Speech Unit 2: Group Discussions and Leadership Skills

Committee

(Closed-group) A subgroup of of a larger organization assigned with a specific task. Group of people who are tasked w/ fulfilling specific needs.

Roundtable

(Closed-group) The participants deliberate on problems or issues to analyze them and find a solution. TIME LIMIT IS IMPORTANT but not as strict as public discussions. Make the decision

Town Hall Meeting

(Public) Has many individuals. Name comes from meetings btwn citizens and government officials in town hall. They're still common in smaller towns and large organizations. Top officials meet with employees to solve problems.

Symposium

(Public) It is a collection of individuals presenting ideas and work. Includes presenters and peers. Guests are invited to analyze and review presentations. There is a topic and theme. A __________ forms a broad subject where presenters can freely borrow info. There is a flexibility in their intellect and interpretation. Group members give short, uninterrupted speeches 1 by 1. Has "break out" sessions. ex: Bank gathering

Panel

(Public) Panel of 4-5 individuals who are considered knowledgeable and experts in field. Discuss and provide input on a topic. In front of and for the benefit of audience. Time: 45 minutes. AUDIENCE IS IMPORTANT. Specific time for questions and answers.

Reach Agreement

(if possible) State a proposal/compromise agreeable to both sides. Or allow participants to come up with their own agreement/compromise by guiding them. Not all conflicts are resolved. In these situations, you must divert attention from the conflict to the core purpose of the discussion. Conflict is then resolved after discussion.

Conflict Resolution

1. Acknowledge the Conflict 2. Understand the Situation 3. Reach Agreement

Two Types of Leaders

1. Active 2. Passive

Two Types of Group Discussions

1. Closed-Group 2. Public

Two Major Objectives in a Town Hall Meeting

1. Discover and discuss relevant issues (requires heavy audience participation). 2. Work towards a solution (plan/road map for implementing solutions)

Leadership Roles

1. Initiating the Discussion 2. Rephrasing the Purpose 3. Creating a Consensus 4. Encouraging Participants 5. Gatekeeping 6. Summarizing

Jobs of Group Leader

1. Introduces topic and sets expectations of discussion. 2. Oversees the functioning of a group by choosing flow of discussion (includes everyone). 3. Times the discussion.

Types of Group Discussions

1. Panel 2. Symposium 3. Town Hall Meeting 4. Roundtable 5. Committee

Keys to a Successful Group Discussion

1. Purpose is fulfilled efficiently and amicably within time frame. 2. Leader works with group to achieve goal.

Challenges of a Leader

1. Side conversations. Stopped by asking one of them a question. 2. Tell extroverts to wait for their turn 3. Some dominate discussion. Spend time talking about their own opinions & can intimidate others. You must ask others' for opinions. 4. Subgroups that promote own agenda. You can't prevent siding, but do manage the discussion flow. Ensure that points raised and discussed are free from bias and ulterior agenda. 5. Too many or too few people. You must restructure 6. Limited resources. 7. Disagreements or personal attacks. Conflicting opinions. You must talk with them aside. 8. Cliques as a result of relationships. They must be separated to work on separate tasks. 9. There is no solution to topic. You must come up with a creative problem-solving method. 10. Disruptions 11. (COMMON) Discussion loses focus and veers off in a different direction unrelated to the purpose. You must determine if this is good or bad. It can result in a creative solution, but if not you need to refocus the discussion.

Success in Group Discussions

1. Vision 2. Organization Skills 3. Communication Skills 4. Ability to Motivate 5. Emotional Stability 6. Integrity 7. Energy 8. Mediation

Examples of Leaders

A leader can be a moderator, facilitator, supervisor, or group member informally chosen by others.

What must group discussions have?

A purpose and and a time limit. Leader identifies both objectives and manages the flow of discussion.

Types of Committees

Ad hoc or standing.

Moderator in Roundtable

Also the group leader. They manage the discussion and take part in it. They are well acquainted with the agenda and inform participants about time, venue, and agenda.

Moderator in a Panel

Before a panel discussion, a moderator provides the topic well in advance. He prepares the questions which help the panelists research and prepare. The moderator customizes the flow of content depending on audience by regulating their questions.

Acknowledge the Conflict

Bring forth the views in respect. Nobody interrupts. Invite others' opinions at the end.

Norming

Calmer. Everyone ideally picks their roles and resolves their conflicts. The group identifies the working structure for the group. Challenge of the leader: he manages the different views of the people and creates a team atmosphere. There are small interactive games for everyone's inclusion.

Moderator in Town Hall Meetings

Conducts the meeting and is responsible to encourage, manage, and direct audience interaction. A town hall meeting may also include a panel discussion.

Public Discussions

Discussion involves participants outside the group.

