The Group Task dominates the end of year three.  To define this task succinctly is very difficult.   The Group can choose what the task is and how the task is to be presented.

There is a lot of tension within the Group between task orientation and maintenance orientation and great discussions evolve around what the task actually is.  Is the task the finished product or is the task the process the Group goes through to complete the product?

Emphasis is usually given to the evaluation of the process of the Group in reaching decisions and supporting each other through the stages of completing the finished product.  This includes Group Theories, Group Roles, Leadership Roles, and Maintenance Roles etc.

This year the present third years chose to produce this web site as their Group Task.

In order to do this, the processes and changes within the Group present real challenges to all individuals within the Group.   Personal agendas and absences were not now individual choices but had consequences for the Group too.   How easy it is to get lost in discussion, how easy it is for the process to become chaotic and for conflict to be faced or avoided.   Sometimes it feels you are going nowhere – nothing towards the finished product is being achieved – and yet the task is happening before your very eyes.

How good is your evaluation?  Who has the skill to lead?  Who can push for decisions at the right time?  Who can shelter the vulnerable?   Who can encourage?  Where is your strength?  Where is your weakness?  Can you let your ideas go for the greater good of the Group?   Who can clarify?  Who can observe and have the courage to feed their observations back to the Group?  What are your expectations?  Can you let them go?  Can you sit with discomfort?  Can you work out of your comfort zone?  Where is God in the whole process?  Is there a spiritual side to the Group?  How do the task process and the end product fit in with the Group’s Vision Statement?

All these questions and many more are asked daily as you work together, all at different stages of understanding, all at different levels, but what joy when that moment is reached when suddenly realisation hits home and in a lucid moment of clarity the Group comes together and you see a light at the end of the tunnel and whether you have been dragged screaming and kicking or whether you have gone willingly – the product is finished and the reality of the process of evaluation is realised and not only realised but your final grade awarded is based on the assessment of your evaluation of the whole group process.