Well there is another old saying that goes ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’
Effective groups don’t just happen, you have to work hard at keeping them working well. Some possible and common problems are listed below.
At the start of the project make sure you :
Encourage quiet group members to contribute by asking them directly about what they think.
Be prepared to politely interrupt and ask others for their ideas, or perhaps set time limits for each speaker.
Rotate the role of chairperson for meetings so everyone has an opportunity to lead the discussion.
Don’t jump to conclusions – make sure you give the person a chance to explain why they missed a scheduled meeting.
You may choose to reschedule the meeting time if it is causing problems.
Or you may need to check the group contract and remind persistent meeting missers of their obligations.
If your group is having trouble understanding a task then don’t be afraid to ask for help:
Having an agenda for meetings helps keep the group on track. Rotate the chairperson’s role each week and perhaps set a time limit for speakers.
This can be a difficult one, but really the social rules of respecting others, tolerance and being professional enough to get the job done should prevail.