Question

You are working as a group counselor. You prefer a laissez-faire leadership style. After a few sessions, the group starts exhibiting tension and dissent. What should you do?

A) Continue with the laissez-faire style, allowing the group to work through the issues independently.
B) Switch to a more directive leadership style to address the tension and dissent.
C) Discontinue the group counseling sessions to avoid further conflict.
D) Suggest that group members resolve their issues outside of the counseling sessions.

Answer 1

B) Switch to a more directive leadership style to address the tension and dissent. When a group exhibits tension and dissent, it is not effective to continue with a laissez-faire leadership style. It is more appropriate to switch to a more directive leadership style to address the issues and facilitate conflict resolution.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a group starts exhibiting tension and dissent, it may not be effective to continue with a laissez-faire leadership style. While this style allows group members to work through issues independently, it can risk group dissolution and lack of progress. To address the tension and dissent, it would be more appropriate to switch to a more directive leadership style. This would involve actively addressing the issues, providing guidance, and facilitating discussions to help the group resolve their conflicts.