Group work techniques to encourage participation

The role of leader of an intermediate or higher command depends on the environment that is generated within a work group (department, section…), participation, achievement of objectives, organization and planning of the group. For its study, one must inevitably resort to a field of Social Psychology, Group Dynamics, and the applications derived from it.

The leader or monitor of a group in a dynamic, in addition to transmitting guidelines, organizes and channels everything that happens. Nothing should happen that he does not encourage or allow. His mere physical presence and the characteristics of his role make the participants submit their initiatives to the rules that he sets.

However, the components of a group whose objectives (individual or collective) may not coincide with those of the meeting or the course, make progress difficult. To avoid this, the monitor must be respected as well as pleasing. You must never renounce responsibility for what happens in your work, you must show that you master it perfectly.

1. Group work techniques to encourage participation

The active participation of the members of a group is a strategy that facilitates the development of a climate of trust, awakens interest in group work, helps to share knowledge, motivates them and facilitates coexistence. Below we will see some techniques designed to encourage this participation and to facilitate the group to generate a minimum internal structure that allows its further advancement. They are known as group techniques.

We must mention that we will also talk at this point about techniques aimed at animating and warming up the group. These can be used at the beginning of a day to allow the integration of the participants, and also, after intense moments and fatigue to integrate and rest.

The group techniques to encourage participation that we will see below are:

THE GIFT OF JOY DIRECTED DISCUSSIONSEMINARYPHILLIPS 6/6 STORM OF IDEAS OR «BRAINSTORMING» NOMINAL GROUP TECHNIQUE (TGN)

The gift of joy

Objective: To promote a climate of personal trust, of valuing people and positive encouragement of the group. Give and receive positive feedback in a group environment. Materials: Paper and pen, a room with desks depending on the number of participants and will be developed with a single group or several subgroups of six to ten people; They will have five minutes of time per participant. Development:

The facilitator forms the groups and distributes the paper. Then, he makes a brief introduction: «Many times we appreciate a small gift more than a big one. Many others, we are worried about not being able to do great things and we put aside doing small things although they would perhaps have great meaning. In the experience that follows, we will be able to give a small gift of joy to each member of the group ». The facilitator invites the participants to each write a message of this type to each colleague in their subgroup. Message that tends to awaken in each person positive feelings about himself The facilitator presents suggestions, trying to encourage everyone who sends a message to each member of their subgroup, even those people for whom they may not feel great sympathy. Regarding the message, it must be very specific,specified and adjusted to the person to whom it is addressed, and that is not valid for everyone; that each one sends a message to all, even if some do not know him thoroughly, in all he will be able to find something positive; try to tell each one something that you have observed in the group, their best moments, their successes, and always present your message in a personal way; Tell the other what you find in him that makes you happier. Participants can if they want to sign. After writing the messages, they fold and gather in a box, leaving the names to those who are addressing them. Each one is given their messages. When everyone has read their messages, they have a pooling with everyone's reactions.Although some do not know him thoroughly, in all of them he can find something positive; try to tell each one something that you have observed in the group, their best moments, their successes, and always present your message in a personal way; Tell the other what you find in him that makes you happier. Participants can if they want to sign. After writing the messages, they fold and gather in a box, leaving the names to those who are addressing them. Each one is given their messages. When everyone has read their messages, they have a pooling with everyone's reactions.Although some do not know him thoroughly, in all of them he can find something positive; try to tell each one something that you have observed in the group, their best moments, their successes, and always present your message in a personal way; Tell the other what you find in him that makes you happier. Participants can if they want to sign. After writing the messages, they fold and gather in a box, leaving the names to those who are addressing them. Each one is given their messages. When everyone has read their messages, they have a pooling with everyone's reactions.Tell the other what you find in him that makes you happier. Participants can if they want to sign. After writing the messages, they fold and gather in a box, leaving the names to those who are addressing them. Each one is given their messages. When everyone has read their messages, they have a pooling with everyone's reactions.Tell the other what you find in him that makes you happier. Participants can if they want to sign. After writing the messages, they fold and gather in a box, leaving the names to those who are addressing them. Each one is given their messages. When everyone has read their messages, they have a pooling with everyone's reactions.

Guided discussion

It consists of an exchange of ideas between several participants who have previously worked on a topic that can be analyzed from different positions. It should not be used in groups of more than 25 people.

