Group Roles

I don't think that my group has a certain "leader." I think that my friends have turned into individuals and haven't really had the leader/follower concept anymore as we've gotten older. My group is bigger, so it is split into small groups inside of it, depending on more similarities. Since we've turned into individuals and realized we don't always need to have a leader, I think that is where conflict has occurred. People have matured and realized their individuality at different times, which I think is the most conflicting area. Since I don't see my group exactly having a "leader" I don't really think that the roles are what cause conflict. If there were a leader, it would cause jealous and I would assume that that is what would cause fighting. In my opinion, I think I'm the opinion giver. I've also been told that I am because I feel like a lot of people come to me for advice on things in their personal lives, as well as the group as a whole asks me of what I think about things. I think I fit the role, and that it is accurate. I like that people can come to me for things because eventually I want to become a therapist, so it is a good fit for me. My group is cohesive because I think that we all bring something different to the table. There is always someone spontaneous and making things fun for everyone, and there are others who like to do their own thing. I think the differences between all of us are what make our friendships fun and keep it going. I think Alison is the energizer in our group, Bridget is the orienter because she likes to have everything organized, and Sam is the encourager because she praises people when they do things well and likes making them feel good. I think those are the only ones that fit an actual role listed.