Supervisory Practices in Child Welfare
Module 3: Casework Management
Instructor’s Guide
Activity 10: Practice # 9 Conduct Unit Meetings
Purpose: To describe a process for planning and facilitating unit meetings.
Time: 75 minutes
Objectives: Through this activity, the supervisor will: Discuss how to conduct unit
meetings.
 Discuss unit meeting basics
 Review importance of the agenda
 Discuss how to handle difficult meeting situations
Materials:
Participant Workbook
Flip chart and markers
Projector
PowerPoint file
Sequence: (of topics/exercises)
Time:
Unit Meeting Basics
Meeting Philosophy
Preparing for a Meeting
Dealing with Difficult Situations
5 minutes
15 minutes
35 minutes
20 minutes
Trainer
Demonstration
Slide:
Participant’s
Guide:
Chart:
Key Points
Game
Group Activity
Skills Practice:
Pair Activity
Handout
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Module 3: Activity 10
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Module 3: Casework Management
Instructor’s Guide
Activity 10: Practice # 9 Conduct Unit Meetings (Total
Minutes 75)
Method
Script
Tips/Notes
Unit Meeting Basics 5 Minutes
Welcome to
Conducting Effective Meetings
What makes leading
a meeting different
from participating
in a meeting?
PowerPoint
Slide:
Say:
Ask:

In the next section you’ll learn strategies for
running effective unit meetings.
 These basics should give you the skills to leverage
your meeting time and get results.
What makes leading a meeting different from
participating? (3-4 minutes of responses)
Group Activity





Say:

Learner Guide:
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Correct! You’re in charge
You must decide what to do
How you’ll handle problems
All of this requires planning
Let me share some meeting statistics
 Approximately 11 million meetings occur in the
U. S. each day (MCI survey).
 National Statistics Council reports that 37% of
employee time is spent in meetings.
Because we do spend a lot of time in meetings, it’s
important to use that time effectively.
Module 3: Activity 10
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

Instructor’s Guide
George David Kieffer, author of The Strategy of
Meetings shares some of his research. He talked
with some of America’s leaders in both public and
private organizations.
He summarized two major findings:
1. The skill of managing a meeting is very
important
2. Most Professionals have no real
training in conducting effective
meetings.
Conduct Unit Meetings
Purpose:
• To describe a process for planning and
facilitating unit meetings.
Slide:
Objectives:
• Discuss unit meetings basics
• Review importance of the agenda
• Discuss how to handle difficult situations
within a meeting
229
Say:
Course Objectives
 Discuss unit meeting basics
 Review importance of the agenda
 Discuss how to handle difficult situations within
a meeting
Review the
course
objectives
Learner Guide:
Meeting Philosophy 15 Minutes
Say:
Learner Guide:
The ideal meeting can be very effective if it’s well
planned and executed.
Unit meetings are a wonderful tool to:
 Remind staff of the critical mature of their work
in accomplishing the agency’s mission,
 Discuss performance expectations including
responsibilities, relationships and degree of
authority in the process of identifying unit goals.
S



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Provide positive reinforcement and reinstruction for weak areas,
Follow up and reshape action plans
Regular dissemination and discussion of DYFS
policies and procedures,
Module 3: Activity 10
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Module 3: Casework Management

Instructor’s Guide
Recognize individual contributions to the unit’s
or agency’s effort.
When the meeting is over, everyone can leave the
room knowing that something has been accomplished.
 Turn to Workbook pg. ___ Meeting Quiz
 Take 5 minutes to complete this quiz
Learner Guide:
Do:
Debrief:
Share with
participants:
Say:
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