Objective: This technique focuses on deepening knowledge through a critical analysis of the topics and stimulating interpersonal communication, tolerance and teamwork.Preparation: Days before the use of the technique, the moderator will decide the topic to be treated based on of the interests of the group and will prepare information that contains all the information that may be useful to the participants. It will also provide them with several questions prepared to initiate and guide the discussion and will set the date for it. Development: It will facilitate participation if the moderator asks for their opinions, giving turns to speak and allowing clarifications that may arise. As the comments are exhausted, the moderator will make a summary of what was discussed, to end with an overview,without ever leaning in favor of one or the other opinions.

Seminar

The group of participants studies a topic in depth but, unlike the previous technique, they do not receive information already prepared, but must research and study the topic in meetings, presenting at the end a report with the data obtained. The group should have no fewer than five members or more than twelve and that all have a similar level of knowledge and homogeneous interests.

Objectives: They are related to the acquisition of knowledge through the discovery of the different aspects Rules: Meetings must be planned; Their duration will not exceed three hours; In the first meeting a coordinator and a secretary are chosen and a plan is designed work phases:

Individual search for information. Pooling and establishment of conclusions. Preparation of the summary report of the group's conclusions.

Phillips 6/6

The group is divided into subgroups of a maximum of six members who will discuss for six minutes to answer a question or solve a problem or case formulated by the moderator.

Objective: This technique is usually used to support other group techniques when for some reason it is needed: to quickly promote the participation of the whole group, to obtain many opinions in a short time; solve a problem in a creative way and discover the differences that exist before a specific topic. Development: The groups meet in different rooms and each one of the members presents their opinion for one minute. A secretary designated by the group will take note of the contributions, and at the last minute, a summary of the opinion of the subgroup is made. A spokesperson from each group presents their results in the common classroom, which once compared with those of the rest of the subgroups will be synthesized by the moderator and noted on the blackboard.If there are still points to be treated, the process is repeated until all aspects have been worked on.

Brainstorming or brainstorming

It is a technique in which participants express with absolute freedom everything that occurs to them regarding a topic or as a solution to a problem. Without any analysis or filter on their quality, they are noted on the board. Only at the end, when the production of ideas is exhausted, is an evaluation of them made.

Objective: Brainstorming allows first of all to develop creativity and is used to discover new concepts, solve problems or overcome conformism and monotony. Development: Before starting the storm the problem is exposed and the rules are explained: the ideas are express regardless of their quality; no idea will be evaluated until the last sentence is said; It is recommended to freely associate your own ideas with those already exposed; the more interventions, the more chances of finding valid possibilities; speaking turns will be granted indiscriminately. At the end, three or four people who have not participated in the production phase will analyze all the ideas to assess their usefulness based on the objective that was intended with the use of the technique.

Nominal group technique (tgn)

The members of the group interact very little and contribute their decisions individually, adding their results later and using the vote as a means of obtaining a group assessment. With more than twelve members, they will work in subgroups to select some ideas before continuing with the whole group.

Objectives: Exchange information, make decisions in common, achieve a high degree of consensus, balance the degree of participation among group members and obtain a clear idea of the group's opinions. Development: After the description of the problem by the moderator, the rules are exposed: respect the silence during the established time and do not interrupt or express our ideas to another participant until the moderator indicates it. For a few minutes (between four and eight), the participants silently write down all their ideas; After that time, a round is held in which each participant presents a single idea at a time, although the only possible interaction is between the moderator and the participant, and to clarify the idea, the former will write on the board. When all the ideas are written,A discussion between the participants is already beginning to clarify any doubts that may exist about what has been written, and some contribution can now be modified. Again in silence, each attendee, using some index cards, ranks the contributions that seem most important to them. All the individual votes are added together and a hierarchy of ideas is obtained with which the process is repeated again until the final vote is reached.All the individual votes are added together and a hierarchy of ideas is obtained with which the process is repeated again until the final vote is reached.All the individual votes are added together and a hierarchy of ideas is obtained with which the process is repeated again until the final vote is reached.

2. Planning techniques

Even the implementation of the simplest desire requires the systematization of a few steps to take that lead us to its achievement.

Criteria such as analysis of reality, detection of needs, formulation of objectives, methodology, and search for resources, etc… are essential within these processes that in a more or less complicated way, always occur.

The techniques that we propose below are but one example of all those that, aimed at the systematization of these processes, meet the objectives of facilitating this work.

