North Cumbria Health and Care

Working in groups

 
HomePrivate: Making it happenCo-productionCo-production (Working Together) ToolkitBite Size Training AreaWorking in groups
Bite Size Training Home
Good Conversation
Managing Change
Self Awareness

How to secure involvement

Introduction

  • In Cumbria we learned it was important for everyone to be clear about the purpose and scope of the work. Nobody wants to waste time on things they can’t influence. Clarity….and repeating the aims of the groups at every meeting is a useful way of reminding people what can and is being achieved.
  • We also need to be clear about the areas that are out of scope, ie, money, safety regulation and workforce.
  • On the following tabs are some statements to help you reflect on what is needed to involve people in a meaningful way and some definitions to describe the type of work you may be involved in…

Working in groups

Plan ahead

Select the ‘+‘ buttons below to complete the tips on planning ahead

Be clear at the outset...

… on the level of involvement and the impact people may have (what are the immovable….needs to be realistic)

Have a clear structure...

… that will support people to work effectively and sustain their interest

Are participants helping to influence decision making?...

…  If so, how much influence will they have in the process?

Involve participants...

… in the setting of the agenda

Allow participants...

… the freedom to question the way services are delivered

Consider ways to strengthen relationships...

… between professionals from different organisations and service users

Focus on sharing learning and...

… building the capacity of individual service users/groups through peer support and mentoring

Facilitate...

… networking, information sharing and communication

Use a range...

… of methods to communicate and share information 

Working in groups 1

Involving others

Hover your mouse over the boxes below to see
how the following statements would be described:

Working in groups 5

'This is what I've done'

Briefing

'What are the options & which one do you think we should take?'

Consultation

'Can we reach a deal on what to do?'

Negotiation

'This is what I've done/want to do, what do you think?'

Engaging

‘Let’s get together to discuss the problem and see if we can agree what we ought to do?'

Joint problem solving

'This is the problem – you decide what to do'

Empowerment

Meeting Management

Introduction

Working in formal groups can be quite daunting for some people.

 

The following tabs on the left include practical advice in each step for planning a meeting.

Working in groups 7

Planning the event

Select the ‘+‘ buttons below to complete the tips on planning the event

Choose a date...

… avoid dates that might affect whether people can attend. This could be for child care reasons, school holidays, religious reasons, major sporting event etc.

Provide...

… adequate notice of meetings/events

Timings...

… avoid starting and finishing when people will have to travel in rush hours; avoid school start and finish times and school holiday dates where possible

Format...

… consider what is appropriate e.g. informal chat, formal meeting, drop in sessions over a lunchtime

Consider accessibility...

… issues and reasonable adjustments

Choose a venue...

… where people will feel comfortable e.g. community and voluntary sector venues may be more inclusive

Use a range...

… of forums to attract the level of participation and ensure that you have the right group of people

Consider the mix of activities...

…  Should you plan for a meeting, small group discussion, user voice meetings, one to one meetings, drop in sessions, monthly briefing, newsletters, social media updates?

If a change in service delivery is proposed...

… how will you ensure you target those people who need to be aware of a proposed change? How will you ensure people understand the change and what is being proposed, what is currently happening, timeframes and what they can influence etc.?

Know your enthusiasts and key influencers...

… Focus efforts on engaging the majority and don’t get side tracked by the small minority

Advertise the event appropriately ...

… the advert should be clear, simple and in plain English (http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/howto.pdf); available in different formats; have clear contact details

Develop the agenda ...

… allow time for introductions; each item; for discussion, networking  and for breaks

Keep presentations short (15-20 minutes) ...

… and use a range of styles to help people keep concentration

Send any papers out in advance ...

… to support people to participate on equal terms (electronically, hard copy, accessible formats)

Only provide information which is ...

… relevant, timely and meaningful

Have a clear plan ...

… Ask yourself – what you hope to achieve in the meeting/event?, how the participants can help you achieve it?, this will focus your agenda.  No one wants a meeting for the sake of having a meeting!

Working in groups 6

Make events accessible

Think about access for people with mobility issues

Think about parking

Is it on a bus route?

Access is about giving people the equal opportunity to participate fully in whatever is being offered in the way that best suits them.

Is there a better way of doing it? Ie, if you are interested in the views of young mums do you need to organise a meeting and invite them or could you go along to a soft play centre and chat informally?

Working in groups 8

Choosing a venue

Working in groups 10

Consider things like:

Access to public transport

Flat level access

Parking and drop off points

Hearing impairments

Familiarity for target audience

For more information visit www.scie.org.uk/publications/accessibleevents

Meeting guidelines

Working in groups 9

  • Confirm your attendance in advance of the meeting/event, if requested
  • Forward agenda items when requested
  • If you are unable to attend a meeting, forward the results of any actions you were responsible for from any previous meeting, if possible
  • If you would like to send another representative to the group, try and avoid this on a regular basis and discuss it first with the meeting organiser
  • Start and end meetings punctually

Co-production 6

  • Start meetings with introductions – don’t assume everyone knows each other
  • Have mobile phones and electronic equipment turned off during meetings
  • If using a laptop, use respectfully. Do not answer emails or engage in instant messaging
  • Maintain confidentiality within the room and in relation to correspondence between group members. When you circulate a document, remember to make it clear whether the document can be shared with others
  • Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself
  • Listen actively and show respect, especially during lively discussions
  • Use clear and concise information that also respects the diversity of communication needs which varied group members may have
  • If you challenge, challenge the statement and not the person
  • If you would prefer a point not to be in the group minutes, request this through the chair or facilitator

Meeting facilitation

What we have learned... that can help you 7
How will the meeting be facilitated?

