants to find a solution.

Conclusion

I now have a deeper understanding of effective leadership in group therapy. Based on my

democratic leadership style, I promote open communication, assist participants in setting goals,

inspire them to advance, encourage them to share their thoughts and participate in decision-

making. Using clarification, synthesis, feedback, and evaluation techniques, I try to ensure that

all members are welcome to contribute throughout the sessions. Group members concur on the

group roles, the course of action, and the responsibilities of every group member. Together, the

group members gain more understanding of one another's behaviors or problems and develop

solutions.

Reflecting on my leadership style as a group facilitator, I have learned that I am adaptable

and receptive to the ideas of others. I have a good outlook on group activities. If any group
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members show unease, I try to do my best to encourage them without too much pressure. I am

also considerate of the demands and positions of my members. These strengths as a group

facilitator allow me to enhance and carry out group activities more successfully. I demonstrate

my ability to clarify my group members' points and bring any members who were not actively

engaging to the discussion. I attempted to do this by asking, "I wonder if anyone who has not

shared about this issue would like to take the opportunity to do so." I also have areas of

improvement to work on. As a group leader, one of the most difficult things I had to do was

make myself sit quietly while others argued. I should also be careful not to feel the urge to

handle a particular situation during group. I think I should practice giving reflective responses in

group settings more. Finally, I hope to have more opportunities to hone my leadership qualities

and strengthen my capacity for group facilitation.

References

Cherry, K. (2023, April 6). Is Democratic leadership the best style of leadership? Verywell
Mind. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-democratic-
leadership-2795315
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Corey, G. (2010). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Royal New Zealand
Foundation of the Blind.

Facilitation. Creativity & Change. (2021, February 8). Retrieved May 2, 2023, from
https://www.creativityandchange.ie/facilitation/#:~:text=Prendiville%2C%20P.
%20(2008,publications/DevelopingFacilitationSkills_2008.pdf

FZE, B. B. (2023, March 21). Anti-oppressive theory and practice in Social Work. UKEssays.
Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.ukessays.com/essays/social-work/anti-
oppressive-theory-and-practice-social-work-essay.php

Home. AASW. (2023, May 1). Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.aasw.asn.au/