Assess your meeting dynamics with Meeting Maps
Definition of Terms Used In the Meeting Maps
Effective Group Task Functions
- Defines Problem Or Issue: defining a group problem, issue or overall purpose of group or meeting
- Information Or Opinion Seeking: Requesting facts; seeking relevant information about a group concern, asking for suggestions and ideas
- Information Or Opinion Giving: Offering facts, providing relevant information about a group concern or issues; stating a belief; giving suggestions or ideas
- Clarifying Or Elaborating: Interpreting or reflecting ideas and suggestions; clearing up confusions; indicating alternatives and issues before the group; giving examples
- Summarizing: pulling together related ideas, restating suggestions after the group has discussed them; offering a decision or conclusion for the group to accept or reject
- Feasibility Or Consensus Testing: Checks reality, suggests possible options; sends up “trial balloons” to see if the group is nearing a conclusion; checking with the group to see how much agreement has been reached
- Recording/Organizing: scribe, note taker
Group Building & Maintenance Functions Observation
- Orienting / Facilitating: attempting to keep communication channels open; facilitating the participation of others; suggesting procedures for sharing opportunities to discuss group problems
- Expressing Group Feelings: Sensing feeling, mood, relationships within the group; sharing one’s own feeling with other members
- Harmonizing: attempts to reconcile disagreements; reducing tension through “pouring oil on troubled water”, gets people to explore their differences;
- Encouraging: Being friendly, warm & responsive to others; accepting others & their contributions; regarding others by giving them an opportunity for recognition
- Following / Compromising: going along with the group or when one’s own ideas or status is involved in a conflict, offers a compromise, yields status, admits error; disciplines self to maintain group cohesion.
- Setting Standards: expresses standards or goals for group to achieve; helps the group become aware of direction and progress;