Running Group Activities 40
Hey, friends, welcome back!
I want to talk about the wonderful, yet stressful, experience of being at the head of a group today! The idea of being surrounded by people, whether it be an outing, event or organization, can be exciting (at first), but when nobody else volunteers to be in charge, sometimes the responsibility falls on the quiet ones. Which means, if an introvert find themselves put into the role of being a leader, they can feel overwhelmed quickly. The idea of speaking for, to, over, or even on behalf of a group can be, well, horrifying. For those of us who aren’t naturally moms, coaches or teachers (which are roles that certainly help when it comes to leading a group), this can be a challenge. So I want to go over a few of my tips for being a group leader…even when you don’t fully want to be.
If you listened to my episode about surviving wedding season (episode #17), you will have already heard some of these points, such as some of the small things that you can do to help (like arriving early to help out, and making sure nobody is left out) are all applicable in group situation, too. Like with weddings, details matter, so make sure you have the entire gist of what is going on.
Here are some other things that can help you out:
Ask For Input
Get help from other people by asking for feedback. For example, if you are leading a book club, people may want to switch up the genre or vote on the assigned book for the month. But keep in mind not to take people’s responses to heart! The people who give you advice aren’t leading for a reason…or are never happy with anything.
Make Allies
Who will have your back when it comes to decisions? Are they willing to take on some of the work? Can you ask someone to cover for you if you are sick, or busy, or overwhelmed to fulfill your task as a leader?
Use Your Strengths
Contribute in ways that will make the group more fun to participate in! For example, do you love to take photos? Bring your camera or whip out your phone to document the experience. Do you love to cook? Volunteer to bring snacks to share, or organize a menu for the night to share the workload with other group members.
It is key to remember that you are choosing to do this for fun and not work! If someone expects too much from you, then say “no”. Having boundaries is perfectly acceptable, and there may come a time where you must pass on your role to another competent leader, or delegating tasks to a committee made up of enthusiastic group members who want to help, but not necessarily take on the role of leading.
Whether you are the head honcho for a short time or a longer duration, be sure to embrace your leadership skills, as well as use it as an opportunity work with your natural skill set.