Complete quiz
Read answers orally; Score using scale on
quiz.
Debrief the activity by:
 Reviewing the correct answers
 Use the scale below to rate participants’
performance.
Correct Quiz Answers
1. When should you call a meeting? (B)
2. What is your objective and how do you find it?
(A)
3. Should you hold meetings on a regular basis?
(D)
4. Who should participate? (C)
5. What should a good agenda include? (A)
6. Is it necessary for the agenda to be distributed
before a meeting? (D)
7. Is it appropriate to hold a meeting in a
restaurant? (C)
8. How can you keep a meeting from running
overtime? (A)
9. When do you end a meeting (B)
10. How can you best evaluate the success of your
meeting? (B)
Use the
scoring key to
the left. Ask
participants’ to
share and
defend their
answers.
Quiz Results –
1. If most of your answers are incorrect, your
meeting knowledge needs some attention!
 These questions reflect your basic meeting
know-how.
2. If approx. half of our answers were correct, your
meeting knowledge is average. Although you are
aware of some meeting basics, you could learn
more.
Module 3: Activity 10
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Instructor’s Guide
3. If most of your answers were correct,
 CONGRATULATIONS!
 Your meeting IQ is above average.
 You understand the basics of having an
effective meeting.
 Continue building your meeting
knowledge.
Preparing for a Meeting 35 minutes
Say:
A meeting is conducted by a leader or facilitator.
 The facilitator or leader drives the meeting
process
 Makes sure that the meeting objectives are
reached
 Keeps the meeting moving forward.
Preparation
Preparation
Say:
The key to a productive meeting is preparation:
 Before scheduling a meeting, ask yourself: Is a
meeting the best way to handle this?
 You’ll cut down on wasted meeting time and
restore confidence in the group’s belief that the
meetings they do attend are necessary
 Let’s say that we have decided that a meeting
is the best way to deliver the information.
 The meeting process includes some basics that
are useful in conducting an effective meeting.
To conduct a successful meeting certain important
tasks have to be completed. We’ll take time to
examine each.
 Productive meetings begin with a purpose. You
need to have a good reason for calling a
meeting. It can be an expensive use of time if
it’s not planned well.
The Meeting Process
• Purpose
• Objectives
• Logistics
• Agenda
PowerPoint
Slide:
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• Ground Rules
Module 3: Activity 10
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Supervisory Practices in Child Welfare
Module 3: Casework Management

Say:
Instructor’s Guide
Decisions such as whom to invite to the
meeting, to how to run it, the meeting location,
should revolve around the meeting’s purpose.
For example: If your unit needs to understand a new
resource practice procedure, invite the supervisor
from the Resource Unit to present it to your unit.


Say:
Group Activity
Learner Guide:
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The purpose of the meeting should be
explained to participants in advance of the
meeting.
Participants need this information to adequately
prepare. Also, this will satisfy idle curiosity.
When workers are given adequate time to prepare for
a meeting, things run smoother and time is not
wasted.
Reflection Exercise
 Let’s take a minute to reflect.
Instruct the group
 To think of two unit meetings one good and one
that needed improvement that you’ve attended
in the past. Your attendance could have been
either as a unit member, or as the
leader/facilitator.
 To answer the questions found on p.____ of the
learner Guide.
 To answer the questions without input from
others.
 To be prepared to share with the large group.
 You have 10 minutes to complete your
questions.
 What criteria did you use to rate the quality of
the meetings?
 If you rated the meeting as negative, what was
lacking?
 If you rated it as positive, why?
 What were your impressions of the
leader/facilitator?
 If your impressions were negative, how will you
ensure that your meetings will be different?
 Have you conducted a unit meeting that was
less than you hoped?
Module 3: Activity 10
Setup the
activity
10 minutes
has been
allotted for this
exercise
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Module 3: Casework Management




