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Hi everyone,
Chebucto Community Net is a highly gifted and committed group of volunteers
who embody the values of community service in the provision of techological
resources and infrastructure to the larger community.
As we all go about our tasks there are no doubt times when conflict arises
and differences of opinions are exchanged about how we should go about
organizing ourselves to deliver our services. With this in mind, especially
for committees and committee chairs, I wanted to provide these
tips/reflections that recently came to me via a listserve that I'm on. I
hope you might find them useful.
Cheers,
Leo
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Here are 7 ideas for avoiding on-going problems or challenges in team-based
groups and committee operations:
1. Collectively identify behaviors and attitudes that minimize
conflict and maximize effectiveness: Decide what course of
action to take if team members forget or refuse to observe your
group's relational and operational guidelines. No one likes to
see a team go off track. Make sure you have a plan in case it
does.
2. Observe group relationships and communications for deterioration
and take appropriate steps to improve them: You can handle this
one-on-one with team members or approach the subject within the
group. Most people do not like conflict, however,
misunderstandings need to be addressed.
3. Respond to and correct backsliding behavior by team members. Use
appropriate feedback and conflict resolution strategies: Procedural
conflict and goal frustrations will cause team problems. People
will resort to their own way of handling conflict. Some will become
combative, others will give in and resent it, and a few will avoid
or undermine your effort. Correcting these behaviors is absolutely
necessary to keep your team on track.
4. Stimulate change when opportunity for improvement exists:
Continually look for ways to improve your process. Debrief the
goals you accomplish and look to your own group's wisdom for
improvement.
5. Facilitate group venting. Redirect issues into positive solutions.
Emotionally manage your groups feeling of success and
disappointment. Failure to do so will destroy your team from the
inside out.
6. Plan for team expansion; Decide how you will educate and involve
new members because team membership rises and falls. Create a
process for translating your team culture to new team members
and continually look for ways to refresh your membership.
7. Take time to celebrate: Getting a project completed is only one
side of a team effort. Building morale and enthusiasm for the
effort along the way is essential for quality, accountability,
and for building trust. True collaborative efforts balance work
and people issues when team leaders pay keen attention to team
member perceptions of fairness, worth and value for team member
efforts, and fun.
_________________________________
Leo J. Deveau
Executive Director,
Chebucto Community Net
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada
_____________________________________
A community will evolve only when the people
control their means of communication.
-- Frantz Fanon
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