Empowerment Leadership Model for Small Groups, Teams, & Families
Course 3, Lesson 3
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The Offer of Opportunity
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The Contract
Note: Whenever "group" or "team" is used, it can mean "group", "team", or "family".
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The Offer of Opportunity
What I call the "Offer of Opportunity" is that very simple and sensitive statement of purpose that draws people to seriously consider joining the group or team opportunity. It should be no more complicated than necessary.
The Offer of Opportunity should address the elements of a working, successful group or team.
The Offer of Opportunity should address the elements of a working, successful group or team.
2 or more people
who need each other
to work toward accomplishing a common purpose
to which they are committed
who need each other
to work toward accomplishing a common purpose
to which they are committed
Here are a few examples, not having to do with the work of a local church or group of Christians. Specific examples for Christian purposes are shown in subsequent lessons dealing with specific types of Christian groups or teams.
"How would you like to join a group where you work together to get a traffic light put at the corner of Fourth and Main?"
"How would you like to form a team where you work together to lead a Little League baseball team that gives boys baseball skills, good sportsmanship, and personal confidence?" "How would you like to join a group where you help one another stop drinking and driving and stop getting DUI convictions?" "This is a dog obedience class. Would you agree to be a part of this group where you help each other teach your dogs obedience?" "Welcome to the first day of third grade at Howbert Elementary School. Can I get you to agree to be a part of this class in such a way that you help each other learn so that everyone does as well as she or he can?" "If we hire you, will you agree to join the Corner Store team to work together with and help other employees do the best you all can so that Corner Store gives customers great service so that they will come to our store often enough for us to make a profit and pay reasonable salaries?" |
The ability to present an invitation in such a way as to ensure a high degree of voluntary acceptance is something most leaders must work hard at. Success depends heavily upon the tuning-in process described earlier which identifies needs of the target population. In offering a group or team opportunity, success depends upon matching personal needs to what you are wanting to offer in the way of a group experience or team project.
The group leader should offer group membership in a warm, accepting manner which avoids forceful persuasion. The purpose of the group, phrased sensitively from the perspective of those approached, is usually the only persuasion needed. If the Offer of Opportunity addresses the real needs of the people approached, it will motivate. Personal needs are many, some of which are given as examples below.
The group leader should offer group membership in a warm, accepting manner which avoids forceful persuasion. The purpose of the group, phrased sensitively from the perspective of those approached, is usually the only persuasion needed. If the Offer of Opportunity addresses the real needs of the people approached, it will motivate. Personal needs are many, some of which are given as examples below.
to gain a sense of significance
to gain help for something to gain confidence to help others to see something done feel strongly about etc. |
After stating the Offer of Opportunity, the group leader helps people thoughtfully consider the group purpose in light of their own needs. The group leader may have to inquire about fears and reservations and help people overcome these to be able to risk joining the group.
A person’s voluntary acceptance of a group or program depends on his/her ability to comprehend how that program will bring a desired benefit. People often have difficulty joining a group or accepting a program that they do not feel is going to really matter – that is not going to help them with one of their greatest perceived needs. And, sometimes people are not aware of their own deeper needs.
The successful group or team leader helps invitees know that they understand their thoughts, feelings, and needs. Then the leader states the Offer of Opportunity and helps those invited to understand how the group or team purpose will contribute to their own needs and often the needs of others. Lastly, through the contracting process, the leader asks for commitment to the group's purpose, to the group as a whole, to the other group or team members, and to his or her leadership role.
A person’s voluntary acceptance of a group or program depends on his/her ability to comprehend how that program will bring a desired benefit. People often have difficulty joining a group or accepting a program that they do not feel is going to really matter – that is not going to help them with one of their greatest perceived needs. And, sometimes people are not aware of their own deeper needs.
The successful group or team leader helps invitees know that they understand their thoughts, feelings, and needs. Then the leader states the Offer of Opportunity and helps those invited to understand how the group or team purpose will contribute to their own needs and often the needs of others. Lastly, through the contracting process, the leader asks for commitment to the group's purpose, to the group as a whole, to the other group or team members, and to his or her leadership role.
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worksheet
OFFER TO PARTICIPATE
worksheet
OFFER TO PARTICIPATE
STEPS TO FORMATION OF AN OFFER TO PARTICIPATE
Step One: Decide upon a generalized purpose statement that embodies something critical that (1) the group members want to accomplish and (2) that they need each other for success. It must be one that you want the opportunity to help the group achieve. Write down a purpose statement that connects what you want to offer with the critical needs of those you will approach.
Step Two: Plan helpful actions that will engage the possible feelings, thoughts, and actions of potential group members in a way that will help them overcome doubts and commit themselves to the group. Anticipate problems that might come up when you offer the group or program.