Inject life into your meetings.  As part of the planning process:

  • Consider rotating the role of Chair
  • Seek agreement in advance so people are prepared
  • Rather than have a Chair, have a meeting facilitator
  • A meeting facilitator can lead the meeting and navigate through the agenda and if necessary manage certain behaviours. Bring the quieter voices in and perhaps quieten the over enthusiastic voices down, they need the confidence to say ‘…an interesting view, we’ve heard what you think, – what do other people think?
  • You could collectively agree to introduce the ringing of a small bell – to be rung when a participant is labouring a point or being repetitive. This sends the message about the value of being brief and concise.
  • A squeaky toy to use if someone does not understand what is being said!
  • A meeting facilitator needs to set the pace by telling the group how long they have to consider a particular points and ensure the right balance between listening and debating.

The event

Working in groups 11

Welcome everyone

Have effective chairing/facilitation of meeting/event

Be clear about housekeeping, introductions and ground rules, create a positive atmosphere

Ask each person to introduce themselves. How should this be done?  Consider how this may be inclusive and supportive, e.g. do participants need to know each other’s job title?  May this be undermining; could it make a member of the public or volunteer feel less important?

Do you need name badges; tent cards for people to write their name on?

Think about – What does the job title tell us? You could ask people to say their name and briefly, one or more of the following:  why they are present?; their role; their organisation if applicable etc

Keep to the agenda or programme so people can follow where they are

Timings – start and finish on time, keep to the break times

Build in some flexibility on timings to your event

Encourage everyone not to talk too fast or dominate the discussion

Encourage everyone to use plain and simple language with words in full, no jargon

Welcome questions and clarification

Note taking

The purpose of note taking is to provide an accurate, impartial and balanced record of the event. It’s not easy to take notes whilst participating fully in a meeting.

Agree in advance who will take the notes or action points.

The purpose of notes is to record what was done, not what was said.

They should summarise the key points of discussion, key challenges that have been raised and the decision or recommendation made, not be verbatim notes.

Notes should include allocated actions and make clear who has the responsibility for an action and the date by which it should be completed. Or keep a separate action log.

Remember actions should be shared by all – if you notice one person is being asked or expected to do everything then the process should be reviewed.

Working in groups 13
Working in groups 12

After meeting/event

Summarise at the end of the meeting that everyone understands what has happened and what is going to happen

Always ask yourself – ‘What did I learn from that situation’? whether it was a meeting, conversation, presentation, focus group etc.

Follow up actions as required, and be clear who is responsible for each action and monitoring progress

Working in groups 14

'Groupthink'

Be aware of the concept of GROUPTHINK

 

Groupthink can occur when a group of people become so similar in their outlook that they lose the ability to be creative in their thinking and decision making.  The result can be:

An environment where perspectives are not challenged

External voices are not listened to

Not listening to those who may be critical

The groups behaviours result in similar positions being taken on issues

The dangers of Groupthink are that we are unlikely to look at any limitations of the agreed approach. 

Or be aware of any potential failings or be alert to threats and possibly blind to new opportunities.

Working in groups 16

Select '+' for an Activity

  • Can you think of a situation where this might happen?
  • How could you challenge it?

Working in groups 17

Avoiding 'Groupthink'

Working in groups 18

Source:  How to crack down on Groupthink – Dr G Brewer People Management November 2017

Ensure meetings are open, with people encouraged to identify any weaknesses with proposed approaches to overcome and address.

Encourage people regardless of their status to have an input rather than keeping decision making at a senior organisational level.

Acknowledge that it is not always easy for people to be critical or even put forward their opinion, so when they do, take it on board and even if it is an idea that is unlikely to work, tell them why, so they at least know that it has been considered.

Decision makers should take a step back and look at the bigger picture.  It’s tempting to follow a pre-agreed plan of action without thinking about whether it is the right thing to do   

Encourage wide ranging and diverse opinions.

More on 'Groupthink'

Working in groups 19
Do you want to know more about Groupthink?

‘Effects of Groupthink and How to avoid them’ by Forbes Coaches Council

Select the ‘+’ buttons below

Drowned out voices

One common area impacted negatively by the nuances of “groupthink” arise when brainstorming potential solutions for an initiative. The overly exuberant drown out those who are more thoughtful and deliberate in their contributions. A more innovative approach involves a technique called “brainwriting” that allows all ideas to be heard and considered. – Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia 

Limits and Inclusion

Think you can be open-minded? We all have mental capacity limited by what we know and the language of our specialty. This paves the way to groupthink. It feels safe and natural to spend time with others who think the way we do, so we need to consciously choose devil’s advocates or people with their own different language, mindset and point of view for our meetings. – Linda Watkins, Leadership for Today  

Focusing only on what is known

Too often, groups tend to focus on what is generally known rather than focus on critical information that has not been yet explored. Learn to appreciate the power of the question rather than the need to rush to answers. The next time you’re in a group meeting, start with, “What problem are we trying to solve?” and keep testing with, “Are we answering the right question?” – Sheri Nasim, Center for Executive Excellence 

Summary

Select the ‘+‘ buttons below to view the summary points for the Meeting Management section

Throughout the process, try to think of the following:

Be clear at the outset...

… on the level of involvement and the impact people may have

Have a clear structure...

… that will support people to work effectively and sustain their interest 

Are participants helping to influence decision making? ...

… If so, how much influence will they have in the process? 

Involve participants ...

… in the setting of the agenda

Allow participants the freedom ...

… to question the way services are delivered   

Consider ways to strengthen...

… relationships between professionals from different organisations and service users

Focus on sharing learning...

… and building the capacity of individual service users/groups through peer support and mentoring

Facilitate...

…  networking, information sharing and communication

Use a range of ...

… methods to communicate and share information 

Working in groups 15