Chapter 14 - Representing the Group

This competency enables the learner to:

• Understand Representing the Group as the process by which other groups identify his group.
• Identify some of the questions a representative must ask of himself before proceeding without prior group consensus or input.
• Develop an attitude of faithful representation of the entire group.
• Assess whether or not a decision can be agreed to without further group decision-making.

About Representing the Group

Representing the Group is accurately communicating to non-group members the sum of group members' feelings, ideas, etc., and vice versa. A leader must represent his team on a great variety of issues. Some of these issues and the need for a decision representing group interests will be known in advance; others will not be.

Under any circumstances, to faithfully represent the group, you must:

• Fully understand the nature of the problem.
• Know how the decision (if any) was reached and be able to communicate it to others.
• Accurately and responsibly communicate from and back to the original group.
• Realize that other groups may derive their entire picture of another group through you, the representative. You must be consistent, possess integrity, and be fair to all parties.

When the Need is Known

Representing the Group is more an art than an exact science. When the requirement to represent a group regarding a specific issue is known beforehand, then the entire representation issue is much more manageable. It's an issue requiring decision-making skill.

If you are effective at representing your group, you will positively influence their attitude, motivation, and enthusiasm. They will come to feel that what they think matters, that the ideas they develop are good, and that they are making a positive contribution to the entire group.

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