Problems in the Groupvs. Problems in the World
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Sometimes people committed to solving a problem come together and discover one more time that good intentions do not automatically create an effective group. And sometimes the problems in the group eclipse the problem in the world they had hoped to solve. Ideally a problem solving group would have a number of features:
(More than one observer has commented that our U.S. Congress possesses none of these characteristics, and that certainly reflects on their apparent impotence in dealing with serious problems. But that's a topic for another time.) The good news is that "problems in the group" are still problems, that is, they can be best approached using our typology. So the material below takes some of the most common problems in the group (organized under the ideal characteristics listed above), and points to the relevant problem type and some possible solutions. |
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A Clear Charter |
The whole section on Aiming is the best response to this concern. When groups have an unclear or incomplete charter, their effort is vulnerable to any number of personal agendas or competing goals. A few simple questions can dramatically improve the clarity of its charter:
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Investigation & Reflection |
Some of the problems we see when this condition is violated include:
These issues are generally amenable to a strict norm against solving the problem before we know what the problem might be. |
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Substantive Exploration |
Almost every problem can be heard as an implicit accusation. When we say "It takes too long to process credit applications", it sounds awfully close to "What's wrong with you people in Finance?". And you can expect at least a few people in the group might be personally defensive or protective of the department at risk. The facilitator can prevent much of this simply by the way they characterize and capture the group's work. |
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Respect & Consideration |
Groups with no history -- or a tortured history -- |
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Open & Candid Communication |
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Information |
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Relevant Expertise |
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