ABSTRACT
If group leaders were carpenters, they would have tool chests that would accompany them to every site where they applied their leadership talents, skills, and functions. In that tool chest would be a host of activities that could be pulled out and used in different types of groups, . . . in diverse settings, with a wide variety of clients for a multitude of purposes. Every skilled carpenter knows the tools that are needed for the job, why and how they work, and when to use them. In addition, dedicated carpenters keep the tools of their trade sharp, in good condition and up to date so that the final result does not display poor craftsmanship or shoddy labor. In other words, the tools are used to make their mark, but not leave their mark on the finished product. The same is true of activities that leaders use in groups. Activities are tool of a group leader’s trade, but they are only tools and must be used in a manner that produces a group experience and result that is not flawed by the evidence a particular activity leaves in the aftermath of its use (Trotzer, 2004, p. 76).
