3. may not participate
may over-participate
may discuss the problem
meeting may take too long
may never land on a final solution
resulting inmoreawkward silencesthandiscussion
resulting inashouting matchwithnodirection
without avision toward actionable steps
wastingeveryone’stimeandcosting more moneythanit
should
4. Ernest G. Bormann and Nancy C.
Bormann, Effective Small Group Communication,
4th ed. (Santa Rosa, CA: Burgess CA, 1988), 112–13
5. Step 1. Define the Problem
group members share what they know
about the current situation, without
proposing solutions or evaluating the
information
6. Some good questions to ask
•What is the current difficulty?
•How did we come to know that the
difficulty exists?
•Who/what is involved?
•Why is it meaningful/urgent/important?
•What have the effects been so far?
•What, if any, elements of the difficulty
require clarification?
7. At the end of this stage, the group should
be able to compose a single sentence
that summarizes the problem called
a problem statement.
Step 1. Define the Problem
8. Step 2. Analyze
a group should analyze the problem and
the group’s relationship to the problem
9. begin setting out an agenda or timeline
for the group’s problem-solving process,
looking forward to the other steps
Step 2. Analyze
10. Step 3. Establish Criteria
information is coming in from diverse
perspectives, and each group member
has contributed information from their
perspective, even though there may be
several points of overlap.
11. Step 4. Consider Possible Solutions
starts to brainstorm ways to address the
challenges they have addressed while
focusing resources on those solutions
that are more likely to produce results
12. Step 4. Consider Possible Solutions
solutions should not be evaluated at this
point, only proposed and clarified
the question should be what could we do
to address this problem, not
what should we do to address it.
13. Step 4. Consider Possible Solutions
discussions at this stage may reveal a
need to return to previous steps to better
define or more fully analyze a problem.
14. Step 4. Consider Possible Solutions
since many problems are multifaceted,
group members must generate solutions for
each part of the problem separately, making
sure to have multiple solutions for each part.
stopping the solution-generating process
prematurely can lead to groupthink.
15. Step 5. Decide on a Solution
solutions can be critically evaluated based on
their credibility, completeness, and worth
once the potential solutions have been narrowed
based on more obvious differences in relevance
and/or merit, the group should analyze each
solution based on its potential effects—especially
negative effects
16. Some good questions to ask
It is perfectly OK for a group member to
question another person’s idea by asking
something like:
•“What do you mean?”
•“Could you explain your reasoning
more?”
17. Step 5. Decide on a Solution
may want to implement all the solution
strategies, but they do not have the
resources to do them all.
they’ll complete a cost-benefit analysis,
which ranks each solution according to its
probable impact.
18. Some good questions to ask
Group members may ask:
•“Does this solution live up to the original
purpose or mission of the group?”
•“Can the solution actually be implemented
with our current resources and
connections?”
•“How will this solution be supported,
funded, enforced, and assessed?”
19. Step 6. Implement the Solution
implementing the solution requires some
advanced planning, and it should not be
rushed unless the group is operating
under strict time restraints or delay may
lead to some kind of harm.
20. Step 6. Implement the Solution
some solutions can be implemented immediately,
others may take days, months, or years.
it may be beneficial for groups to poll those who
will be affected by the solution as to their opinion
of it or even do a pilot test to observe the
effectiveness of the solution and how people
react to it
21. Some good questions to ask
Before implementation:
•“How will we know if the solution is working
or not?”
22. Step 7. Follow Up on the Solution
the group should consider its future.
in some cases, the group will get to decide if it
will stay together and continue working on other
tasks or if it will disband.
in other cases, outside forces determine the
group’s fate.
23. Some good questions to ask
groups should also consider the following
questions:
•If the group disbands after implementation,
who will be responsible for assessing the
solution?
•If the solution fails, will the same group
reconvene or will a new group be formed?
25. Why Does It Matter?
Knowing the type of work group helps to
clarify what needs to be done and can lead
to more specific conversations covering
“what needs to be talked about.”
26. Why Does It Matter?
Our behavioral repertoire should be
adjusted according to the type of work
group, as they all require different
approaches and different behavior
27. Committees, the most formal of these
types of work groups, are groups of persons
appointed or selected to perform a function
on behalf of a larger group. In a sense, the
larger body entrusts a smaller subset of
members to do something for them.
28. Some committees are enduring, as they have
no fixed endpoint. Others may be ad hoc
committees, appointed with a well defined
charge and deadline, after which the
committee will cease to exist.
29. Committees can serve several
different functions
• Governance
• to review the performance of the board and board policy as well as
nominate candidates for the board
• Coordination and administration
• Examples are an audit committee, an elections committee, a finance
committee, a fundraising committee, and a program committee.
Large conventions or academic conferences are usually organized by a
coordinating committee drawn from the membership of the
organization.
30. Committees can serve several
different functions
• Research and recommendations
• may be formed to do research and make recommendations on a
potential or planned project or change
• Discipline
• A committee on discipline may be used to handle disciplinary
procedures on members of the organization
• As a tactic for indecision
• As a means of public relations by sending sensitive, inconvenient, or
irrelevant matters to committees, organizations may bypass, stall, or
disacknowledge matters without declaring a formal policy of inaction or
indifference
31. Task forces are work groups typically
comprising experts in specified areas of
knowledge or practice.
