Effective characteristics of leaders of group therapy

These attributes may include personal traits, professionally acquired skills essential in distinguishing the challenges as well as promoting unity of purpose during therapy. Therapeutic processes need leaders who are sensitive to the needs of the clients, creative and effective communicators. Besides, clinicians should promote a higher sense of privacy and understanding of diversity in the group. Moreover, the purpose is to realize change in attitude, behavior and medical conditions of their clients. This paper explores the essential characteristics that influence counseling practice and how they identify with the counselor’s effectiveness during group therapy. ” However, in principle, many scholars hold that leadership is a process of exerting influence through power and authority (Chemers, 1997, Yukl, 2009). Hogg (2001) described leadership as a process masterminded by an individual that is recognized in the group as a leader.

Depending on the purpose of the group, a leader is instrumental in showing viable directions towards eventual realization of set goals. Besides, for a leader to effectively coordinate the activities of the group, they need to develop specific characteristics that are relevant to the ideology of the group. Regardless of the processes involved in leading a group, the artifacts, ethos, personal principles, personal appeal and ability to meet the expectations are core to the group (Minami & Wampold, 2008). The personal characteristic of a leader will determine their ability to contain group extremities. While leadership potential may not be selective to bar one from practicing, group counselors should demonstrate a personality that fosters integration and responsiveness towards the challenges of the clients. Flores (1997) describes that many therapists have neglected their characters in identifying issues inherent in conditions in clients.

Flores blames the limited success of group therapy on the deficiency of leadership personality. As a result, while different therapists have different personal characteristics, there stand the most useful attributes that spur the success of group therapy. The focus of leadership being to direct how group therapy is conducted. Therapists and leadership qualities are coherently intertwined issues in delivering to the success of group therapy. Group therapy needs leaders to have specific attributes that will bolster understanding within the group as well as improve realization of possible solutions to the particular challenges clients face (Baldwin, Wampold & Imel, 2007). In this sense, it is essential for the therapist to communicate well, develop a rapport with the clients while balancing his skills to help clients.

Interpersonal skills Roe (2002) describes what entails a psychologist in his profession using a Greek temple. Kets de Vries (2005) adopts the global personality audit paradigm and its influence on group leadership to explore how personal characteristics can be developed. The author identifies the specific characteristics that effective group leaders should exhibit. In the preceding discussions, diversity and differences in individual characteristics are defined as inhibiting conflict resolution, commitment to group activities and declining accountability. Through the lens of global leadership audit, the author presents the how a therapist who is deficient of effective group leadership qualities may impact on the group goals. From a case of an organizational approach to leadership; coaching on specific characteristics are essential in determining what approaches the leaders will use in promoting group therapy.

Individual behavior is seen to influence the processes of group therapy, as well as to illustrate the power of personality traits in the success of groups (Nicholson, 1998). Again, as groups evolve, what qualifies one as an effective therapist is the ability to maximize the outcome of the group activities. This is actualized when the behavior of the leader significantly addresses the diversity with zeal, power, and reason (Anderson, Ogles, Patterson, Lambert & Vermeersch, 2009). Still, therapists should be effective in making word choices, for whatever they say should be attached to hope and optimism for clients. Wampold (2010) argued that at every discourse during group therapy, clinicians must demonstrate to the clients that all the prescription are meant to salvage their social situations. Group therapists need to be effective communicators who can blend forms of communication to enhance acceptance of the intended message during group therapy sessions.

Alternatively, leaders must be active listeners so that they identify the differences when clients posit arguments. Anderson et al. , (2009) asserts that by actively listening, they are most likely able to categorize with the people and device proper approaches to help their situations Group dynamics influences how information is shared. Based on interaction patterns of analyzing group communications, a leader has a role in promoting a group-centered communication than he should to leader-centered patterns of interaction. The therapist should be able to present the treatment plans in a manner that clients deem appropriate. Influence is associated with hope, and healthy decisions (Lambert et al. Exhibiting strong convincing and persuasive abilities help foster the success of the working alliance that is inevitable in groups.

Also, Seniors et al. argues that “inspirational motivation, individual considerations, and idealized influence” define leaders as developers of relationships between people. The collaboration improves the functions of the groups. Therapists should aim at building trust to foster the strength of the bond and eventually enhance the relationship with the clients. Consequently, the group therapies become useful to the need as well as challenges thronging its members. Galding (1994) argues that effective leaders are team builders. Building teams help define an approach towards the realization of group goals. Significantly, attempts at promoting cohesion within groups should be complemented with the originality of reason and personal identity. Further, leaders must demonstrate their ability to manage the group amid improved attitude of clients to express their divergent opinions freely and openly (Wampold, 2001).

