3 habits of Effective Group Discussion What is Group What is Discussion Individual and Group People and Task Matrix Genuine Listening Assertive Responding Giving and Receiving Feedback Jointing and think Win-win Handling Differences

1. Group Discussion
Prepare by,
Chan Kwok Bong
3/2000

2. Group discussion is
A Mutual Help Process
that
Joins All The Available Interpersonal Resources
in
A Particular Problem Solving Situation
that
Fulfills Individual and Group Needs.

3. In discussion,
you need to know how to:
 Vary how and when you participate to suit
purpose and the situation ( Individual &
Group )
 Listen and respond sensitively and develop
points and ideas ( Genuine Listening )
 Make openings to encourage others to
contribute ( Jointing )

4. Individual and Group
 What is Group ?
 What’s happen in a group ?
– Group Goals and Individual Goals
– People and Task
 Who does what in a group ?
– Members’ Roles
– Leadership Styles

5. What is Group ?
 Formation of group
– Nature vs. Assigned
– Heterogeneous vs. Homogenous
 Form of Group
– Causal vs. Formal
– Ad-hoc vs. Long-term
 Stage of Group
– Forming, Norming, Storming, Performing

6. People and Task Matrix
High people,
Low Task
Team
High People
High Task
Low People,
Low Task
Low people,
High Task
People
Task

7. Genuine Listening
 Seek first to Understand, then to be Understood.
 Before I can walk in another’s shoes, I must first
remove my own.

8. Five Poor Listening Styles
 Spacing Out
 Pretend Listening
 Selective Listening
 Word Listening
 Self-centered Listening

9. Genuine Listening,
Seek First to Understand
 Listening with eyes, heart and ears
 Hear what is not being said
 Stand in other shoes
 Tell others that you are listening (Feedback)
– Verbal Response: e.g. Mirroring
– Non-verbal Response

10. Mirroring is…...
Using your own words
to
Repeat the Meaning
and
Reflect the Feeling
with
Warm and Caring

11. Genuine Listening,
Then to be Understood
 Responding
– Assertive vs. Aggressive
– Verbal and Non-Verbal
 Receiving Feedback

12. Assertive Responding
Assertive response is one that is able
to stand up for your own right without
violating the right of others.
You Do :
•Ask for what you want
•Directly and Openly
•Respect other feelings
You Don’t :
•Violate other people’s rights
•expect other people magically
know what you want
•Freeze up with anxiety

13. Giving Feedback
 Immediate and Direct
 Be Descriptive, Not Evaluative
 Focus on one behaviour at a time
 Use “I” message, Avoid “you” message
 Ask feedback for your feedback

14. Receiving Feedback : 5 Stages
 Listening without Evaluating and Reacting
 Put yourself in the other person position
 Test the validity of the feedback from other
 Formulate plan for change
 Ask for feedback for your changed
behaviour

15. Jointing…… 1+1=?
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so
much.
Differences create the challenges in life that open
the door to discovery

16. Key Skills in Jointing
Task
 Focusing
 Brainstorming
 Probing
 Confronting
 Clarifying
 Summarizing
People
 Harmonizing
 Humouring
 Encouraging
 Mirroring
 Inviting

17. Tips for Brainstorming…...
 Try for quantity, quality will follow.
 Don’t be critical. Greeting every ideas.
 Be freewheeling. Unrealistic or weird ideas
are welcome.
 Finally, try to Improve and Combine the
ideas.

18. How to…...
Handle the difficult situations
 Conflicting Ideas
 Outsiders
 Side-tracking
 “Yes-but”
 “Yes” man
 Dead Air

19. Tips for Handle Difficult Situations
 You are not the only one
 Be ready to work with different members
 Differences are unavoidable in group
discussion
 Be Involve, Not to Avoid
 There should be ways for “win-win”

20. We are different…...
 We learn things differently;
 We see things differently;
 We do things differently;
 We have different traits, characters & styles;
 And, we are different individuals.

21. Handling Differences
From Tolerate to Celebrate…...
Tolerate means
 There is one better way
 Differences as threats
 Discussion: Negotiate
 Problem-Solving:
Compromise
 Motto: You do your thing,
and let me do mine.
Celebrate means
 We can work out A best
way
 Differences as chances
 Discussion: Collaborate
 Problem- Solving:
Creative
 Motto: Alone we can do
little, together we can do
much

22. Think “Win-Win”
 Begin with “We”, Not “Me”
 Be Assertive and Attentive
 Be Creative and Collaborative
 Be Independent and Inter-dependent
 Avoid
– Comparing and Competing ( The Win-Lost)
– Any Abusing Relationship ( The Lost-Win)
– Any Possessive Relationship ( The Lost-Lost)

23. Effective Group Discussion;
The 3 Habits …...
Habit 1: Seek First to Understand, then to be
Understood
Habit 2: Celebrating Differences
Habit 3: Think Win-Win
One Step Ahead…...

24. References
 Galassi, M.D. and Galassi, J.P., Assert yourself. New
York: Human Services Press, 1977
 Stephen R.Covey. The 7 Habits of highly effective
people: restoring the character ethic. New York:
Franklin Covey Co. 1989
 Seam Covey. The 7 habits of highly effective teens.
New York: Franklin Covey Co., 1998