Benne And Sheats: A List Of Group Task Roles

Benne and Sheats created a list of roles into three different categories that are as followed: group task roles, group maintenance roles and self-centered roles. Some roles help the group while others may deteriorate them. Applying Benne and Sheats roles to a CSI episode, the characters of Dr. Al Robbins, Greg Sanders and Gil Grissom all fall into one of the three categories of group roles. A group task role is one that “affects a group’s ability to achieve its common goal by focusing on behaviors that help get the job done” (Engleberg and Wynn 52). One of the roles in group task roles is an information seeker. Dr. Al Robbins would be considered an information seeker, someone who provides the group with information. Through his research and knowledge he was able to determine how the victim died, which he communicated to his team. An information seeker is an aid to the rest of the team like Dr. Al Robbins was to his.
An example of a clown in the episode was Greg Sanders. Greg did work however he did his share of goofing around at the expense of another co-worker. An article had been written about Nick as a crime stopper. It is clear that Nick was bothered by the article as he tried to eliminate all trace of the article in the offices. Regardless, Greg decided to post the article where everyone could see and get a couple laughs. Just as Benne and Sheats stated a clown distracts the group, which is what Greg was able to accomplish in the