Author: People Development

Learning

Portable Skills


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Objectives

  1. To help build team identity by helping team members to learn more about each other.
  2. To help team members discover individual skills that can improve the effectiveness of the team.
  3. To provide a light hearted way to help establish open communication as a team norm.

Time

 30 minutes

Materials Required

Large Post-it note pads or wall cards and masking tape.

Instructions

  1. Distribute the Post-it notes or wall cards to every team member and ask each team member to write their name on it and two skills that they bring to the team, e.g. how to prepare a budget, language skills etc.
  2. After 3 minutes ask each team member to stick the Post-it notes or wall cards on a wall and ask everyone to read all the comments.
  3. Then ask each team member to write out two different skills that they do not normally use or talk about in work, e.g. playing a musical instrument, being a great cook, coaching or playing a particular sport really well, leading a youth group, etc.
  4. After 3 minutes ask each team member to stick the Post-it notes on a wall and ask everyone to read all the new Post-it comments.

Debrief

  1. Ask if the team found out new things about each other.
  2. Discuss how the team could improve their effectiveness by making the most of everyone’s work skills.
  3. Ask why it can be useful for the team to understand the wider skills that each of us has outside of work.

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Learning

Do We Learn?


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Objectives

  1. To identify team members’ attitudes to learning and development.
  2. To reflect on the learning opportunities team members have had and ways to enhance learning opportunities in the workplace.

Time

 45 minutes

Materials Required

Post-it notes; or

Wall cards (preferably in two colours) and masking tape.

Flip chart and pens.

Instructions

  1. The activity leader asks everyone to take some wall cards or Post-its. 
  2. Ask each team member to write on one or more cards any learning activity they have undertaken in the 12-month period. It should be a reasonably substantive learning experience. It need not be only restricted to workshops, but could include coaching, self-study or another form of learning activity (see the attached list of options).  There should be one activity only per card.
  3. Also ask each team member to on the cards or competencies they would like to learn or improve in the coming 12 months. One Activity per card.
  4. The cards should be put on the wall. You can sort the second group into subject clusters if you wish.
  5. The activity leader then facilitates a debriefing session.

Debrief

  1. Consider the amount of learning over the last 12 months. Do some staff have a lot and others none? Probe to find the reasons. Is it lack of time, lack of managerial encouragement, demotivation in the job or a feeling of senselessness (“it won’t help my career anyway”). You could list the reasons on a flip chart. Ask if anyone is prepared to describe his or her best (worst) learning experience.
  2. Look at the learning plans. What patterns can you see? What will you need to do as a team (manager) to facilitate team member learning? Is there any topic that can be addressed for the whole team?
  3. If you can, map out a learning plan for the team for the coming months.

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Learning

How do you like your recognition?


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Objectives

  1. To help team members get a better understanding of what types of recognition they like and value.
  2. To learn what can increase team member fulfilment.
  3. To strengthen human relations in a team.
  4. To learn what motivates your team members.

Time

 30 or 45 minutes

Materials Required

A copy of “How do you like your recognition questionnaire?” for each team member.

Flip chart with 18 numbered boxes representing each number on the attached list.

Two coloured self-adhesive dots per team member or marker pens.

Instructions

  1. Distribute a copy of “How do you like your recognition?” handout to each team member.
  2. Ask each team member to identify those items in the list that they would like to receive and also identify two which would be, for them, the most welcome.
  3. Ask each team member to indicate on the chart the two recognition factors that they think are the most important.
  4. Try to identify what it is that makes the most popular selections special.
  5. As a team, ask each person to discuss their results and to talk specifically about how they want to be recognised by the team
  6. (Optional) The activity leader can also lead a discussion about motivation.

Debrief

  1. What did the team learn about recognition and motivation?
  2. What steps can the team leader and the team take to improve the team member fulfilment and motivation?

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Learning

Fear or Offence


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Objectives

  1. To help strengthen relationships amongst the team.
  2. To provide a way to discuss how to reduce disagreements.
  3. To help build rapport amongst team members.

Time

 30 minutes

Materials Required

None

Instructions

  1. The activity leader asks team members to think back to recent projects.
  2. Ask the team to answer the following questions in an open and honest way (you should put them on the flip chart beforehand):
  • How do you feel when someone disagrees with you?
  • Do they give criticism in a constructive and non-aggressive way that does not make you feel fear or offence?
  • How well do you think the team discusses the relationships between team members?
  • Do team members treat each other with respect?
  • How well do team members get on with one another or is there tension, discrimination?

Debrief

  1. The activity leader should facilitate a discussion on the value of civilised disagreements within teams. Ideally the activity leader should be the first to give their opinion on disagreements within the team – this will set the tone of the activity.
  2. What can the team do to ensure that disagreements are minimised within the team?

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Learning

Express Yourself


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Objectives

  1. To help establish open communication as a team norm.
  2. To help build rapport amongst team members.

Time

 30 minutes

Materials Required

Flipchart and pen 

Instructions

  1. The activity leader asks team members to think back to recent projects.
  2. Ask the team to answer the following questions in an open and honest way (you should put them on the flip chart beforehand):
  • Does the team have a fair, open and inclusive process that allows you to express your opinions and feelings?
  • Do you feel your views are listened to?
  • Do members of the team have ‘hidden agendas’?
  • Does everyone in the team feel that their opinion is valued and taken into consideration when decisions are being made?
  • Do members of the team use inquiry and listening skills in an effective way?
  • Are some things easier to discuss openly than others?
  • Why is that?

