Working Together: Effective Committees and PC/PB Meetings

Working Together: Effective Committees and PC/PB Meetings Slides for Module 9 Topic: Group Process Tools

Group Process Tools • Parliamentary Procedure: Robert’s Rules of Order • Alternatives to Robert’s Rules of Order • The PC/PB as a High-Performing Team: The Tuckman Model • Analyzing and Understanding a Group: BART Analysis

Training Objectives Following the training, participants will be able to: • Explain the importance of having an established process for running meetings and making decisions • Describe 5 concepts that are the basis for parliamentary procedure as described in Robert’s Rules of Order • Describe Tuckman’s 4 stages of group development that explain how a group works together • Identify specific ways your own PC/PB can work better together by using Tuckman high-performing team concepts • Describe how BART (Boundaries, Authority, Roles, and Tasks) analysis can contribute to committee and full PC/PB success

Procedures for Running Meetings • Parliamentary Procedure: Robert’s Rules of Order • Alternatives to Robert’s Rules of Order

HRSA/HAB Expectations • PC/PB uses an agreed-upon process for discussion and decision making at committee and full PC/PB meetings • Process helps create a culturally sensitive environment • A formal process using Robert’s Rules of Order does not necessarily work in all PC/PBs • Procedures used for in meetings should: • Meet the needs of most members • Promote full participation and high productivity • Create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere See Part A Manual, p 244

Benefits of an Established Process for PC/PB Discussion and Decision-Making • Provides an orderly process for meetings • Is fair and democratic – everyone follows the same rules and has the same opportunities to participate • Supports open decision making • By managing discussion, protects the organization from individuals who want to put their own interests first

Choosing a Process for the PC/PB Options: • Some form of parliamentary procedure, usually based on Robert’s Rules of Order • A consensus model • A combination, with voting if consensus is not reached • Your own process, usually including basic elements of parliamentary procedure

Key Principles of Robert’s Rules of Order • All members have equal rights and obligations • Majority rules – based on one person, one vote • Respect for the minority – some decisions require a “super-majority” • Only one question/motion is considered at a time • Right of everyone to speak once before anyone speaks a second time • No member can speak until recognized by the Chair • Chair should be impartial • The group’s Bylaws and other rules apply

Flexibility in Robert’s Rules of Order • “Some of the formality that is necessary in a large assembly would hinder business” in a small group (Robert’s Rules of Order, 11th edition, p 487) • Special rules exist for small groups (suggestion is less than 12 people) – like PC/PB committees • Examples of flexibility in provisions: • No limit to number of times member can speak to a question • No need for motions to close or limit debate • Informal discussion permitted if no motion pending • Chair can speak in discussion and vote on all questions

Special Rules of Order • Groups can also adopt their own “special rules of order” based on Robert’s Rules • Use of “special rules” to supplement or modify your procedures • For example: revise the “standard order of business” to fit your PC/PB’s needs, so committee reports with no action items come late rather than early in the meeting

Consensus Decision Making • A way of reaching agreement among all members of a group • An alternative to voting/“majority rules” decision making • Tries to find “win-win” decisions and solutions that balance what different people want • Process-oriented: depends on listening and working together • Inclusive, participatory, and collaborative • Based on the belief that when everyone agrees with a decision, they are much more likely to help implement it

Other Models for Discussion and Decision Making Alternatives to Robert’s Rules of Order and Consensus models: • Your own simplified version of Robert’s Rules of Order – follow the major concepts and use a summary sheet so everyone knows the rules • Martha’s Rules of Order for Meetings • Developed for housing groups • Consensus-based, but lets the group decide whether an issue is worth the time required for consensus

Adopting and Using a Process Regardless of the approach used, the PC/PB should: • Agree on process to be used and include it in Bylaws • Provide training so all members understand it • Provide a handout that explains the main points • Follow the process consistently but not rigidly • Have the Chair ensure that individual members are not permitted to use their expertise to control meetings or discourage participation

Quick Scenario: Meeting Process Your PC/PB uses Robert’s Rules of Order for all meetings, though committees vary in how strictly they use it. The Executive Committee has noticed that member participation – especially by newer members and non-providers – is much lower in committees that use parliamentary procedure than in those that are less formal, and that participation is lowest in full PC/PB meetings. You provide a half-hour of training on Robert’s Rules of Order as part of new member orientation, but it doesn’t seem to meet the need. • What actions might you take to increase participation?

The PC/PB as a High-Performing Team • Importance of Group Process and Team Building • Three Tools for Group Development and Team Building

Importance of Team Building and Group Process • A PC/PB is most effective when it operates as a team: a group of people working together towards a common goal • The common goal for a PC/PB is helping ensure a comprehensive system of high-quality, appropriate care for all PLWH in the EMA or TGA • Team building is the process of gathering the right people (via open nominations process and CEO appointment) and getting them to work together

Importance of Team Building and Group Process (cont.) Group process refers to how members of a group work together to get things done • PC/PBs focus on getting the work done – meeting legislative requirements and making deadlines • Also need attention to group process and team building • How members are interacting • Needs, roles, and contributions of individual members • Members who feel they are valued and contributing members of a team are more involved and more productive – and so is the PC/PB

The Tuckman Model PC/PBs are ongoing groups, but go through transition when Chairs/Co-Chairs and Membership change. So the “new” group may go through the same stages of group development.