Say:
Say:
Instructor’s Guide
What response did you get from your unit?
How would you rate your past performance as
facilitator/leader?
Are your unit meetings regularly scheduled?
Did you identify the purpose of your meetings?
Do not
process/debri
ef at this time.
Reconvene
the group
We are going to hold off debriefing this exercise until
later. Let us turn our attention to other areas of
preparation for a meeting.
An important step in preparing for a successful
meeting is to set objectives. Ask yourself, “What is it I
want to accomplish, what is my purpose. Your
objectives should stem from your purpose.
Purpose of Objectives…
•
•
•
•
Establish the purpose
Determine what is to be accomplished
Identify outcomes
Focus the agenda
PowerPoint Slide:
235
Key Points:
Meeting objectives:
 Establish the purpose
 Determine what to accomplish
 Identify specific outcomes
 Focus the agenda
 Identify concrete measures for evaluating the
success or failure of the meeting.
 Helps you continuously improve the
effectiveness of your meeting process
As the facilitator/leader write down your specific
objective and make sure that you achieve it.
Logistics
• Time
• Location
• Announcement
PowerPoint Slide:
• Equipment
237
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Module 3: Activity 10
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Supervisory Practices in Child Welfare
Module 3: Casework Management
Instructor’s Guide
A well planned meeting includes logistics.
Learner Guide:
Learner Guide:
Key Points:
Logistics involve
 Time- When
 Participant availability often rules
 Location- Where
 Consider the number of people who will
attend
 Consider accommodations needs.
Though most of us do not have to worry about who to
invite to our unit meeting (that is within the unit) you
may be responsible for planning and/or conducting a
unit meeting that includes someone outside of your
unit, so keep these points in mind.
Announcement
 Send announcements to invitees at least one
week in advance
 Send the agenda with no less than one day
notice.
It is important to send written announcements and
reminders of the meeting to unit members. The above
points are recommended but you can modify them to
suit your needs.
Equipment
 Determine equipment needs ahead of time
 Pencils, pens, paper audiovisual, visual aids,
other materials (if showing a video, DVD, etc.
Flipcharts, easels, white board, etc., for
recording important points, mapping out
strategies and brainstorming, etc.
 Strive to meet when most of your attendees are
available.
 Understand that all may not be available
because of job responsibilities.
 Have someone record minutes of the meeting
to be shared with those who could not attend.
Agenda
Agenda
–
–
–
–
–
PowerPoint Slide:
Essential to Meeting
Prepares Members
Keeps Meeting On Track
Used to Evaluate the Meeting
Used to Plan Follow Up Sessions
Communicates Expectations
–
–
–
–
Meeting objective
Topics for discussion
Meeting start and end times
Discussion leader for each topic and time
238
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Module 3: Activity 10
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Supervisory Practices in Child Welfare
Module 3: Casework Management
Instructor’s Guide
Agendas
Ask:
Why should you have an agenda for your unit
meeting?
Say:
Say:
Answer:
The agenda:
 Is essential to meeting
 Helps prepare members for the meeting
 Keeps the meeting on track
 Can be used to evaluate the meeting
 Can be used to plan following sessions
Communicates Expectations
 Identifies Discussion Topics
 Establish start and end times
 Meeting objectives
 Meeting start and end times
 Discussion Leader for each topic and time
Ground rules are a formal reminder of how the unit
intends to work together.
Meeting Ground Rules
• Promote a safe environment for discussion
• Contain the decision-making strategy
• Allow everyone a chance to speak
PowerPoint Slide:
• Maintain respect for each other’s opinions
• Establish rules for constructive feedback
239
Ground rules




V3: 4/09
Promote a safe and nurturing environment for
unit member participants by establishing and
adhering to ground rules.
Can contain your decision making strategy. Will
decision be made by consensus, majority rule,
autocratically by the leader, or by others outside
of the unit? Several decision making strategies
may be used in a single unit meeting.
Allow everyone a chance to be heard. If
necessary limit the amount of floor time for
each participant.
Establish and maintain respect of each other’s
opinions.
Module 3: Activity 10
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Supervisory Practices in Child Welfare
Module 3: Casework Management

Instructor’s Guide
Establish rules for giving constructive feedback.
As the facilitator/leader you should be open to giving
and accepting feedback graciously to and from others.
Key Points:
As leader
 You should arrive early.
 Help enforce, the one meeting concept- no side
bars.
 Keep participant on target. Avoid tangents.
 Maintain an atmosphere of respect.
 Focus on the idea, not the person when
disagreeing.
 Start on time and end on time.
 Encourage participation.
 Handle difficult situations in a timely manner.
Returning to the Reflection Exercise
Group Activity:
Do:
Debrief:
Ask:
Say:
V3: 4/09
Instruct participants to:
 Review the answers they recorded earlier in the
reflection exercise.
 Evaluate whether or not to change initial
responses based of our discussion.
 Ask several participants to share their results
Debrief the exercise asking the following question
 How many re-evaluated their rating of a “good”
or “bad” meeting?
 How many feel that their meeting would have
been more successful if they had a purpose,
agenda, ground rules, pre-meeting prep?
 How many still view themselves as “effective” or
“ineffective” unit meeting leaders/facilitators?
 How many think that their unit meeting will be
more productive?
 How many feel that they will use it back on the
job?
With time and preparation you too can conduct a
successful unit meeting. You may not feel comfortable
in your role as leader/facilitator rather than as a
participant in a unit meeting but with a little effort you
can turn unsuccessful meeting into successful and
productive unit meetings.
Module 3: Activity 10
Return to the
questions in
the Reflection
Exercise
Page 10 of 18
Supervisory Practices in Child Welfare
Module 3: Casework Management
Instructor’s Guide
How to Handle Difficult Situations 20 minutes
Say:
In Module 2 we discussed dealing with conflict.
Supervisors should remember the value behind the
guiding principles of Preserve dignity and respect,
Listening with Empathy-Be Fully Present, Find
Common Ground Without Forcing Change and Honor
Diversity, Including Your Own Perspective.
Kindler, Herb
Ph.D. Conflict
Management:
Resolving
Disagreement
s in the
Workplace, 3rd
edition, Crisp
Fifty – Minute
Series
Guiding Principles
• Preserve dignity and respect
• Listen with empathy- Be fully present
• Find common ground without forcing
change
• Honor diversity, including your own
perspective
PowerPoint Slide:
240