Debrief

  1. The activity leader should facilitate a discussion on the value of open communications within teams. Ideally the activity leader should be the first to give their opinion of the nature of communications within the team – this will set the tone of the activity and give an indication about the length of the discussion.
  2. What can the team do to ensure that open communication is the norm in the team?

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Learning

Team Participation


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Objectives

1. To help identify ways to increase participation in the team.
2. To provide a structured opportunity for team learning.

Time

 45 minutes

Materials Required

Flipchart and pen 

Instructions

1. The activity leader writes the following questions on a flip chart before the meeting.
• What sorts of things lead people to under-participate or fail to participate?
• Are we encouraging diversity so that everyone feels they can contribute and offer their views? Are their views respected?
• How do we handle people who are quiet and withdrawn and not contributing to team discussions?
• How do we handle people who are not contributing in an effective manner, e.g. turn up to meetings unprepared, or do not complete the actions that are their responsibility?
• Are we sure we are not marginalising anyone and is everyone included in decision making?
• Do we ourselves always feel able to participate fully, if not, why not?
2. The activity leader asks each team member to think about and make notes on the questions and their own experience of how they have dealt with this problem in the past. Think about a particular person, or various people, who you feel does not participate fully in your team?
3. Then the individuals should pair up with another team member and discuss their experiences and ideas and techniques for dealing with non-participating, and under participating, team members.
4. Finally, the whole team discusses the issue and then offers suggestions and gives any feedback to team members in a constructive manner.

Debrief

1. Review the questions that were asked above.

2. What did the team learn about ideas and techniques for dealing with non-participating team members?

3. Do non-participating team members feel better able to contribute as a result of the session? If not, what else can we as a team do about this? The activity leader needs to make sure that staff are not singled out as non-participating unless they wish to offer reasons why this is the case. Ensure the feedback is given in a constructive manner. Remember also that level of participation is a diversity characteristic. In every team a variety of participation levels is not bad and indeed is highly likely. Over participation can be a negative trait in some circumstances. Non- participation does not mean a lack of interest. What we want in a team is effective participation. Quality rather than quantity is important and sometimes the non-participants have excellent ideas that we miss and cannot capitalise upon.

4. How can we put these ideas and techniques into practice in the team in the future?

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Learning

Team Climate Self-Assessment


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Objectives

  1. To help the team to focus on process or climate characteristics rather than task characteristics.
  2. To help a team to develop a good team climate to underpin their effectiveness at getting tasks done.
  3. To practise open discussion on sensitive issues.

Time

 60 minutes

Materials Required

One copy of the “Team Climate Self-Assessment Survey Handout” per team member plus some extras. 

A flip chart with the seven characteristics and the five point scale. Marker pens. Self-adhesive dots (optional).

Instructions

  1. Divide the team into smaller subgroups of three to six persons in each group.
  2. The activity leader hands the checklist of questions to individual team members and one extra for each group. Explain that there are a number of key interpersonal issues that commonly cause disagreement to occur within teams; the checklist gathers these issues into categories and suggests a number of questions that can be issued to both diagnose underlying problems and provide a checklist for improving future performance. There are no right or wrong answers; rather the benefit of this self-assessment tool is in allowing the team to have objective discussions about how effectively each member of the team perceives the team is working.
  3. As a first step and without discussion, individual team members should answer the questions.
  4. The second step is for the sub-groups to reach consensus on a group score and note this down on the spare handout.
  5. Each group using self-adhesive dots or a marker pen should mark their score for each characteristic on the flip chart prepared by the activity leader.
  6. The activity leader should facilitate a debriefing discussion.

Debrief

  1. This is a difficult debrief as you are dealing with sensitive issues. The activity leader will need to set a climate conducive to openness and try to seek out the view of all team members without putting anyone in a difficult position.
  2. Look at the items where there is agreement and try to understand the different perspectives if there is disagreement.
  3. Identify those which need your attention and map out on the flip chart some ways to address those. Focus on specific actions that you can take.

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Featured, Learning

Appreciative Inquiry Resource Pack


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What it is

Appreciative Inquiry is a way of looking at organisational change that focuses on doing more of what is already working. 

Why I found it useful

Useful information and resources

Who might find this useful?

This resource is for anyone who wishes to use an Appreciative Inquiry approach to support service improvement or redesign. 

How long does it take?

45 minute – 1 hour read

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People & Organisation Adviser

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Learning

Autism Presentation


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2 minute read

What it is

Curriculum Resources and Information Service(CRIS) is  located in Lochside Academy.  Please telephone 01224 241760 on arrival at the school entrance and a member of CRIS staff will welcome you and give you access to the building.

CRIS has a fantastic range of resources to support the education of children aged 3- 14 in Aberdeen City and membership is available to Aberdeen City Council staff and partner organisations. 

Visitors are very welcome !

Why I found it useful

Great resource for all education staff. 

Who might find this useful?

Anyone who wants a better experience at work! 

https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/libraries-and-archives/library-services/curriculum-resources-and-information-service-cris

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