Lesson 2/8

Empowerment Leadership Model for Small Groups, Teams, & Families
Course 2, Lesson 8

Learning the Strengths and Weakness of Group Members
& Tapping the Strengths of Members

what the group does to get started working on its purpose correctly

Note: Whenever "group" or "team" is used, it can mean "group", "team", or "family".
________________________________

Knowing Strengths & Weaknesses

Discovering and remembering the strengths and weaknesses of all group members as well as the group’s strengths and weaknesses is the fifth subtask of the general task of getting started working on the group purpose. The group does this to be able to utilize strengths and help out with weaknesses whenever necessary.

Every group member as well as the group itself has strengths and weaknesses. The successful group knows what these are through instinct as well as examination and discussion. This does not happen all at once. More natural is the process of discovering strengths and weaknesses as things come up for the group to deal with, do, plan or whatever. The key here is that the group and its members must remember what they learn about each group member. You as the group leader might have to point this out a few times.

In a group meeting for the purpose of Christian community, it would be very important to know that a particular man seems to struggle to understand the emotional responses of group members. Tucked away, that information might prove critical if and when he ever has a conflict to resolve with his wife or children, for example. In a church board it is important for the group to remember who is best with financial numbers, which members are really good with people, who can handle conflict the best, who makes great coffee, and which members are talented in seeing the big picture. The successful church board also remembers who doesn’t work well with finances, conflict, planning, etc.

Then there is the area of spiritual gifts. The group that is on top of it all finds out and remembers the spiritual gifts of all of its members. Since those gifts are not given for individual benefit but the benefit of the church, those gifts will be key to the success of the group. Since the group is an expression of the church, the gifts are given by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of the group. And it is the group’s job and to its benefit for the group to see that each and every member knows and is a willing vehicle for the Spirit’s gifts. Since the gifts operate by the Holy Spirit’s power, they are often expressed by people who don’t even know they are exercising their gifts. Therefore, other group members can often more clearly identify a group member’s gift or gifts.

The group itself should also learn its own (the group's) strengths and weaknesses. For example, it is very important for a church board of elders to know that it is strong in budgeting and financial management but weak in dealing with people or vice versa. And sometimes a group’s strengths and weaknesses point to particular ministries for the group as a whole. One of the groups I led assessed its strength for ministry. The members of this group had more non-Christian contact and definitely more comfort in being with nonbelievers than the whole rest of the church. Did this mean something about what that group should do together in ministry as a group? Since the group's weakness was a lack of excitement about church socials and suppers, might it have been okay if they spent their time having barbeques with non-Christians and working in the secular community as an extension of the church’s ministries?

Tapping the Strength of All Members

The subtask of knowing strengths and weaknesses leads to the subtask of significantly tapping the strengths of all members as required for maximum accomplishment of the group’s purpose.

The diligent group leader will want to constantly consider silently whether or not the group is using all of its member’s strengths for pursuit of the group purpose. In remembering to give just as much of the work of thinking and feeling and doing to the group as can be left for them to independently accept, the leader might merely say to the group from time to time, “It doesn’t seem to me that you are using all of the strengths available for this task you are doing.” If, after some serious thought, and perhaps a few hints from you, they still don’t see what you see, then tell them. But don’t be drug into doing their thinking for them in the future just because you helped them out here.

From time to time a group member will have to perform in an area of weakness. The successful group does not stand back and watch the person fail, but, as necessary, acts as a safety net and a coach. From time to time the group might have to also step in and do more than coach, but the rule about not doing something another can do applies here as well. The sharp group will coach and bail out the person instead of stepping in and taking control if there is good indication that the person will be able to break into his or her own success, even in the area of a weakness.

Next, let's consider how the group must help its members behave
in line with working on the group purpose.

click here