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How to Lead Creative Groups - Part 7

It is certainly helpful to the leader of a creative group if he knows its members. You can guide and direct people only on the basis of how much you know about them and their interests and feelings about a subject. If you don't really know the members of a group, you must at least make a quick surmise about them in order to establish your own behavior "base line." The old theory that a group leader has to be an inspirational evangelist to be effective is being severely challenged by today's crop of dynamic exponents of group techniques. Instead of using pep talks, which are, at best, transient in value, the true leader uses empathy to get at the real roots of his group's personality, interest, and capabilities.

In preparing to handle a meeting, then, the leader will think about the people who will be involved. He should study their natures and characteristics closely, and then use his own in­genuity, imagination, and resourcefulness to figure out how to produce the reactions that will be needed.

Leaders, of course, vary in personalities and temperaments just as members of the group do. Therefore, it would be a mistake to lay down any hard and fast rules for exactly how the leader should approach or operate with his group. Since you are trying to be sincere and friendly, it is usually good to be somewhat informal in your approach to the group. Some leaders can comfortably sit on top of a desk or a table in the front of the room. Others simply do not feel at ease unless they are on their feet (but a leader on his feet tends to be a "formal" figure to the members of the group). Still other leaders get a sense of comfort out of having a lectern to lean on. But the important thing is that anything you do to reduce the degree of formality in your meeting must be in harmony with what you can comfortably bring yourself to do. An ill-at-ease leader will only succeed in communicating his uneasiness to the group.

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