Small Group Personalitites

When I was a middle school small group leader in Kentucky I was given a ton of resources that dealt with small group dynamics. This one talks about different personalities that show up to your small group every week. Take a moment to match the students in your group with the personalities listed below (then send me your thoughts via email).

"Students are all different. A little knowledge of teenage personalities will go a long way in connecting and investing in the lives of students. Below are some concepts to keep in mind when interacting with distinct personalities.

Talker

This student always has a comment for everything. It is effective to sit this person next to you, which reduces eye contact with them when you ask a question. When this person interrupts a gentle touch is a silent and effective cue. If you have a whole group of these students, you may want to have an object that a student must possess before speaking (pass the towel, pen, etc). One of the keys to a talker is not to stifle their leadership potential. Rather, use it to your advantage.

Thinker

This student is usually the quiet one. Every group has one. They just won't talk. Because they are more shy or timid, they have a tendency to be drowned out by the louder personalities. Position this person across from you to increase eye contact. Occasionally direct a specific question to this person.

Visitor

This student is new to the group. They are unsure of their surroundings and are petrified at the thought of speaking in the group. Or, they dominate your conversation with comments that are foreign to the groups normal conversation process. A wise small group leader will recognize the visitor as a great blessing to the group. If the student is more quiet, the leader can use the time to not draw attention to them and help them feel comfortable. If the student is more vocal, the leader can use the challenging comments as discussion points for the group.

Church Kid

This student may have spent more hours in church than you have. Consequently, they tend to know more about the Bible than the others. Remember that their knowledge does not indicate spiritual health. These kids may be hard to reach since they have heard it all. A discerning leader will humbly challenge their opinions and pry beyond the typical "Sunday School" answers.

The Distractor

This student cannot sit still and ends up distracting everyone in the small group - including you. Rather than stifling this student, direct their energy toward productive ends. You will better understand this student if you meet with them outside of your small group.

The Debator

This student enjoys challenging every point that is made in the small group. They bring some creativity to the small group but they can intimidate other students as well. It is best to set some specific rules with this student to direct their comments toward a productive end.

Crisis Producer

This student is constantly in a bad situation and lets your small group know about it every week. They are often self-absorbed and therefore unable to participate in the discussion, except when it is focused on them. Get together with this student before the small group to talk through their problems with just you. Another possibility is to assure everyone that they will have a time to share problems or prayer requests at the end of the group.

The goal for all of these personalities is to make them beneficial to the group as a whole."

Again let me know what you think about these personalities. Can you think of any others? Match the students in your group with these personalities and send me an email with your thoughts!