BMA eBook - Manual / Resource - Page 62
Intervention and Leadership
groups is an essential part to intervening effectively. Four elements usually
need to be attended to: 3
•
The degree of inclusion, participation and contribution – who is (or is not)
speaking, how frequently and with what consequence on the groups
cohesion; and how doe these patterns align with the groups and factions
involved? For example, is the silent group also a faction that has a great
deal at stake but who have not yet declared their hand and their readiness
to engage in resolving the issue?.
•
The ways in which authority and power are used as a means to structure,
direct and order discussion and to regulate any differences that emerge.
For example, when a difficult conversation begins does one of the
authority figures in the room, a representative of one of the factions, divert
attention away from the issue on the table to questions of procedure or
structure; or does an expert start to provide evidence of why something
isn’t true?.
•
The manner in which individuals’ needs and ideas are recognised; how
compassion and empathy are displayed, the degree to which relationships
are built between people, and the group builds an identity. For example, is
there any genuine curiosity demonstrated in other peoples opinions or do
some people try to show they understand the difficulty or potential losses
others maybe experiencing?; and
3
The first three elements are adapted from W. Schutz(1994) The Human Element; Jossey-Bass
Copyright Vantage Point Consulting Pty Ltd 2010
Not to be reproduced without the author’s permission
Page 9
