Check 5: Team Goals, Purpose, Roles and Responsibilities

Feedback to Check 1

Task 1: Participating in a meeting

Compare your responses to those in the table below.

1In the first remarks made by Alex, he uses inclusive language.

Identify three examples of inclusive language and explain how this would help the others to participate effectively in the team.

Examples of Alex’s use of inclusive language / How this would help others participate effectively
‘[Looks around the table and smiles] Welcome everyone’ / Alex’s simple opening greeting makes everyone feel welcome and part of the team.
‘Thank you for all agreeing to be part of this committee.’ / Alex acknowledges that all team members are giving their time to be part of the committee. By acknowledging this simple fact, Alex makes the members feel valued.
‘Some of us have had experience organising functions and others are new to the task, but everyone will be able to make a contribution.’ / Alex acknowledges the skills of the team members and makes everyone feel they can contribute, regardless of their individual experience.
You will notice that Alex is both a team maintenance-orientated person, ie he is good at keeping the team together, and a task-orientated person, ie he also focuses on getting the job done.

2In the meeting, Alex ensures that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the discussion.

Identify three examples of this and explain why this is important to the team achieving its objectives.

Alex is very good at ensuring everyone contributes to the discussion. He regularly asks the team as a whole for suggestions. At times he also asks specific individuals. For example, he realises that Deniz is quiet and takes a background role but that she has the most experience of organising the function. Alex shows he values the contribution Deniz can make by asking her directly. Alex also manages Wayne’s enthusiasm well.

Examples of Alex ensuring everyone has the opportunity to contribute are:

‘Does anyone want to add anything to the agenda?’
‘[Turning to Wayne] Thanks for that Wayne…[Looking around the table] Any other additions to the agenda—Hilda, Deniz?’
‘We need to agree on the scope of the project—to organise an end of year function.[Looking around the table] Does anyone want to add anything to that?’
‘Yes, that’s a good way of looking at it. The first thing we need to do is agree on the purpose of the function, what we are aiming to do and what outcome we want. [Turning to Deniz, smiling] Deniz, would you like to start the ball rolling on these three things?’

Ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the discussion is important because:

all team members feel that they have been heard and have had an opportunity to contribute
it ensures that energetic and vocal team members, such as Wayne, do not prevent others from speaking
it ensures that quieter members, such as Deniz, feel encouraged to share their ideas.

3In the meeting team members are allocated different roles and tasks. Alex ensures that everyone has the opportunity to feel involved in these decisions.

Identify three examples of this and explain why this is important to the team achieving its objectives.

To ensures that everyone has the opportunity to feel involved, Alex encourages all team members to participate in the discussion, as discussed in Question 2.

Alex also individually asks people to take on roles and complete specific tasks—instead of simply telling them. These tasks and roles suit the members’ strengths and help them feel part of the team. Examples of this are:

‘[Turning to Deniz, smiling] Deniz, would you like to start the ball rolling on these three things?’

Alex asks Deniz; he doesn’t tell her to start the discussion. As Deniz has been invited to talk about the purpose, aim and outcome of the function, she feels Alex is talking to her with courtesy and respect.

‘First, we need a minute taker. [Turning to Hilda, smiling] Hilda, I thought you might take on that role.’

Again, Alex is not commanding; he is reflecting his thoughts and acknowledging Hilda’s skills at the same time. He is speaking courteously towards her.

‘[Positively] That’s a great starting point and you’re probably the best person to tell us what you think the tasks are that need to be done and we can add any that we think of.’

Again Alex is showing respect towards Deniz and acknowledging her experience.

Other examples are:

‘[Turning to Wayne, smiling]Wayne, would you like to do some more research about venues and what they offer? You could go back to your Internet search and come up with, say, five options.’
‘Could you take on that [identifying the budget] Hilda? Finance is your area.’
‘[Turning to Deniz, smiling] Deniz, could you help Hilda with that [identifying cost estimates] please? With your experience you’ll be able to give Hilda lots of background information and ideas about costs. Are you happy with that?’
‘I’m also thinking you might survey the staff, just by email, to get a rough idea of the numbers who think they will attend the function.’
‘I’d like to suggest that our next meeting date be in a fortnight at the same time. [Looking around the table] Can everyone attend then?’
‘[Looking around the table] Well, thank you all for a good meeting. Our next meeting will be in a fortnight and every fortnight after that—is everyone happy with that?’

4The team members have diverse strengths. In this meeting, Alex is able to match the strengths of the committee members to the tasks that need to be done.

Identify how he has achieved this with regard to Wayne, Hilda and Deniz.

Team member / Strengths / Tasks
Wayne / Enthusiastic
Good with technology—has already found potential venues from the Internet / Research venues—identify five options
Hilda / Highly organised and very systematic about work / Minute taker
Accountant in the Finance Department / Confirm budget with the HR manager and identify a draft list of resources and costs
Deniz / Has been on the Social Committee for several years and last year she helped organise the very successful end-of-year function
Usually prefers to take a background role and help complete tasks that others give her / Identifies the tasks that need to be done
Help Hilda with ideas about costs
Email staff to get an idea of numbers

5Showing respect for each other is essential for team members working effectively together. This includes disagreeing with respect.

Identify an example of this and explain how this was achieved in this situation.

