Establish a Vision and Purpose

Vision statements are an important first step in creating a collaborative atmosphere and stay focused on important outcomes.
Examples:

• John will live with his family in a safe and healthy environment and contribute to his community.
• Jane will successfully live in her own apartment with only minimal staff support and manage her medication schedule independently.

Ground Rules Defining Team Behavior

Clear ground rules identified and approved by the team can create a positive and respectful atmosphere. Examples of ground rules can include:

• everyone will attend the meetings once the date is agreed upon,
• team members will not leave the meeting once it has begun,
• every person will have a chance to speak,
• team members will not interrupt someone if they are speaking, and
• the facilitator raising her right hand is a signal that it is time to stop speaking and regroup, and
• all team members will give each other positive feedback on a ratio of about 4:1 (four positive statements for every one criticism)

Clear Roles and Responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities for running an effective meeting are shared across team members and often include:

• a Facilitator who guides the team through the meeting agenda, encourages all team members to share, and clarifies what is said by paraphrasing and summarizing discussions. The facilitator brings the group back on task when the conversation strays from the team's purpose;
• a Time Keeper makes sure the team spends the agreed upon amount of time for each topic and alerts the facilitator when it is time to move on to the next agenda item.
• the Record Keeper documents the actions taken during the meeting, helps to establish the time needed for each agenda item, reviews the actions decided by the team at the end of the meeting, and provides the meeting minutes promptly at the end of the meeting (or within a 24-hour period).

Other Roles That Are Sometimes Used In Teams Include:

• the Equalizer makes sure that every person on the team has a chance to contribute
• the norm prompter monitors the team meeting to ensure ground rules that have been established are being followed.

Agenda and Meeting Minutes

Agendas can be useful for:

• identifying the topic areas that will be discussed at an upcoming meeting.
• Alerting team members about certain materials that will be needed at the meeting or about topics that will be discussed.
• defining how much time will be spent discussing each issue that the team must address.

Meeting minutes are a record of the actions to be taken and should include:

• a statement of the action to be taken,
• the person responsible for completing the action, and
• a date for the expected completion of each action.

It is important to distribute the meeting minutes as quickly as possible after the meeting has been completed. This allows professionals to see what actions for which they are responsible and gives them enough time to complete the tasks.

Data-based Decision Making

Reviewing data in meetings will help the team decide whether new strategies should be continued or modified. Examples of data include:

• the number of new social interactions a person has each month,
• interviews with team members about progress being made, or
• the frequency of problem behaviors.

The meeting minutes should document who is responsible for bringing data to the next meeting and cue team members when the data should be reviewed. Problem solving sessions should be based upon a review of the data since this information will provide important clues about how to modify person-centered planning and positive behavior support efforts.

References

Snell, M. E., & Janey, R. (2000). Teachers' guides to inclusive practices: Collaborative teaming (pp.62-73). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Rindone, N. K. (1996, May). Effective Teaming for Success. Presented at the workshop for Kansas State Department of Education, Division of Student Support Services, Boots Adams Alumni Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.

Team Problem Solving Process

Identifying the Problem or Issue

• Clearly state the problem so it is easy for the team to understand and address.
• Carefully review the information already gathered before problem solving begins (e.g., evaluation results, person-centered plans, etc.).
• Identify the most important variables related to the problem. (for instance, problems encountered may be barriers that are preventing a person's ability to fully participate in the community)
• Once the issues are clearly defined, decide which issues are considered a higher priority and should be addressed first.

Brainstorming

• Involve all team members in the brainstorming session
• Select the topic and amount of time that will be spent coming up with ideas to solve the problem identified
• Keep the brainstorming session short (15 minutes or less is recommended).
• There are no wrong ideas during brainstorming. All ideas should be shared during the brainstorming session without judgment or criticism.
• The greater the number of ideas generated, the more likely team members will be able to select ones that best address the issue.
• Team members should try as best they can to focus on the identified issue(s) and not the complexity of the situation.
• All team members need to participate in brainstorming including the focus person whenever possible.
• Record all ideas on flip chart paper and in large print, so team members can refer to the ideas during the brainstorming session.

Decide Which Solutions will be Implemented

• Organize and assess each response at the end of a brainstorming session.
• Discuss the pros and cons of each of the ideas in a positive and constructive manner.
• Make sure everyone has an opportunity to participate equally and feel comfortable with their choices about which idea they believe is best.
• Use Consensus Making Strategies, Negotiation, or Voting to decide which solution to try

Develop an Action Plan and Evaluate the Results

An action plan should include:

• the major steps needed to implement the solution,
• the persons responsible for each step of the process, and
• the timelines for completing each step.

