; and
(4) Executive function (setting limits, rules, norms, goals, pacing, stopping, interceding, etc.).
With respect to differing views of leadership in counseling, it may be briefly noted that religious or Christian Counseling is increasingly being focused on in the current literature. As pointed out by Dueck (1987), counseling in a religious context adds yet another dimension to views of counseling in that while the secular focus is upon horizontal relationships (person-to-person) for which the counselor is expected to take a leadership role in bringing healing, the Christian perspective is one in which the leadership role played by counselors also includes the vertical (God-to-person) relationship. Dueck notes that this additional dimension is also a cultural point of departure between secular and Christian counselors.
According to Peterson and Nisenholz (1987):
The core conditions that are the basis for success individual counseling are also the basis for success in group counseling. Thecounselor's self . . . becomes a crucial factor . . . (Peterson & Nisenholz, 1987, P.199)
The importance of the self with respect to leadership behavior in the counseling situation has led a number of authors to investigate the attributes of those who choose to be leaders in group counseling situations. Patterson (1985) has provided a comprehensive review of several studies of the personality characteristics and attributes of effective psychotherapists and counselors. He lists the following characteristics as those most frequently observed:
(1) Efficient perceptions of reality - Effective psychotherapists/counselors can detect what is phony and what is sincere in other people; they are not afraid of the unknown and can tolerate doubt, uncertainty and tentativeness accompanying perceptions of things that are new and unfamiliar.
(2) Acceptance - Effective psychotherapists/counselors are not critical of others; rather, ...