Group Reflection
These tools can be especially helpful for groups navigating systems change efforts. Bringing a group of diverse individuals together to advance equitable systems change is a hefty endeavor in and of itself. Weaving together the wisdom, experience, and innovative thinking of each team member requires a great deal of skill. These reflection tools can support groups through the various stages of their systems change efforts.
- Tools for Group Formation: This is a time for developing shared understanding, clarifying the purpose and need, examining assumptions. This can also be a fertile time for divergent thinking rather than automatically reaching for old salutations and patterns.
- Tools for Growth and Emergence: This is a time for allowing divergent thinking and new ideas to emerge for full consideration. Groups are called to embrace tension and lean into the rich potential of conflicting ideas that are a healthy part of any systems change process.
- Tools for Convergence: This is a time for groups to move to action. By developing shared understanding while making space for divergent thinking to emerge, groups are able to begin working towards the strategies, approaches, initiatives, and decisions that are needed to advance equitable systems change. This is an important time to reflect on what has emerged in your group process as you move into operationalizing your group decision.
| Tools for Reflecting with a Group | Examples of when to use this tool |
| Beginning/Formation: | |
Public Narrative:Story of Self, Us, Now (Image file can be found HERE) This is about storytelling moving us to action! Some Reflection prompts:What brings me to this group? What holds us together? What makes us strong together? Curious to learn more look here:Source 1: How to tell the story of us, self and now: https://sojo.net/resources/how-tell-story-self-us-and-nowSource 2: Marshall Ganz worked alongside Community And Labor Activist Cesar Chavez and the Farm Labor Movement which influenced the later development of public narrative https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/30760283/Public-Narrative-Worksheet-Fall-2013-.pdf | Each of us has our own story, there’s the story of us as we come together, what’s our vision moving forward. Opens up space for people to bring their cultures, experiences into a room. Can help with team building, especially with new teams or early on in a project/initiatives Can be especially helpful/potent for groups doing shared work. Can be a helpful reflection activity when trying to develop a counter narrative with a group – what’s the story you want to offer/tell. |
| Culture Chest Activity & Reflection Facilitator-Agenda_Culture-Chest.docx | Can be good for team building – getting to know each other on a deeper level. Can provide a space for team members to reflect on and share more about themselves holistically. Can help build cultural competency – practice identifying cultural identities, similarities & differences in the group. |
| Co-Facilitator Check-In Prompts Co-Facilitator Check-In | Can be helpful when working with a new facilitation team. Can provide support when working with a facilitation team on a loaded/sensitive topic. Good for team building with your co-facilitators. Helps center relationships and foster collaboration. |
| Reflection Coloring Sheet Who is most impacted? Who is harmed? Who benefits?Who are we missing? Who do we know that we can start building relationships with? Impact.jpg Artwork by Kay Mou | Good for reflecting on the impact your initiative is having. Helps to surface the unintended consequences and highlight who may be missing. Can help reveal what you may have overlooked and help you be more collaborative as you move forward. Great for a team, collaboration, coalition to reflect on together while in a planning stage. Can also be used as an evaluation tool after the completion of a systems change initiative. |
| Middle/Groan Zone: | |
Shared Work Model By Tuesday Ryan Hart. Shared WorkShared LearningShared Relationships (Image file can be found HERE)Nest building: What is (values, teachings, environment)What we want to do (envisioning shared work model)What we need to do this work together (stepping into our own power)Susy’s Notes on shared work model from leading courageously Susy – Shared Power Toolkit2-SharedWork.pdfAoH – Tuesday Ryan-Hart: Stances and Power in Shared Workhttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/shared-work-collaborative-leadership-systemic-change-joshua-cubista/ | Used when you are working with a team of diverse thinkers from different teams, departments or organizations with competing priorities. Helps folx establish a shared goal what is at the center of all our work? How can we build different configurations of teams to get there? Can be helpful when considering:What are we willing to do together next when there isn’t a finish line? Can help when a need is present, given different perspectives this framework places the work at the center because we know we can’t solely focus on root causes or symptoms nor can we all agree on what the common vision/analysis is before taking the next step. |
Human Systems Dynamics Adaptive Action: (Image file can be found HERE)What happened? What did you observe?So What difference did it make? What feelings came up?How did the group work well together?Now What follow up is needed? Now What needs to happen so we can conclude this process? Human Systems Dynamics https://www.hsdinstitute.org/resources/adaptive-action.htmlWonder Share https://www.edrawmind.com/templates/what-so-what-now-what-template.html U of M https://extension.umn.edu/leadership-development/what-so-what-now-what Miro template https://miro.com/templates/what-so-what-now-what/ | Can be used with any size group. A good reflection process for:1) Integrating new information2) Reflecting on what is working and what might we try next.3) In need of new ideas for moving forward |
| Open Space Activity instructions – Global Open Space, HSDI, 2021HSDI OS A Run of Show IRF Edits (AA Edits) ghe notesAWNotes8Dec2021.doc https://www.amazon.com/Open-Space-Technology-Users-Guide/dp/1576754766 | Can be used when no one knows the answer, and a diverse group of people with different perspectives is required to find a solution. It should not be used in situations where somebody in a position of authority already has a solution, or where that person needs to be in tight control of the process. |
| Peer Assist Peer_Assist_GROW_Model.pdfPeer Assist Facilitator Guide Guide | A good group activity for surfacing the wisdom in the room. Can provide a fast process that helps problem solve and generate ideas when faced with a challenge or opportunity. Best done in small groups (4-7 people). Best done in shorter periods of time – helps you not overthink things or get stuck in analysis paralysis (35-45 mins total) |
| Circle Practice: The Circle Way Activity instructions: https://www.thecircleway.net/ | Can help hold deep conversations, build relationships, and hold difficult conversations. The circle ebbs and flows. Can help bring a group together to think and reflect on an event, traumatic experience, offer support. |
| 6 Group Processes & Dynamics (from Intergroup Dialogue) 02_6GroupProcessesandDynamics.pdf | Can help a group do a temperature check. |
Focused Conversation ORID https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ATJFOP8erTW54vwvuDNZ71s9HKLkgjVg | Can help structure a conversation by asking questions that address our senses and how we acquire information. |
| Endish | |
| Focused ConversationsToP Facilitation https://www.ica-international.org/top-facilitation/ | Can help provide structure to conversations that might otherwise travel all over the map, saving time and energy and minimizing potential power plays or hidden agendas. It is versatile, and works as well with a group of strangers as it does with colleagues who have known each other for many years. Because the focused conversation applies an inclusive structure to the listening process, it also promotes shared understanding. |