The action plan should describe the following evaluation activities:

• a description of the types of information or data that will be gathered to evaluate the team's progress,
• who will be responsible for gathering each type of information or data identified for evaluation, and
• a date for the follow-up meeting to review progress

References

Giangreco, M. F., Cloninger, C., Dennis, R., & Edelman, S. (1994). Problem-solving methods to facilitate inclusive education. In J. Thousand, R. Villa, & A. Nevin (Eds.), Creativity and collaborative learning: A practical guide to empowering students and teachers (pp. 321-349), Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, F. P. (1991). Joining together: Group theory and group skills (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn Bacon.

Consensus Building & Decision Making Strategies

Weighted Voting

This is a systematic approach that can be used when team members are having trouble deciding which issues to address first. Creating structure when a group can't agree or when there are several different opinions about how to proceed can keep the team focused on outcomes instead of becoming distracted or upset. Click here for a description of how weighted voting is completed. weighted example.pdf

Fist to Five

Another consensus building strategy is called "Fist to Five." This structured voting process allows the team to make a decision about an issue or activity by giving each person the opportunity to give an opinion quickly by indicating a preference level using a hand gesture. Click here for a description of the Fist to Five process. ActFirst5.pdf

Likelihood Impact Analysis

Another team building strategy that is used to encourage collaboration focuses on priority setting. The Likelihood Impact Analysis is a systematic process for assessing: 1) which issue team members believe will have the biggest impact, and 2) the likelihood that each issue can or will be implemented. Click here for instructions on how to implement a Likelihood Impact Analysis and an example of how it can be used. Act Like ininstructons.pdf

References

Fisher, R., & Ury, W. (1981). Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in (2nd ed.). NY: Penguin Books.

Xerox quality leadership: Problem solving processes. (n.d.). Stanford, CT: Xerox.

Issues Related to Systems Thinking

What are Systems?

A system is any interacting or interdependent group of people, processes, or items that form a unified whole. Systems can be made up of only a few people meeting to discuss an issue or might be as large and complex as a government or corporation.

What is Systems Thinking?

Most of us have not been taught to think from a systems perspective. Systems thinking refers to knowledge of how interdependent groups work. Thinking from a systems perspective allows you to consider problems from a proactive point of view. In many settings, we are taught to break down complex situations into smaller issues that can be addressed individually.

For instance, if an organization is struggling because of a rapid increase in behavioral crises across a number of settings, the tendency would be for professionals to address each individual situation separately. However, reducing a larger problem into a small number of individual issues may prevent the identification of larger patterns within a system that reveal new solutions.

An assessment of the whole organization may provide insight into how to improve management strategies, staff development, and resource allocation which would save time that currently is devoted to responding to crises.

Why is Systems Thinking Important?

Failing to consider a systems viewpoint results in a number of beliefs and actions that can slow the change process.

Defining Jobs by Tasks Instead of Purpose

Many professionals seeking positive change have approached their colleagues with a request for support only to hear "that's not my job." This is commonly heard in groups where jobs are strictly defined by individual tasks. Teams who have a clear vision and sense of purpose tend to work towards a collective goal. Everyone shares the responsibility for achieving these collective goals.

Placing the Blame on Others

Professionals who see their job as a list of specific tasks will often find another person to blame when something goes wrong. Teams that use systems thinking realize that when something goes wrong the reason for the problem encountered should be shared. The actions of the group are usually collectively responsible for problems that arise. As Peter Senge has said "True proactiveness comes from seeing how we contribute to our own problems." The answer to most problems can be found by considering one's relationship with others.

Fixating on Details and Immediate Issues

It is common for a professional facilitating positive behavior support planning to be asked "how do I stop Erica from running out into the road." People tend to become fixated on specific immediate events and have difficulty stepping back to see a larger perspective. The answers to Erica's behavior may be the result of long-term patterns of interactions with those around her. Instead of focusing on the immediate reactive response, such as creating higher fences and locking doors so Erica can't run away, the real solution may be to teach new communication skills and increase predictability in Erica's life.

Fragmentation of Thought

Many of our organizations and human service fields are becoming increasingly specialized. Within each organization, professionals specialize in different areas of expertise, such as behavior support, person-centered planning, speech-language pathology, or psychology. These fields develop their own perspectives, values, and beliefs that guide professionals' behavior.

Mental health, developmental disability, and child welfare organizations all have their own language describing how to support the individuals with whom they provide services. The difference in language and perspective creates barriers that make it difficult to collaborate effectively in teams when individuals are supported by one or more of these organizations. The answer to this increasing fragmentation of thought involves creating more effective strategies for teaching individuals to understand these natural barriers and by learning to communicate and problem solve effectivel

References

Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline. New York, NY: Doubleday Currency.

Senge, P. M., Kleiner, A., Roberts, C., Ross, R. B., & Smith, B. J. (1994). The fifth discipline fieldbook: Strategies and tools for building a learning organization. New York, NY: Currency Doubleday.