SMALL COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSIONS- MOST POWERFUL TOOL FOR TRANSFORMATION

1.   Form a small community group of 4 to 6 people

2.   Appoint a spokesperson for your community discussion group

3.   Allow 20-30 minutes for small community group discussion

4.   Highlight the primary concept introduces in the specific module

5.   Share insights and discuss your experiences

6.   Use the O.R.I.D. approach to lead the group discussion namely O= Objective and get the facts; R reflective- Exploring emotions and Feelings; I= Interpretive- Meaning or implication and D Decisional- Future action

7.   Make sure that your comments to the group are encouraging and uplifting, treating others as you want to be treated- with respect and courtesy

8.   What interested you most about the module and lessons that you have learned from a specific module?

9.   Remember the Life-cycle of a small community group namely: Initiation and start-up, Early stages, Growth, Maturity and Demise

10. Secure an adequate meeting place, invite people, start on time, present the vision of the group, , encourage people to ask questions, confirm a time for next meeting, send reminders, decide of duration, frequency, day of the week, open and honest about issues, decide how you want to close each meeting

A FORMAT TO GUIDE SMALL COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSIONS-

The following format, known as the O.R.I.D. discussion method, is a versatile tool for leaders to:

Support learning by following a presentation, reading, video or PowerPoint session with a structured discussion

1.   Discuss application of principles and concepts

2.   Broaden perspectives

3.   Direct conversation to explore desired areas

4.   Enable movement from discussion to decision

OBJECTIVE- GETTING THE FACTS

Collect observations and facts

1.   What stand out for you in the reading or video or PowerPoint slides

2.   What did you see?

3.   What did you hear?

4.   What issues ais presented

5.   What do you remember?

REFLECTIVE- EXPLORING EMOTIONS, FEELINGS, ASSOCIATIONS.

Identify People’s view of things. Explore past associations

1.   What reactions do you have? Why?

2.   Why is this important?

3.   What seems easy/Difficult?

4.   What was exciting/ disappointing?

5.   How does this relate to what you have seen/done in the past?

6.   How does this relate to your situation?

INTERPRETIVE- MEANING OR IMPLICATION

Clarify meaning, Purpose and significance

1.   How is this important for you?

2.   What will be helpful for you to understand the issue at hand?

3.   How does this relate to your goals?

4.   How will this make a difference?

5.   What lessons can we learned from this?

DECISIONAL- FUTURE ACTION

People decide how they can respond and point to future action needed

1.   What will you do differently as a result of what you have learned?

2.   How will you apply what you have learned?

3.   How can you ensure that pour resolutions really happen?

COMMITMENT AND AGREEMENT: SMALL COMMUNITY GROUP (suggest that you give your group a specific name)

WHO ARE YOU?

1.   Write down your three most important personal values

2.   Share this with your team and decide on your team’s three most important values

3.   Select an inspiring name that best describes your unique team

4.   Design a logo and devise a slogan to support your team’s name

5.   By means of a short presentation, introduce your team to other groups or to the supervisor of the management team in the organisation

We, as members of this Small Community Group, individually and collectively agree:

1. The first step in any change is a determined commitment to that purpose
2. The purpose of our group is to open our hearts and minds and share what we are learning with each other
3. To use this opportunity to challenge each other, seeking truth and, share experiences
4. Our objectives are to grow as a group, encouraging each other as iron sharpens iron and learn and share our experiences with each other so that we can build a healthy community group
5. To address any area in our work team that is hindering our growth and relationships with other employees or customers
6. To challenge ourselves to explore new ways by stepping out in the water
7. To learn to operate the business with excellence
8. To encourage each other on a regular basis
9. We will create an environment of trust by sharing experiences about an issue or question and will participate in the learning process
10. We will be open to listening to others and will not try to fix things for them or place any judgment on them
11. We ask you to discuss this together as a small group and signify your commitment to each other by signing the following agreement
12. This is not a promise to us- but to each other and to your determination to seek the best
13. You are going to be amazed at what you see coming out of the discussions
14. We are committed to challenging ourselves in this area of sharing at a deeper level
15. We agree to respect each other
16. We agree to make this group a top priority and will commit ourselves to attend each meeting unless we are sick, experience a business emergency- Because of the nature of the group, we believe it is very important not to be absent. Likewise, we agree to arrive at the designated starting time of each meeting
17. I will not give in to life’s DETOURS. They will never stop me from being successful. I will overcome my number one fear/stumbling block which is:

We accept the conditions of this agreement and commit me to it wholeheartedly We agree to make the commitment of time and money needed to carry out this Action Plan. We further agree to meet at the times noted below to review progress towards the achievement of our purpose and goals.

1. Signed: ………………………………. 2. Signed: ……………………………. 

Dated: ………………………………….              

My Mentor: Dr Mario Denton: Progress Reviews +2782 88 29903 or [email protected]

Date:  ……………………… …                  Time: ……………….

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Date:  ………………………….                   Time: ……………….

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One of the most common FAQs that we get at the beginning of the course is, 

“How much time do I have to complete this course?”

This depends very much on your learning style and the time that you have available. My suggestion will be that you do the following:

1. Set yourself some goals

2. Commit yourself to do one module per week

3. Give feedback about your progress to your accountability partner

4. Tell people what you have learnt

5. Even better, enrol on the same course with other people and have reflection time together as you progress

6. You can also do the Learning style assessment and the assessment on stumbling blocks to identify issues that can stop you from completing the course

We can monitor your progress from this site and would love to see that have completed the course. Whatever your learning style may be, whatever goals you set for yourself, and whatever pace you have chosen to work at - please do complete the course. A job half done will never bring lasting satisfaction. So, do the reflection exercises, work through the assignments and feel free to contact me for a personal coaching session. 

Go for it! See you at the finishing line.