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The Contract
The Contract
Most of us have the desire to get started and into the action as soon as possible. But this is mistake. Setting the groundwork or foundation first through contracting is quite necessary. Not doing so jeopardizes the success of the group in many ways. Without agreement on a compelling purpose, group efforts will flounder or get way off track. Without an understanding of roles, passive dependence upon leadership will reduce output. Without agreement on the purpose, there will be no logical way for the group to deal with dysfunctional and destructive behaviors.
The contracting phase of working with groups and teams is so important that we have devoted almost this whole Course 3 to it.
We don't just pick up and do many things. For example, a basketball team does not immediately just start playing basketball. The coaches educate and demand practice drills before playing a game. A new employee rarely just goes to work without some instruction on the employer's way of doing things.
The skillful group or team leader will spend considerable time during the first meeting of a group or team, or the first re-organizing meeting of a group or team, getting a set of agreements we refer to as a "contract".
In the format I teach here, there are 14 steps to a good contract. We talked about them in Course 2 from the standpoint of the tasks of a group. Let me here point out the desired outcomes of each step.
The contracting phase of working with groups and teams is so important that we have devoted almost this whole Course 3 to it.
We don't just pick up and do many things. For example, a basketball team does not immediately just start playing basketball. The coaches educate and demand practice drills before playing a game. A new employee rarely just goes to work without some instruction on the employer's way of doing things.
The skillful group or team leader will spend considerable time during the first meeting of a group or team, or the first re-organizing meeting of a group or team, getting a set of agreements we refer to as a "contract".
In the format I teach here, there are 14 steps to a good contract. We talked about them in Course 2 from the standpoint of the tasks of a group. Let me here point out the desired outcomes of each step.
CONTRACTING STEP ONE: Using the “tuning-in” that you did before this first meeting, help the potential group members know that you care for them and somewhat understand them and their life situations.
Lend a vision about the benefit of group participation, especially the benefits of working together. Addressing everyone, ask them to stay for the whole meeting, even if it looks like they will not be able to join the group being offered. Let them know that their contributions at this time will be helpful to the group that does form. Some may change their mind as the meeting goes on and join the group. Step One reassures potential group or team members that you understand, or are willing to understand, a little what they are going through. No one wants a group or team leader who doesn't have at least a cursory knowledge of what they are going through. An employee really appreciates it when his manager understands that he has a wife and kids to support and sometimes his mind will be troubled. Although in this model of empowerment leadership a Bible Study Group could be led by someone not at all familiar with the Bible, people will join the group more readily if the leader does understand Scripture fairly well. of potential members Couples will join a Bible study on marriage more quickly if the couple leading the study have been successfully married for a number of years. CONTRACTING STEP TWO: Offer the group in as simple a way as possible. Communicate the “Offer of Opportunity” and seek the feedback of potential members about joining. Plan helpful actions that will engage the possible feelings, thoughts, and actions of potential group members in a way that will help them overcome doubts and commit themselves to the group. Anticipate problems that might come up when you offer the group or program, such as concern for confidentiality. Step Two explains what is being offered and why it might be beneficial to join the group or team. It also helps individuals think through what is being offered, why it might be necessary or helpful, and if they might want to join the group or be involved on the team. CONTRACTING STEP THREE: Help potential group members either accept the group as offered, modify the group, propose an acceptable alternative, or reject the idea of a group altogether. Help individuals propose (or propose yourself if potential group members are unable) any needed modifications to more clearly define the purpose of the group, a purpose that is very motivating because it is seriously desired by group members. But remember, the purpose must stay one that fits your own purpose and calling from God. Step Three accomplishes establishing who will be in the group from the beginning. It also allows for the wording of the purpose to be what those joining want, as long as the mission of the leader and his or her organization (if any) want. If, for example, those joining would rather the purpose be "to provide opportunities that will lead to spiritual growth in the seniors of our church" rather than your proposed purpose "to help the seniors of our church be well-grounded in Scripture", the change should be acceptable. It is basically saying the same thing, but in a way that potential group members like better and this will help them make the purpose their own. CONTRACTING STEP FOUR: Lead a discussion on the cost of group membership for successful work toward accomplishment of the purpose. Things to consider may include but are not limited to the following: (a) time and length of meeting; (b) faithful attendance; (c) commitment to help each other; (d) confidentiality; (f) etc. Step Four helps those who think they want to join the group or team think through ahead of time some of the things that will be required. It is a mistake to assume that they will think of these things naturally. Leaders know that if not addressed at this point, when these things are necessary and required later they may be reasons to quit. Thus, it is a mistake to just list these things rather than discuss them. If you just tell