Characteristics of Each Stage Source: Net Solution for Business, 2018, http://ns4business.com.br/tuckmans-stages-of-group-development/

Quick Discussion: Using the Tuckman Model Discuss in the full group: • At which stage of the Tuckman Model is each of the following, and why do you say that? • Your PC/PB? • Your Executive Committee? • The Committee on which you serve? • How might your PC/PB use the Tuckman Model right after new members are appointed, to help integrate new members and work as a team?

Observing PC/PB Group Process Observing different elements of your PC/PB’s interaction can identify strengths and areas for improvement. • Communication (points to observe) • Who talks most/least often? • Do certain members typically guide conversation? • What are the styles of communication – suggestions, assertions, questions, disagreement? • What is the tone of communication – respectful, friendly, neutral, negative?

Observing PC/PB Group Process (cont. 1) Participation (points to observe) • Who is paying close attention to the discussion? • Who is – and is not – speaking? • Do you see changes in the level of participation by some members? • What members typically help guide or direct the discussion? • Are there members whose views tend to be ignored?

Observing PC/PB Group Process (cont. 2) Decision Making (points to observe) • Are all members encouraged to participate in reaching a decision – before a vote is taken? • Do some members try to force a decision without full discussion? • Which members support taking the time to hear and understand all viewpoints before a decision is made? • When a decision is made, how do those in the minority react? Those in the majority?

Observing PC/PB Group Process (cont. 3) Roles (observe which members are playing the following roles) • Task roles that focus on getting the work done, like initiating, information/opinion seeking, orienting, assessing, clarifying, summarizing, consensus testing, and recording • Group maintenance or social roles to improve relationships, like encouraging, compromising, and supporting • Dysfunctional or self-oriented roles like dominating, being aggressive, withdrawing, ignoring, blocking, seeking recognition, or disrupting the process

Uses for Group Process Observation • Helps in understanding current levels of group interaction and team building • Can be used by a new Chair or Co-Chair or a new PC/PB support staff member to understand group status • Focus can be on one or several elements of group process • Observations should be documented and main findings discussed with the group • If change is needed, group should agree on action plan

Quick Scenario: Observing Group Process Your PC/PB has a reputation for a high level of member participation and mutual respect. However, in the past few months, Code of Conduct issues have increased and fewer members are speaking at meetings. Recent changes include: • 2 new Co-Chairs (one termed-out, one left due to illness) • 2 veteran members termed-out, 1 very committed to mentoring new members, the other an expert on parliamentary procedure • About 25% of PC/PB members are newly appointed Based on your observations, what might be happening? What might be done to improve the situation?

Analyzing/Understanding a Group: BART Analysis • Used by the Tavistock Institute which helps organizations and groups learn, change and develop • Helps in understanding a committee or the full PC/PB as a group or team • Four key concepts: • Boundary • Authority • Role • Task

Boundary • Examples: time, task, territory • Does the committee have clear and agreed-upon boundaries? • Are these boundaries followed? For example: • Do member come on time? • Do they focus on assigned tasks? • Do they avoid getting involved in activities assigned to other committees? • If not, why not, and what should change?

Authority • Authority is “the right to do work” • A committee’s “formal” authority usually comes from Bylaws and assignments from the PC/PB Chair/Co-Chairs • The committee Chair has “formal” authority • Members may have “informal” authority; for example: • In the Needs Assessment Committee, the group looks to a needs assessment expert as the informal leader • In the Work Group on Updating Service Standards, the group might look to a funded service provider • Informal authority can be helpful or problematic

Role • Roles are the duties to be performed by the group • A committee has formal roles, based on Bylaws • The committee Chair has formal roles – like preparing the agenda and chairing the meeting • Members have formal roles like active involvement • Members can also play informal roles, helpful or unhelpful; for example: • The “Supporter,” who always has something positive to say • The “Critic,” who challenges plans and strategies • The “Historian,” who reminds the group about past experience

Task • A group has two kinds of tasks: • Work tasks related to its purpose and work plan • Survival tasks related to sustaining the group – keeping members motivated and involved • A committee needs to keep its focus on work tasks, while also addressing group-process issues (survival tasks) so the group stays involved and committed

Quick Scenario: Using BART Analysis The PC/PB recently restructured its committees. Needs Assessment/PSRA and Service Strategies (responsible for Service Standards and improving the system of care) now have most of the legislatively defined roles. Two very forceful members of Service Strategies convince the committee to add to its workplan a “special study” to better understand low viral suppression rates for young MSM of color and improve service models for this population. In the Executive Committee, the Needs Assessment/PSRA Chair objects, saying this is really needs assessment and should be done by that committee. How might BART Analysis help you understand and address the situation? Who might be asked to do the analysis?

Using BART Analysis Use any or all the BART concepts to: • Observe your PC/PB or committees • Assess current committee structure and assignments • Identify areas of overlap in responsibilities • See if more attention is needed to group process and survival/sustainability tasks • Identify and address dysfunctional roles

Sum Up • Every PC/PB needs an agreed-upon process for running meetings that everyone understands and can use – whether Robert’s Rules of Order, consensus, or some other model • PC/PB success requires attention to both roles & responsibilities and group process • Useful tools exist for making the PC/PB and its committees into “high-performing teams”, including: • Tuckman’s phases of group development • Observing Group Process • BART Analysis

Optional Slide for Activity

Activity 9.2: The Clearville Pigeon Problem, A Role Play Review your assigned role. Participate in or observe the role play. After the role play, discuss: • How did participants feel during the meeting and by the end of the meeting? • How did observers view the group process – who helped the group come together? Who made it harder? What was the Chair’s role? • What does this role play suggest about stages of group formation and development, and how they apply to the PC/PB and its committees?

Working Together: Effective Committees and PC/PB Meetings