Early in my 35-year career as a group dynamics professional, I became aware that most people only digest and retain about 20% of what happens when I work with them. Ugh.
I believe there are many reasons for this:
—There's typically a lot going on, and it's easy to drop stitches.
—The tendency to be so self-absorbed (how does this impact me?) that they miss the bigger picture.
—A lot of folks aren't that good at listening.
—Being too embarrassed to admit when you're confused, and thus failing to ask questions to better understand.
—Not being open to new ideas (because you're so invested in the old ones—even when they're demonstrably not working).
As a consequence of this insight, I developed the habit of writing an after action report, in which I carefully go over what happened while I was with them, plus what I observed and what I recommend going forward. Even though there is often little that's new in these reports (from what the group was given orally while I was with them), a good report can significantly enhance what the group can make use of.
OK, so what constitutes a "good report"? Good question.
While not a court transcript, it should, I believe, cover the flow and sequence of the conversation, and succinctly identify the themes, conclusions, and next steps that emerge from each segment of the work. It should incorporate reflections about the energy in the room, not just the ideas. It should also capture unfinished business which either surfaced tangentially, or for which there wasn't time to address.
Writing a thorough report takes me about as much time as the meeting itself. Why so long? Partly because many people won't read a longer report and it can take me a while to boil down my comments to what I consider essential. (There is a quote attributable to Mark Twain that applies here: I apologize for such a long letter—I didn't have time to write a short one.)
In my experience, concision—making one's point clearly, yet with an economy of words—is often the last skill learned among speakers and writers.
All of that said, there are a few other things I try to include in group reports:
• Any insights into the dynamics of that particular group that went unnamed while I was present. This may mean looking more deeply into what I noticed happening, or illuminating the awkward interplay of multiple activities that are not in and of themselves problematic.
• An analysis of why certain practices can lead to deleterious consequences, and offering specific advice about how to accomplish the same result with a different approach that's less freighted with danger.
• When offering critical feedback I try hard to be specific and direct (notice when X said this and Y responded in this way, leading to this misunderstanding or that degree of reactivity).
• When groups are doing well, I make an effort to celebrate their strengths as well as the ways in which they might improve. (All sulphur and no molasses makes for a mean diet.)
The Essential Ingredients to Excellent Reportage
1. Careful observation. Hidden in this criterion is the need for a large degree of free attention, so that you don't miss subtleties.
2. Good notes (don't expect to hold everything in your head).
3. The capacity to shift perspectives and see what's happening through the eyes of the various players. Actual evil, by which I mean intentional mischief or harm, is much rarer than is supposed—in general, people intend well, and it's your job as reporter to frame your comments in such a way that good intentions are honored, while not neglecting to illuminate concerns. It's an art.
3. The ability to write clearly (which, sadly, is less common than one would hope).
4. Timeliness (I have a personal standard of trying to complete reports within two weeks of finishing an in-person stint).
While not rocket science, neither is good reportage accidental. It's a discipline, and well worth cultivating if you want to be effective in the world.
A final word: please don't let my laundry list of how to author good reports overwhelm you from trying (since I can't imagine ever getting that good, why try?). Any reporting can be worthwhile, so long is it's an accurate reflection of what you observed, and delivered in a compassionate and even-handed voice.
Laird,
ReplyDeleteIs there a good email or preferred way to reach you directly? My wife and I recently moved to a land trust near La Plata (largely on the basis of her experience as an intern and my visit to her at Sandhill in the early 2010s) and I'd like to do a consultation for advice on group process and to pick your brain on other miscellaneous topics. If you don't want to provide an email directly, please reach out to me at jmw at 3mar.net. In any case, I'd like to thank you for the workshops that you put on at Institute. They were very helpful and always a highlight when I was able to go.