Collaborative Group Activity

Imagine you are about to recruit someone for a key managerial position in your company. Rank the 5 behaviors below according to your belief about how important they should be in assessing the candidate: 1 = most important, 5 = least important (you should use each number only one time).

a. Helps others see what views, needs, and aspirations they have in common and uses this to generate a sense of purpose.

b. Is clear about what his/her views are on an issue and backs these up with relevant facts and reasons.

c. Is non-defensive and willing to admit to not having all the answers or that a mistake has been made.

d. Is prepared to tell others when he/she is happy or dissatisfied with their behavior or performance.

e. Is prepared to invest time in getting a deeper understanding of someone else's position by asking questions and listening.

Group task: reach group consensus on the final rank order of the 5 behaviors. This means reaching a decision to which everyone has some input. Consensus is not about finding a mathematical formula for reaching a result nor is it a majority vote.

Individual task: influence the other group members as best as you can to accept your rank order. During the discussion, you may be influenced to change your opinion, and you should then work to influence the other members towards your new thinking.