The document discusses leadership styles, tasks, and co-leadership. It describes three leadership styles: autocratic, where the leader is in control; laissez-faire, where the group is in control; and democratic, where both the leader and group share control. Key leadership tasks include maintaining appropriate behaviors, keeping the group on task and focused on goals, establishing rules, and utilizing counseling skills such as active listening. Co-leadership can provide benefits like better observation of group members, division of labor, and more attention for each member, but also limitations such as potential conflicts between co-leaders. Supervision of leaders includes peer supervision from a co-leader or hierarchical supervision from a more experienced supervisor.

1. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Leadership Styles
 Autocratic: Leader controlled.
 Laissez-faire: Group led and controlled.
 Democratic: Leader and group controlled and led.
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2. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Leadership Tasks
 Maintain appropriate range of behaviors (e.g. prevent violence).
 Keeping the group on task.
 Establishing and enforcing group rules.
 Protecting group members.
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3. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Leadership Tasks
 Encouraging group participation.
 Keeping the group focused on goals.
 Utilizing counseling skills: Active listening, interpretation, modeling
of behavior, facilitating problem solving, linking, assigning
homework, and/or encouraging members to help each other.
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4. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Leadership Tasks
 Encouraging group participation.
 Keeping the group focused on goals.
 Utilizing counseling skills: Active listening, interpretation, modeling
of behavior, facilitating problem solving, linking, assigning
homework, and/or encouraging members to help each other.
“Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2004”

5. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Benefits of Co-Leadership
 Two leaders provide better ability to observe group members and
check reactions.
 Two leaders also provides for division of labor (e.g. one leader can
concentrate on content and the other leader can look at process
variables).
 Co-leadership can give each group member more individual
attention.
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6. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Benefits of Co-Leadership
 Two leaders can model communication and conflict resolution.
 Two leaders provide diversity in theoretical orientation,
interpersonal style, and cultural resources.
 Two leaders provide more expertise.
 Two leaders provide different perspectives.
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7. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Limitations of Co-Leadership
 It is often not economically feasible to have two group leaders.
 Co-leaders do not always get to choose their partners and this can
cause some conflict.
 Both co-leaders need to choose one theoretical theory.
 Groups with two leaders can easily become over structured.
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8. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Dangers of Co-Leadership
 If two leaders do not get along, it can be detrimental and even
harmful to the group.
 Co-leaders might develop competition between themselves and this
too is not good for the group.
 If co-leaders have different skill levels, one might try to lead the
other. This can lead to coalitions with other group members or
even in the marginalization of the more inexperienced leader.
 Group members might feel ganged up on if both leaders become
adamant in getting across a therapeutic message.
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9. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Basics of Co-Leadership
 Try to pick your own co-leader but if one is picked for you, spend
some time getting to know one anther and work out differences
before leading the group.
 Plan strategies, develop signal systems, and have a plan in place to
resolve conflict before starting the group.
 Sit on opposite sides of the group so that you can each observe
from different perspectives.
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10. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Co-Leadership In a School Setting
 Co-leadership may be particularly advantageous in the school
setting. In many schools, one leader may be called away for
emergencies or unexpected events. In that case the other leader
can continue with the group.
 When there are both boys and girls present in the group it is always
a good idea to have a male and female co-leader.
 Co-leaders can model proactive behaviors, communication and
conflict resolution skills that would be difficult for one leader to do
alone.
 Co-leaders can provide more of a balance in aspects of gender,
race, culture, age, perspective and style.
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11. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Supervision
 Supervision can come be in two primary forms:
 Peer supervision: Feedback from a co-leader.
 Hierarchical supervision: Supervision from someone with
more knowledge and experience.
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12. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Ways to Enhance Your Supervision
 Let supervisors know your growth areas and what you need help
on.
 Evaluate for yourself what you think you did best and what needed
improvement and then process this with your supervisor and ask for
feedback.
 Remember times when you felt inept or clueless and identify
“should have said’s” and process this with your supervisor.
“Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2004”

13. Leadership, Supervision,
Co-Leadership
Ways to Enhance Your Supervision
 Compare notes on critical incidents. How could you have handled it
differently?
 Compare notes on the dynamics of the session and what that
meant and what they could mean.
“Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2004”