The problem-centred leadership (PCL) technique identifies
key requirements for someone facilitating a problem-solving group, its
suitability is dependent upon the leaders sensitivity to group process
- these behaviours cannot be applied mechanically. The technique outlines
a particular scheme of stages, although it could be adapted to fit other
stage schemes, it is summarised briefly below:
Stage |
Suggested Leader Behaviour |
| 1.Presentation of the Problem and relevant
Information |
Problem-Centred Leadership (PCL)
- Situation-, not people-, related
- Avoid suggesting solutions
- Incorporate mutual interests
- Include only one specific objective
Keep it brief:
- Present only essential clarifying information
- Separate facts from interpretation
- 5 minutes at a maximum
|
| 2.Initial discussion of the situation |
Give assurance to group members:
- Be realistic
- Tell members that they do not have to accept
any change
Allow expressions of feeling to be released
in harmless channels:
- Look for guarded expressions of resentment
- Leave long pauses to encourage expressions
of feeling
- Accept expressions of feeling
- Understand, but don’t evaluate, thoughts
and feelings
- Involve all group members in discussion
|
| 3.Continued Discussion |
Minimal leader participation:
- Perhaps provide occasional summaries
- Perhaps ask questions that raise still-unexplored
issues
|
| 4. Solution Generation and Decision making |
Stimulate the generation of solutions:
- Prevent premature closure
- Separate ideas generation from evaluation
- Deal with agreement and disagreement
- Summarize discussion periodically
Assist in evaluating and selecting solutions:
- Examine pros and cons of each suggestion
- Explore supporting evidence
- Use stalemates constructively
- Explore solutions for knock-on problems
- Create short-list by voting and by combining
choices
Deal with disagreement by methods such
as:
- Combining disputed options
- Analysing and trying to improve each separately
- Treating failure to agree as a separate problem
|
| 5. Determination of Decision acceptance |
Final leader summary:
- Provide a careful, detailed, summary of the
final decision
- Ask group to check summary and modify as
required
|