They are as follows:

LET'S LOOK BEYOND THE DECK OF PLANNING RECONSTRUCTION

Let's look further

Objective: To support a group to organize, order and plan their work when carrying out specific activities. Materials: Sheet and pencil for each participant, blackboard or flipchart. It is time consuming and can be applied in several sessions. Development:

Each participant responds in writing to a question prepared in advance by the organization. Groups and their coordinators are formed so that they can share the answers and make an ideal model. This model would be detailed. The coordinators meet, where each one presents their ideal model written on the board. Whoever coordinates the groups should go down writing down all that there is in common and aspects that may be missing. Based on the discussion of each model, one can be chosen because it is the one that meets the greatest number of qualities or because it is feasible to carry out. Focusing on the chosen model, the most urgent needs to be solved and tasks that can be done are detailed, then a plan is drawn up of how other tasks could be carried out to achieve the ideal model (actions, controls, evaluations, managers…),then those actions are specified.With an elementary plan, the immediate actions are entered with the following guide:

What is to be done, why, how, who, with what means, when, where,

The planning deck

Objective: To know and order the steps to be followed in a planning process in a specific work plan Materials: Large cards (15 x 25 cm.) On which the steps of a planning process are written, as if they were playing cards of a deck. Development:

The participants are divided into groups of four people each. A complete set of cards is made for each group, and an additional one. All the cards are shuffled and nine are dealt to each team, leaving the rest in the center. Each team must get rid of its repeated cards and have nine different cards in hand (that is, the nine basic steps for planning). It is played as in a deck game (playing card): a group is discarded in a repeated one and the place in the center, upwards, taking the one above the group. Only one card can be changed at a time. If the group on the left needs that card that is above it takes it, if it does not remove the next one from the group and discards it in a repeated one. And so it goes.Once the group has the nine different cards, they should order them according to what they think should be the ordered steps of the planning process. When either team considers that their straight is well ordered they say: Straight. The coordinator will act as a judge making the rest of the group discover whether or not there are errors. When an error is discovered, the team that has proposed must reorder their deck. The order proposed by each team must be discussed in order to defend and sustain it in front of the group. The first of the teams to restore the correct order is the one that wins. It is discussed together and why the order of each planning step.The coordinator will act as a judge making the rest of the group discover whether or not there are errors. When an error is discovered, the team that has proposed must reorder their deck. The order proposed by each team must be discussed in order to defend and sustain it in front of the group. The first of the teams to restore the correct order is the one that wins. It is discussed together and why the order of each planning step.The coordinator will act as a judge making the rest of the group discover whether or not there are errors. When an error is discovered, the team that has proposed must reorder their deck. The order proposed by each team must be discussed in order to defend and sustain it in front of the group. The first of the teams to restore the correct order is the one that wins. It is discussed together and why the order of each planning step.

Reconstruction

Objective: Analyze the organizational capacity of a group and analyze the role of leadership in the work. Materials: Paper and pencil for each participant, large paper and markers. Development:

Groups are formed (a maximum of four) The coordinator gives an explanation Participants have 30 minutes to make a decision / s Once the time is up, they go to the plenary, where each one presents the conclusions they reached written on a flip chart It is not necessary to discuss the content of the conclusions, the central point of this technique is to reflect on:

-What were they based on to reach certain conclusions -How they organized themselves to work-Difficulties in reaching decisions

3. Organization techniques

Many times the work of a group is mediated by the time available to carry it out; In other cases, that a group entity intends to make decisions as such, when the individual position on them is different, can be difficult, or even impossible. The techniques that we list below are specially designed to facilitate this task for the group, helping them make the most of time and effort. They are as follows:

INTEGRATION IN A HOSTILEL PUEBLO GROUP NEEDS CREATIVE SOLUTION OF A PROBLEM

Integration in a hostile group

Goals:

Create in the group, considered hostile, a positive climate Join a group that is reluctant to enter the exercises.

It can be applied to any number of participants in a large room and its duration is one hour.

Development:

The monitor asks the group to form subgroups of three people with whom they are closest. Distribute to each group a sheet in which they should answer this question: "How do you feel here?" Each subgroup makes a list of their reasons and appreciations in this regard, then the animator invites each subgroup to read their list, which will be written on the board or on the cardboard, pointing out the points that are considered positive and those that are considered negative Next, the same trios are asked this other question: "How do you feel about my presence here?" Again they read the answers and write them on the board or on the cardboard, also pointing out the positive and negative ones. We move on to the third question: "How do you feel about the person who sent you to this course". The answers are read and written as before,also pointing out the positive and the negative. It ends with a plenary session in which the answers given in the three questions are analyzed. Generally it can be observed that in the answers to the first question the negative aspects predominate and in the answers to the second and third more positive aspects appear, which shows that there has been a change of climate in the course and that there are possibilities of further integration.which shows that there has been a change in the climate in the course and that there are possibilities for further integration.which shows that there has been a change in the climate in the course and that there are possibilities for further integration.