what the group will require, there is no conscious consent to them on the part of some of the members. For example, just mentioning that confidentiality is necessary is a big mistake. The announcement or inclusion in a list will not identify those who are not sure they want to commit to keeping what happens in the group private. The costs must be agreed upon consciously or there will be trouble later. CONTRACTING STEP FIVE: Acquire from each potential member an agreement to be a part of the group, committed to the group’s purpose and willing to pay the cost of membership. This may seem redundant with Step Three, but it emphasizes “cost of membership” as well as hammers home the critical necessity of the group or team and its purpose. Restate your “Offer to Participate”. Step Five reaffirms commitment to the purpose in light of the costs to potential members. It gets a firmer commitment to the purpose and an initial commitment to costs associated with group membership. CONTRACTING STEP SIX: Ask for commitment of group members to each other in order to accomplish the purpose. Note that at the beginning of a group the purpose cannot be repeated too often. It must be ingrained in everyone's mind as the ultimate reason for getting together as a group. Other agendas and purposes must be prevented through this conscious action at focusing effort. Step Six gets potential group members to know that if they join the group, they are not just to watch out for themselves. Since group purposes should not be what an individual can do, and because those purposes require members to help one another contribute to the group's work and success, it is critical to begin breaking down the individualism that is so prevalent in our society's culture. CONTRACTING STEP SEVEN: Help the potential group agree to and accept your role as group leader. Give and explain your own commitment to help the individuals become a functional group and to help the group work toward success at its purpose. Make clear why you cannot be considered a member of the group because your focus needs to be, like a coach or consultant, on helping the group develop and grow into a strong team. Explain that you cannot do that and also focus on helping group members in their Christian life. Make sure they know that success is and must be in their control. Step Seven begins the process of helping the group and its members realize that you are there to help their group or team become a highly functional social entity, not to help them with the work that needs to be done to achieve the group purpose. It is a critical step to destroying the over-dependency upon leadership that holds so many people and groups back from even coming close to their potential. CONTRACTING STEP EIGHT: When they agree, it is time for you to commit yourself to help the group and its group members. In Step Eight you give the group and its members your own commitment to do the best you can. Everyone else has been making commitments, so it is important that you make one also. CONTRACTING STEP NINE: Explain that they have just formed a group: two or more people who need each other to work on a common purpose. In Step Nine you declare the existence of the group or team. This is the actual starting moment. Enough agreements and commitments have been made to proceed. CONTRACTING STEP TEN: Go over a little more carefully who is to be a "true" member of their group. Explain that membership has benefits like cooperation and friendliness and respectfulness. Ask them if anyone cannot give those things to the people in the room who have accepted membership. Usually they will readily agree, and this may be important later if any of those things are withheld from someone. Ask the group if there is anyone they know of who should be invited to be a member of the group, but was not. Step Ten accomplishes two things. First, it explores the privileges of membership and gets agreement that those who have joined the effort have a right to the benefits of membership. Second, it explores if group members have others they want to join, provided there is still vacancies in the group. CONTRACTING STEP ELEVEN: Help the group explore the feelings of each member about being in the group so that work in the group can be as free as possible of fear, ambivalence, anger, embarrassment, etc. Step Eleven allows the group to eliminate any hesitations about group membership and action as well as to take motivational advantage of any positive feelings. CONTRACTING STEP TWELVE: Help the group explore what kinds of individual behavior will be expected of each of the members if the group is to go well and be successful in working toward the group purpose. After dealing with individual behaviors that will help the group succeed, discuss what behaviors will be detrimental to group success. Step Twelve empowers the group to identify needed behaviors of the group members. In so doing, it also implies what individual behaviors are not appropriate. CONTRACTING STEP THIRTEEN: Help the group consider what it will need to do as a group, i.e. the group as a whole rather than the individual members. Help them to identify things like creating a "can do", positive, accepting atmosphere. There is no need for the group members to understand the span of their responsibilities. But they do need to know that the group as a whole will need to do many things – as a group. Considering some of them at the beginning of the group will focus the minds of group members on their existence as a group as a whole rather than as individuals. Step Thirteen empowers the group to identify what it needs to do as a group. For many group members, this will expand their thinking from the individualistic "what do I have to do" to the corporate thinking that will be more and more important for group success. The frequency of thinking, "What do we need to do together?" must increase. CONTRACTING STEP FOURTEEN: Help the group discuss general goals necessary to achieve the group's purpose. Step Fourteen gets the group started on breaking down the over-arching purpose statement into a number of more manageable goals that will be necessary to accomplish the purpose. |
Next, pick at least four or the types of groups or teams that interest you from Lessons 4 through 16.
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Copyright 2012 Dick Wulf, Colorado, USA