Manage Work Allocation (CHCORG607C)Evaluate workgroup effectiveness (CHCORG607C)Manage effective work relations (CHCORG611A)Support ,participate and review group development (CHCORG611A)

Understand the Stages of Group Development

Understanding the stages of group development will give you a deeper awareness of how to improve your communication skills when working with groups

Groups normally experience a number of stages during the “life “ of the group.

It is useful to identify the different stages of team development and to determine where your team is at.

This enables the team to identify development need, assess the best strategies for overcoming weaknesses and determine the best methods for moving forward.

Refer to the reading of group development stages and The Wisdom of Teamsand apply to your team

Participative PracticeSupervisors are responsible not only for their own work , bur for ensuring

others are also meeting their work responsibilities in a safe and competent manner

They require skills to successfully• Delegate work• Monitor, control, review and evaluate performance• Train and develop staff• Provide leadership• Negotiate• Assess level of skills and knowledge of employees under

supervision/leadership• Communicate with people at various levels of the organisation, using

appropriate communication techniques• Manage administrative requirements, including written and verbal reports

Strategies

• Meeting and maintaining regular contact with the whole team• Understanding staff concerns and personal work goals• Ensuring policies and procedures are clear and easy to follow• Being positive and demonstrating confident leadership• Identifying people who are already taking on informal leadership within

the team• Being consistent• Providing encouragement and feedback on a regular basis• Demonstrating respect for diversity• Ensuring staff are aware that they are important to the successful

workings of the team and organisation

Core Skills for Participative Practice

• Sound communication skills including soliciting advice, opinion ,input from ALL

• A consultative and cooperative approach to workplace conflict• Sharing of information• A win –win approach to workplace relations• Clear role responsibility• Clear understanding of goals and objectives• A commitment from both management and employees to

participative practices – to “walking the talk” and seeing it through

Working with Reticence

When certain employees are less open to participation the following techniques may be used

• Draw the more reticent group members into discussion by asking them direct questions

• Encourage round the table participation , everyone has a turn to contribute

• Be aware of dynamics that hinder the involvement of some e.g one or two members dominate

Encouraging Self -Responsibility

You cannot make people participateYou can encourage participation using any number of strategies

but ultimately, the responsibility for contributing and making an effort rests with each individual group member

Foster self –responsibility by highlighting the contribution that can be made and lead by example

Factors in Job Dissatisfaction• Agency policy and administration

- availability of clearly defined policies especially those relating to people-adequacy of organisation and management

• Supervision – accessibility, competence and fairness of supervisor• Interpersonal relations – Relations with supervisors and colleagues. Quality of

social life at work• Salary – total package• Status- A persons position or rank in relation to others symbolised by title, size of

office or other tangible elements• Job Security• Personal Life• Working Conditions –including physical conditions, amount of work, facilities

available and environmental aspects such as light, space etc

(Herzberg 2003)

Motivating Factors

• Achievement – specific successes, such as successful completion of a job, solutions to problems, seeing results of work

• Recognition – any act of recognition• Possibility of growth –changes in job where professional

growth potential is increased• Advancement – • Responsibility – being given real responsibility , matched with

necessary authority• The work itself

Managers should check that individuals have• A sense of achievement in their job and feel that they

are making a worthwhile contribution to the objective of the team

• Jobs which are challenging and demanding with responsibilities to match capabilities

• Adequate recognition for achievements• Control over delegated duties• A feeling that they are developing along with growing

experience and ability

Handout

Task /Team/ Individual Checklist

Promoting Communication

• Fostering staff awareness of objectives and goals• Fostering awareness of how each worker contribute to the overall picture• Fostering awareness of and attention to organisational policies and

procedures• Monitoring progress of individuals and groups with regard to meeting

stated objectives• Establishing a climate of open communication, which supports individual

workers and enables positive change• Understanding and communicating the organisations changing needs• Communicating the needs and requests of workers to higher management

Cont”d

• Encourage others to express their thoughts by seeking clarification eg paraphrasing , summarising etc

• Avoid response which are confronting, aggressive or patronising• Encourage al group members to develop skills in using feedback to gain

clarification• Encouraging all group members to work constructively and positively

when interacting• Remaining awrae of conflicts which may inhibit interaction. Deal with

these in order to keep the communication climate positive and open• At all times , be sure you are Modelling desired behaviour

Other Strategies

Managing meetings- Not only in terms of timekeeping and agenda but in monitoring and responding to group dynamics. Sharing this role gives each group member the opportunity to develop their skills and to exercise a degree of ownership and responsibility for the functioning of the process

Sharing of Tasks - People are more likely to involve themselves if they feel some responsibility for the successful attainment of outcomes. Rotation of tasks will more fully involve all parties, promoting a sense of “ ownership of the process”. Be aware in rotating tasks some staff may require support or additional coaching

Delegating Tasks - Giving others responsibility and authority for completing a task however the “ buck still stops with you”

Readings ;

• Team roles and functions• Feedback

Monitoring and ReviewWether it is individual or group performance the same process

applies• Objectives – what do we want to achieve• Strategies –how are we going to achieve these objectives?

What are the ‘vehicles’ for delivering objectives• Targets (or performance indicators) – what are our measures

in determining wether we are achieving objectives• Monitor- the process of “watching over’• Review – what are we doing well? What could we do better?

ObjectivesAsk the following questions ;• What are we trying to achieve/• Do our objectives reflect this?• Are objectives clearly identified and articulated? Non-

ambiguous?• Are objectives realistic?• Are our objectives quantifiable/measurable• Are they time –framed? Do they specify when by?• Do they specify who will do what?StrategiesWhat are the strategies to achieve our objectives?

Targets Ask the following questions , Are targets• Easy to understand• Time based• Realistic• Prioritised• Attainable• Measurable• ChallengingTargets will be phrased in terms of measure• Percentages e.g. 95% of clients placed into jobs• Time e.g. new referrals are contacted within one week• Frequency of occurrence e.g. quarterly performance reviews• Averages – e.g. • Absolutes e.g. all terminals to have anti glare screens

Cont’d

• Prioritise –Put what needs to be done into a logical and prioritised sequence

• Writ up a plan. Get approval from supervisor /manager

• Put it into action• Monitor the plan. Monitor plan against targets

and time frames. – the ‘watching brief’

ReviewAsk the following questions ;• How are we going/• What things are working well? Why?• What things are not working well? Why/• What did we set out to do?• Have we done it?• How do we know we have done it?• What are some things that we are not doing, what might help us achieve our

objectives• What are we doing that is stopping us achieving our objectives• What do we value about what we are doing?• What signs tell us that things are going well?• What signs re telling us that things are not going well?• What needs attention or further work?• What could we do to improve individual or group performance?

Group Evaluation – Why?

To Find outWhat has been done in the

group?Check out if the group is doing

what it plannedHow thw group is goingIf the group has been

successfulIf the group can do better in

the future

To inform other peopleAbout what the group is doing

and achievingWhy the group is worthwhileWhy the group should

continueIf the groups resources would

be better used doing something else

Cont’d

To report to the organisation or funding body

How the resources were usedWhat resources were used and

howGiven the costs and the effects

was it a good use of funds

To help plan for the futureWhat lessons have been

learnedWhat is needed for future

workHow things will be done

differently in the futuureWhat costs and resources may

be needed