Task forces are small groups of people—and
resources—brought together to accomplish a
specific objective, with the expectation that the
group will disband when the objective has been
completed.
32. The responsibilities of the Task Force members include:
• Committing to attending all scheduled meetings to the
extent possible, and participating in discussions and
activities.
• Participating openly and honestly, respecting the
opinions of group members.
• Representing their organizations and the community’s
interests and sharing this information
• Keeping the broader community up to date on the
progress
• Working to achieve a general project understanding
among all interested parties and the public.
33. One difference between task forces and
committees is the assignment of “forces and
resources.”
That is, personnel and materials needed to
enhance the chance for success of the task
force are put to work simultaneously.
Task force work products are collective and
address the specific charge to the group
34. A team is a group of persons linked
together for a common purpose.
For the most part, teams consist of persons
with complementary skills organized to
function cooperatively as a group
35. •Decision Making / Problem Solving
The most important tasks of a team are solving problems
and making decisions—everything else hinges on these.
Therefore, even when leaders turn decision-making over
to a group, they retain the obligation to evaluate and
influence how the group will proceed.
Functions of Teams
36. •Collaboration
Teams that collaborate usually enjoy low turnover and
high participation because members desire continuation
of the team and its commitment to goal
accomplishment.
Functions of Teams
37. • Leadership
Teams need leaders, however, both from within the group and from
the person responsible for the team’s performance. Often, leaders will
emerge through the stages of the team’s development.
Sometimes members will rotate leadership responsibility, depending
on the nature of the goal. When people understand the priorities and
values they need to address, making the decisions and accomplishing
the tasks becomes much easier.
But it all starts with a crystal clear understanding of what the team
needs to accomplish.
Functions of Teams
38. •Clear Goals
Goal-oriented individuals achieve impressive results because the
satisfaction of a job well done satisfies their own best interest—they
need to feel successful. Often, high-performing teams will need their
leader to help them redefine their success measures.
Functions of Teams
39. •Communication
Develop the habit of listening first and
talking second. Don’t interrupt, and ask
open-ended questions to help the other
person flesh out ideas.
Functions of Teams
40. •Effective Conflict Resolution
Conflict can be either constructive or destructive. Much will be
determined by how members manage the discussion and by how they
regard each other. Managed effectively, when the participants view
each other with respect, resolving differences can actually help the
team function more efficiently, because discussing problems increases
awareness, encourages change, and increases motivation.
Functions of Teams
41. • Accountability
One of the best tools you can use to help a team overcome some of
the discord so members can get back on track is to have a candid
discussion about areas of accountability for task accomplishment and
decision-making.
The goal of accountability charting is to help the members operate
more effectively by clarifying each team member’s role,
responsibilities, and expectations.
Charting helps everyone understand who should participate in which
decisions and identifies the right people for work assignments,
projects, meetings, and task forces.
Functions of Teams
42. • Accountability
One of the best tools you can use to help a team overcome some of
the discord so members can get back on track is to have a candid
discussion about areas of accountability for task accomplishment and
decision-making.
The goal of accountability charting is to help the members operate
more effectively by clarifying each team member’s role,
responsibilities, and expectations.
Charting helps everyone understand who should participate in which
decisions and identifies the right people for work assignments,
projects, meetings, and task forces.
Functions of Teams
43.
44. Building an effective team is a
gradual process and can’t be
accomplished in just one day or
week.
45. Step 1.
Meet with the group and explain that
working as a team will benefit all
members by increasing motivation,
satisfaction and productivity. Ask team
members for input regarding improving
group performance.
46. Step 2.
Explain to the group how the work you do
benefits the company. Describe each
person’s role in the group. While that might
seem like obvious information, some
members of the group may not realize the
scope of another team member’s
responsibilities or the importance of your
work to the company.
47. Step 3.
Develop several goals as a group. Goals
might be to complete an important project
before deadline, increase communication
between members or increase sales by a
certain percentage. Establish metrics to
determine success and provide them to all
team members.
48. Step 4.
Decide how the group can accomplish the
goals. If you are concerned about meeting a
deadline, take a look at workflow and
redesign the process with team input. Plan
weekly meetings, use the company intranet
to post updates on projects or hold informal
lunch-and-learn sessions to improve
communications.
49. Step 5.
Keep team members informed of the
group’s progress in meeting goals. Provide
regular feedback and ask team members to
keep you informed of problems or concerns.
Offer solutions to difficult problems and
serve as an intermediary if conflicts arise
with other departments or employees.
50. Step 6.
Encourage team members to work
together to accomplish goals. Pair team
members who have strengths in different
areas to allow them to benefit from the
other’s expertise and experience.
51. Step 7.
Celebrate reaching goals and describe
the way each team member contributed
to the success. Thank each team member.
Take the group out to lunch or give them
gift cards in appreciation for their work.