The people need

Objective: Analyze the principles of the organization. The role of the leader, spontaneous action and planned action. Development:

Those who coordinate or two partners in the group, prepare a list that contains a minimum of six tasks. Tasks can be searching for objects or creating some kind of thing. Participants are divided into groups (of at least five people each). Each group is organized as it sees fit to carry out the tasks. A precise time is granted (for example 10 minutes), depending on the group and the tasks. The tasks are read to the group as a whole, once the reading is finished, each group is dedicated to completing the tasks. The first to finish them is the one who will win.When the team has all the tasks, they represent them to the teammates who are coordinating so that they are reviewed and found to be correct.Once the winning team is declared, the rest of the teams, shows the tasks you were able to perform.It is evaluated how each team organized to carry out the tasks.

Conclusions: The discussion begins when the groups tell how they organize themselves to carry out the tasks, the problems they had, how they felt, the experience. Together they have to detect which are the roles of the leaders, the importance of the division of tasks to be more effective, the importance of being clear about what you want to be able to defend it, and spontaneous actions. We can also refer the discussion to how these aspects occur in the daily life of the participants, or of an organization, as in this case it is the company.

Creative problem solving

Objective:

Observe group attitudes in problem solving. Explore interpersonal influences that occur in problem solving.

Development:

The monitor explains that it is about coming up with a creative solution to a problem; for which it must reach consensus. Everyone should pay close attention to the discussion process, as in the end it will have to be analyzed as a group. He then explains the problem that the subgroups will have to solve in about ten minutes: “Years ago a London merchant was in debt with a large amount of money to a person who had made you a loan. The latter fell in love with the young and beautiful daughter of the merchant. And he proposed an agreement: he would cancel the debt if he got to marry his daughter. Both the merchant and his daughter were shocked because they did not want him. The lender proposed that they leave the solution in the hands of Providence. He suggested that they put a white stone and a black stone inside an empty money bag;the young woman should remove one of the two stones from the bag. If he removed the black stone, she would become his wife without further ado and the father's debt was canceled. If she got the white, she stayed with her father and the debt was also canceled. If he did not accept this providential game, the father would go to jail and the daughter would starve. Although forced by the situation, the merchant and his daughter accepted. They came out onto a garden path that was strewn with stones. The moneylender bent down to pick up the two stones and deftly managed to fit two black stones into the bag. The young woman realized the stratagem. Then, the moneylender asked the young woman to remove the stone that was going to decide both her fate and that of her father.If he removed the black stone, she would become his wife without further ado and the father's debt was canceled. If she got the white, she stayed with her father and the debt was also canceled. If he did not accept this providential game, the father would go to jail and the daughter would starve. Although forced by the situation, the merchant and his daughter accepted. They came out onto a garden path that was strewn with stones. The moneylender bent down to pick up the two stones and deftly managed to fit two black stones into the bag. The young woman realized the stratagem. Then, the moneylender asked the young woman to remove the stone that was going to decide both her fate and that of her father.If he removed the black stone, she would become his wife without further ado and the father's debt was canceled. If she got the white, she stayed with her father and the debt was also canceled. If he did not accept this providential game, the father would go to jail and the daughter would starve. Although forced by the situation, the merchant and his daughter accepted. They came out onto a garden path that was strewn with stones. The moneylender bent down to pick up the two stones and deftly managed to fit two black stones into the bag. The young woman realized the stratagem. Then, the moneylender asked the young woman to remove the stone that was going to decide both her fate and that of her father.the father would go to jail and the daughter would starve. Although forced by the situation, the merchant and his daughter accepted. They came out onto a garden path that was strewn with stones. The moneylender bent down to pick up the two stones and deftly managed to fit two black stones into the bag. The young woman realized the stratagem. Then, the moneylender asked the young woman to remove the stone that was going to decide both her fate and that of her father.the father would go to jail and the daughter would starve. Although forced by the situation, the merchant and his daughter accepted. They came out onto a garden path that was strewn with stones. The moneylender bent down to pick up the two stones and deftly managed to fit two black stones into the bag. The young woman realized the stratagem. Then, the moneylender asked the young woman to remove the stone that was going to decide both her fate and that of her father.the moneylender asked the young woman to remove the stone that would decide both her fate and that of her father.the moneylender asked the young woman to remove the stone that would decide both her fate and that of her father.

At this point, it is a question of the group giving a solution that the young woman found so that she could stay in the company of her father and have their debt canceled. (Solution: the young woman in the story put her hand in the bag, took one of the two stones and when she took it out, without looking at it, and as if by mistake, she dropped it among the other stones on the road, remaining mixed with them).

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