Building trust, cohesion and a sense of belonging are by far the most venerable approach towards keeping all group members on board, as well as giving a sense of assurance that their challenges will be addressed more efficiently compared to individual therapies (Olson, 2008). Identification of group goals come first before individual needs. Moreover, group counselors are to promote cohesion, feedback, meaningful disclosure, conflict resolution, trust, belonging as well as spurring positive fortification through a determined ‘social structure’ developed in the new group setting (Toseland et al. Counseling sessions require leaders who can pursue group therapy objectives without alteration (Wampold, 2006). Such a practice is in tandem with the establishment that effective leaders are managers who define how each aspect of the system will be attained (Kim, Wampold, & Bolt, 2006).

Group leaders perform well when group members identify with the objective of the therapeutic sessions. Therefore, demonstrating that the therapist purposes to support their clients to realize the best out of the counseling sessions. The implication of the specific facets of the research showed that a leader’s characteristics must always balance with the needs of the group (Toseland et al. Gangestad & Snyder (2000) argues that clinicians who work in group therapies should demonstrate a strong sense of cultural intelligence so that they can merge the diversity of the clients towards the realization of the group purposes. An understanding of the context and characteristics of the clients help put therapists in a better position to adequately meet the expectations of the group.

Internalizing the culture, sexual orientation, physical health, the motivation for change, as well as resource capacity of the clients help establish better ways to help prescribe treatment plans for clients. Indeed, the coordination of the psychiatric, social services and even psychological depends on how well a therapist internalizes the situation of the client Clinicians in charge of group therapy should identify the medical and social needs of each of the clients to exert influence capable of changing behavior (Fiske & Dépret, 1996). Therapy involves the personal commitment to the problems that clients have and eventually defining and process to liberate the challenge. ” From the preceding, leaders demonstrate their ability to control groups through influence, motivation, and synchronization of individualized understanding to group contemplation (Kent & Moss, 1994).

Also, the permissiveness of group members to show involvement in group activities depends on how well the leaders are reliable in utilizing a transformational approach to influence purpose (Scandura & Dorfman, 2004). Ayman & Korabik (2010) analysis of gender and culture in leadership show that amidst the diversity inherent in group therapy, leaders are at the epitome of influencing processes by transforming how the diverse cultures within a group contemplate about group objectives. Scandura and Dorfman (2004) identified that “trustworthiness, honesty, and supportiveness” in the model of leader-member exchange. The position complements that understanding for groups to function well, the therapist and members need to develop a sense of identity and ordinariness of purpose which relies on trust, honesty, and support (Zugec & Korabik, 2003). Sanchez-Hucles and Davis (2010) explore the role of gender in leadership.

Leadership, according to their position, is skewed towards males because they are assertive and masculine compared to females who demonstrate common characteristics like compassion. However, group therapy requires an ability to facilitate and collaborate with the clients to meet group expectations (Bronznick & Goldenhar, 2008). 0 Recommendations To this end, though, leadership has been expressed variedly by different scholars, a common anecdote is attached to all these definitions. It is contemplated as influencing a desirable objective in a grouping. Group therapies need attention because of the diversity and uniqueness of their complications. Therefore, for smooth transitioning in behavior contemplated upon group therapies, the counselors should indicate that they can actively engage the clients in pursuit of solutions to their problems. Group therapies actualize their goals when the clinician is open to the clients and can effectively inform about the boundaries of the engagement.

It is through communication that the clients will be notified about breach of privacy as well as ensuring that the needs of all clients are addressed. Besides, counselors should indicate a clear intent about information that they access. Higher standards of influence, motivation and individualized stimulation towards the aim of the group therapy helps in realization of tremendous results for the group. Consequently, leaders should demonstrate their ability to motivate, influence and continuously stimulate members to remain objective and express their plights sensibly (Bass & Avolio, 1993b). 1 Significance and future research The paper has explored the pertinent characteristics that make up an ethically and professionally developed psychotherapist. Essential to the background on the paper is that group therapies need clinicians who understand the diversity and are able to use individual diversity to improve retention of information and rapport of counselors during group therapy.

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