When Wayne says he heard last year’s function was boring, and that he’s on the committee to make sure it’s got a bit of life this year, Alex replies calmly:

‘[Turning to Wayne, calm and positive] It’s great that you’ve joined the team, Wayne. Everyone’s voice is important. [Looking around the table] Remember, though, we need to make sure that we consider everyone on the staff—don’t forget we have people from different cultures and religious practices, ages and physical abilities on our staff, some with physical disabilities.’

Alex shows respect for Wayne by first saying how good it is to have other voices on the committee. He then reminds Wayne that everyone on the staff must be considered when planning the function. Another example occurs later in the meeting:

[Wayne]‘Don’t you think we need to meet more often?’

[Alex]‘Well, let’s start with that and see how we go. If we need more meetings, we can make some adjustments, particularly as we get closer to the event.’

In this instance, Alex disagrees with respect. He does not dismiss what Wayne is saying; instead, he suggests starting to meet every fortnight but looking at meeting more often if needed.

6Deniz tends to behave passively—ie she doesn’t willingly put forward her own opinion. Passive behaviour is often related to low self-esteem.

Identify some comments by Alex where he encourages more participation by Deniz.

Alex often directly asks Deniz for her thoughts, instead of simply asking the group as a whole. He also looks for opportunities to raise Deniz’s self-esteem. Alex seems to understand that making people feel better about themselves has a positive effect on how they communicate with others and on how they participate in a team.

Examples of this are:

‘[Looking around the table] Any other additions to the agenda—Hilda, Deniz?’
‘Yes, that’s a good way of looking at it. The first thing we need to do is agree on the purpose of the function, what we are aiming to do and what outcome we want. [Turning to Deniz, smiling] Deniz, would you like to start the ball rolling on these three things?’
‘[Turning to Deniz, smiling] Deniz, could you help Hilda with that please? With your experience you’ll be able to give Hilda lots of background information and ideas about costs. Are you happy with that?’

7Alex uses questioning very well in the meeting.

Identify three instances of his good questioning and explain why he has been effective.

Alex uses a mixture of question types, ie closed, open and probing, throughout the meeting. Using effective questioning allows him to gain clear information and ensures that:

all people are heard
ideas are shared
team members generally feel a part of the discussion and decision making process.

Alex also uses questioning to managing Alex’s enthusiasm. For example:

‘Are you happy to leave that in Tasks and roles?’

This question gets Wayne’s agreement to deal with the venue later in the meeting where it is more appropriate. It ensures that the meeting stays on track with the agenda and doesn’t get sidetracked into a discussion about venues. The question also keeps Wayne involved positively in the meeting rather than him feeling that his contribution was not valued.

‘Wayne, would you like to do some more research about venues and what they offer?’

This question picks up on Wayne’s comment about venues and the searching he has already done for venues. It is a way to make good use of Wayne’s interest and energy to meet the team’s objectives.

Other examples of Alex using effective questioning are:

‘Does anyone want to add anything to the agenda?’
‘Are you happy to leave that [finding a venue] in Tasks and roles? [Looking around the table] Any other additions to the agenda—Hilda, Deniz?’
‘First, we need a minute taker. [Turning to Hilda, smiling] Hilda, I thought you might take on that role?’
‘We need to agree on the scope of the project—to organise an end of year function. [Looking around the table] Does anyone want to add anything to that?’
‘Yes, that’s a good way of looking at it. The first thing we need to do is agree on the purpose of the function, what we are aiming to do and what outcome we want. [Turning to Deniz, smiling] Deniz, would you like to start the ball rolling on these three things?’
‘[Turning to Wayne, smiling] Wayne, would you like to do some more research about venues and what they offer?’
‘Could you take on that [identifying the budget] Hilda? Finance is your area.’
‘[Turning to Deniz, smiling] Deniz, could you help Hilda with that [identifying cost estimates] please?...Are you happy with that?’
‘I’d like to suggest that our next meting date be in a fortnight at the same time. [Looking around the table] Can everyone attend then? [Pauses, then turns to Hilda, smiling] Hilda, could you recap from your notes on the tasks we’re all doing please?’
‘Our next meeting will be in a fortnight and every fortnight after that—is everyone happy with that?’
‘Anyone like to join me for a cuppa?’

Task 2: Recording meeting minutes

Compare your minutes to those on the following page.

Title of meeting: Social Committee Meeting
Date:1.11.06Time:10.30am to 11.30 amLocation: 3.17
Chairperson:Alex Hughes
Documents tabled:Agenda
Present:Deniz Yilmaz, Alex Hughes, Hilda Van Berlo, Wayne Radburn Apologies:—
Agenda item / Key points / Action / By whom / When / Communication strategy
Welcome / Alex welcomed everyone to the committee and to the meeting
Alex asked Hilda to take the minutes
Scope of the function / Need for everyone to agree on purpose, aims and outcomes of the end of year function:
Date / Confirm date with HR manager / Alex
Venue / Search for venues, present five options / Wayne
Estimated numbers / Survey the staff by email and get estimate of numbers attending / Deniz
Budget / Confirm budget, circulate by email / Hilda
List of resources needed / Draft list of resources needed and their costs / Hilda, Deniz
Future meetings / Meetings to be held fortnightly with possibility of meeting more often in future / Alex
Meeting room / To be confirmed and team members notified by email / Alex
Next meeting / 15 November. Meeting room to be confirmed.