It is imperative to use a consultant
or an observer for a small group because having a person outside of the group;
watching group behavior may help with: problem solving, individual voice,
structure, mediation or provide advice, etc. Joining a group may lead to loss
of individuality and self-thought. It can also lead to dominant and submissive
behavior among members and unfair positions.
An observer might focus on one or
multiple aspects shown by group behavior. For example, nonverbal communication:
like body language and facial expressions; or possibly verbal communication: a
person’s tone of voice or chosen vocabulary and how their specific word choice comes
across the other group members.
Consultants may be brought on to
specifically solve an issue to design structure and position to individual
group members. The success of a group relies on its members. If the members
cannot get along harmoniously the group will fail. Consultants and observers
can provide positive feedback along with constructive criticism. Many groups
could use an outsiders perspective and seek help.
Hi Phoenix, great job with your response this week. I really like what you had to say. When an observer is used for a small group, they might be asked to focus on multiple aspects. You discussed how the role of an observer could be to watch how the group interacts, their verbal communication with each other, their vocabulary, and how they treat the other members of the group. I think that this can be beneficial to any small group because the point is to learn how we can work together better. They don’t need to necessarily have problems in order to us an observer, they could use them just to gain more information.
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