Effective group relations help develop strong individuals better able to deal with their problems, whether they confront those problems in groups or as individuals. As a leader of youth, you must remember that the group will accomplish nothing unless and until the individuals within the group move toward the accomplishment of the goal. The individual members assist the group and in return, the group helps to increase the individual’s worth and abilities. Some principles of group activities which help to develop individual members are:

1. Leaders, supervisors, administrators, and advisors trained in effective human relations are more sensitive to the needs of others.

2. Effective groups are sensitive to the needs of their members.

3. Group members can express opinions and be frank about their feelings more easily if the group is not manipulated or controlled rigidly by its leader.

4. Taking a vote to reach a group decision can make some members feel rejected.

5. In effective groups, individuals are encouraged to feel independent, to grow and improve, and to delegate responsibility and authority.

6. Groups need a wide range of individual contributions.

7. Individual action and responsibility is more likely to result from shared decision making than from autocratic decision making.

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Send questions about this website to Denise Davies at ddavies@ag.arizona.edu.   For course information or questions not included in these pages contact Dr. James Knight. Copyright (c) 1998 Department of Agricultural Education, The University of Arizona.  Website version 1.2, last updated on Thursday, August 16, 2001.