Time in Group Discussion

Discussions function in a preset time limit. Group leaders accommodate it by speeding up discussion so that there is enough time for closing thoughts.

Passive Leader

Does not express personal opinions. Lets group members develop own ideas.

4 Stages of Group Development

Each presents challenges. 1. Forming 2. Storming 3. Norming 4. Preforming

Group Discussion

Effective platform that is a systematic, interactive, and oral process in which participants express views or opinions to get a clear perspective on a topic. It is based on the participants' attitude.

Forming

Everyone gets to know each other through formal introductions. Challenge: Some may be wary or biased. Leader ensures open and free interaction.

Storming

Everyone openly approves or criticizes opinions. They disagree about roles. There is clash of personalities as members compete for authority. Leader listens to both sides and tries to form an agreement to move forward.

Performing

Everyone performs and delivers the assigned tasks. Cohesion and understanding is at its highest. Challenge: achieving the goals. Leader directs the discussion to reach a consensus. Discussion can lead to a clash of opinions. Good if it leads to a healthy debate. Bad if it disrupts the flow of the discussion and becomes conflict.

Gatekeeping

Exert control. Ensure participation and time frame management.

Active Leader

Expresses opinions and ideas.

How can you reach results?

Focus on the objective. Success depends on leader's skills.

Creating a Consensus

Form agreement towards end. You must effectively handle the flow of the discussion and manage opinions to overcome a deadlock at the end.

Organization Skills

Have a clear agenda and stick to it. Plan and direct accordingly. Keep members focused on the topic of the discussion.

Moderator in a Symposium

He has passive role. Only introduces presenters and manages the time frame. At the end, they engage with presenters and audience to ask questions or point to areas of agreement/disagreement. They analyze the presentation.

Energy

If you are "pulled" by everyone, you look weary. But if you are energetic, you give enthusiasm to the task at hand.

Mediation

Important. Helps resolve conflicts which helps accomplish goals.

Integrity

Inspire trust in the group and be free of bias or judgement.

Initiating the Discussion

Introduction and ground rules set at the beginning. Reiterate the purpose and focus the discussion when it steers away from goal and becomes vague.

Encouraging Participants

Make them feel comfortable and confident enough to express their opinions. ex: Appreciating an idea or accomplishment motivates and encourages them.

Ability to Motivate

Manage, motivate and keep the group on task. Be able to provide incentives and instill a sense of purpose in the group.

Closed-Group Discussion

Members of particular group discuss a topic among themselves.

Example of Roundtable

Monthly or annual meeting of the board of directors. They discuss, analyze and make important decisions about the functioning of the company.

Presenter In a Symposium

Organize thoughts with structure. The topic is given or chosen. They must research and interpret data "overachievingly" beforehand. They can add value to the data by applying insight or correlation not apparent. They have an access to different presentation tools to create visual communication. Their content is based on time. Some time is already set apart for questions (with audience).

Standing Committees

PERMANENT. Deal with recurring tasks and issues. They can be tasked with managing a section of or the entire organization. example of a task: evaluate and improve workplace morale.

More on Group Discussions

Part of decision-making. Many come together to share and obtain information. Collaboration leads to better understanding. There are group dynamics, person to person. Listen. It's an opportunity to use effective language and gestures.

Audience in a Town Hall Meeting

People directly related to or affected by issues. Must participate.

Rephrasing the Purpose

Rephrase important points for better understanding. Helpful when the group cannot interpret the purpose of the discussion and arrive at a conclusion.

Understand the Situation

Stating the underlying, stated opinions. It can be your opinion or factual analysis of the conflict.

Summarizing

Summarize the main points, action items, and resolutions. Unresolved items become topics for subsequent discussions.

Example of a Panel Discussion

TV and online news providers do this. An example would also be a new government tax plan being introduced. A panel discusses it on TV and the viewers call in to ask questions or use social media platforms monitored by news networks to do so.

Communication Skills

These must be good to manage your group well. Be an active listener. By using the rephrasing technique, you show interest in what is being said.

Ad Hoc

They address a specific purpose and are then dissolved. ex: team designed to research target market for a new product.

Moderator in a Commitee

They are the group leader and are actively involved.

What is the responsibility of a group leader?

To steer the group discussion to a logical conclusion.

Who holds symposiums?

Universities. Presenters here include professors, students, and working professionals. They prepare papers/reports which offer analysis and insight into a particular topic. Present to audience with many people of established academic and industrial backgrounds. Best papers are published in univ's research publication.

Level of Leader's Involvement

Varies. Some discussions require more control. It is their responsibility to bring the discussion back on track if it steers away from the goal.

Vision

You communicate the final result of group efforts. Understand concepts and have a clear vision of the big picture.

Emotional Stability

You must have this and confidence. Be calm and composed even though you might be criticized. Handle conflict with poise and self-control. Be a mediator.