1.5 - About University

H OW TO HANDLE PARTICIPATION IN A GROUP✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔Break the group into subgroups early; ask a spokesperson to lead the reporting on an issue.People who may be reluctant to speak up in a large group will often participate readilyin a small group.Leave contentious issues until the group has warmed up to participation. Put a safe agendaitem at the beginning of the meeting.Don’t wait until you need participation to ask for it. Consistently ask for and supportparticipation.Always summarize or paraphrase participants’ contributions, particularly if you have a differingview. [☛ 8.7 Active Listening]Participants are much more likely to hear you if you demonstrate that you heard them. If youhear something you disagree with, acknowledge or make the idea visible before commenting.[☛ 1.8 Recursive Leadership]Be careful how you handle contentious contributions outside a meeting. If you talk outside ameeting about how dumb the participants were inside the meeting, you can expect lowparticipation at your next meeting. [☛ 10.5 Group Disturbances]Call group members participants if you want them to be an active rather than a passive audience.Call sessions where you want participation workshops, working sessions, or bullsessions rather than the more passive meetings, presentations, updates, or seminars.How you arrange room seating can add to or detract from participation. Arrange the roomso participants can see and talk easily with each other. [☛ 11.3 Meeting Checklist]Observe other group leaders. What do they do that enhances or inhibits participation?H OW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL“The challenge is to make ‘have-to’s’ into ‘want-to’s’.”—Geoff Bellman, GETTING THINGS DONE WHENYOU ARE NOT IN CHARGEToo much participation may cause as many problems as too little. Too much: Decisions will taketoo much time and some people will think you are abdicating your leadership role. Too little:People will feel that they have no ownership and that you are overcontrolling. The optimalamount of participation needs some thought and planning. Where do you need participationand how will you secure it?318 SECTION 10 TOOLS FOR LEADING TEAMS AND GROUPS