Nurturing roles include:
● Encourager. Compliments members for their opinions and contributions to the group ● Harmonizer. Relieves tension and conflict ● Compromiser. Suppresses own position to maintain group harmony ● Gatekeeper. Encourages all group members to communicate and participate ● Group observer. Takes note of group processes and dynamics and informs group
of them ● Follower. Passively attends meetings, listens to discussions, and accepts group’s
decisions
Status is the social ranking f individuals relative to others in a group based on the position they occupy. Status comes from factors the group values, such as achievement, personal char- acteristics, the ability to control rewards, or the ability to control information. Status is usually enjoyed by members who most conform to group norms. Higher-status members often exercise more influence in group decisions than others.
Status incongruence occurs when factors associated with group status are not congruent, such as when a younger, less experienced person becomes the group leader. Status incongru- ence can have a disruptive impact on a group. For example, isolates are members who have high external status and different backgrounds from regular group members. They usually work at acceptable levels but are isolated from the group because they do not fit the group member profile. Sometimes status incongruence occurs because the individual does not need the group’s approval and makes no effort to obtain it.