Say:

Say:


V3: 4/09
Preserve Dignity and Respect:
o Keep focus on issues, not personalities.
o Assume the other person is expressing a
legitimate concern when disagreeing,
unless otherwise proven.
Listen with Empathy – Be Fully Present:
o When listening to others’ views, put
yourself in their shoes. See from their
perspective; feel the other person’s
emotional state.
o When ideas conflict with the ones you
hold see if you discount the speaker’s
message.
o When you listen with fill presence, you
convey the message: “I respect you as a
person. Your thoughts and feelings are
important to me.
Find Common Ground Without Forcing
Change:
In a dispute, it is tempting to force or expect
others to change their behavior style or basic of
ideas. But people change basic patterns only
with difficulty, or where there is trust or a belief
that it is in their best interest to do so. In the
absence of trust or until it can be established,
what helps are shared vision and agreement on
common values.
Module 3: Activity 10
Principle #1
Principle #2
Principle #3
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Supervisory Practices in Child Welfare
Module 3: Casework Management

Say:
Say:
Instructor’s Guide
Honor Diversity, Including Your Own
Perspective:
o Different view points spur the creative
search for resolution. When you are the
lone dissenter, you may be tempted to
surrender your conviction to meet those
of others. But your gift to others is your
independent point of view – which
requires that you understand what really
matters to you. Diversity holds the seeds
for constructive change.
Principle #4

These guidelines form an attitudinal framework
helpful in resolving disagreement. With these
principles, you communicate, “I honor your
needs. I take responsibility for sharing my
views with you. We can manage our
differences constructively.
But you say that you can not use the techniques
because of the type of behavior that some unit
members are exhibiting. Well let us take a page from
professionals who confront difficult behavior on a
regular basis, teachers, nurses and other medical
professionals.
Behaviors
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
PowerPoint Slide:
Rambling
Shyness or Silence
Talkativeness
Sharpshooting
Arguing
Grandstanding
Overt hostility/resistance
Griping
Side Conversations
241
Behavior #1:
Rambling – wandering around and off the subject.
Using far-fetched examples or analogies.
Learner Guide:
V3: 4/09
Possible responses:
o Refocus attention by restating relevant
point.
o Direct questions to group that is back on
point.
o Ask how comment(s) or topic relates to
current topic or discussion.
o Say: “Would you summarize your main
point please?”
Module 3: Activity 10
“Getting the Most out
of Your AIDS/HIV
Trainings,” East Bay
AIDS Education
Training Center,
adapted from:
California Nurses
Association, AIDS
Train the Trainer
Program for Health
Care Providers
(1988)
http://honolulu.hawaii.
edu/internet/committe
es/FacDevCom/guide
bk/teachtip/behavior.h
tm
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Supervisory Practices in Child Welfare
Module 3: Casework Management
Instructor’s Guide
Behavior #2:
Shyness or Silence—lack of participation
Learner Guide:
Possible responses:
o Give strong positive reinforcement for
any contribution.
o Involve by asking a question directly.
Behavior #3:
Talkativeness—knowing everything, manipulation,
chronic whining.
Learner Guide:
Possible responses:
o Acknowledge comments made.
o Give limited time to express viewpoint or
feelings, and them move on.
o Make eye contact with someone else and
move towards that person.
o Say: “That‘s an interesting point. Now
let’s see what other people think.”
Behavior #4:
Sharpshooting—trying to shoot down or trip you up.
Learner Guide:
Possible responses:
o Admit that you do not know the answer
and redirect the question to the group or
the person who asked it.
o Acknowledge that this a joint learning
experience.
o Ignore the behavior.
Behavior #5:
Arguing—disagreeing with everything you say; making
personal attacks.
Learner Guide:
V3: 4/09
Possible responses:
o Redirect question to group or supportive
individual.
o Acknowledge positive points.
o Recognize participant’s feelings and
move on.
o Say: “I appreciate your comments, but
I’d like to hear from someone else,” or “It
looks like we disagree.”
Module 3: Activity 10
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Supervisory Practices in Child Welfare
Module 3: Casework Management
Instructor’s Guide
Behavior #6:
Grandstanding—getting caught up in one’s own
agenda or thoughts to the detriment of other learners.
Learner Guide:
Possible response:
o Say, “You are entitled to your opinion,
belief or feelings, but now it’s time we
moved on to the next subject,” or “Can
you restate that as a question?” or “We’d
like to hear more about that if there is
time, later.
Behavior #7:
Overt Hostility/Resistance – angry, belligerent,
combative behavior.
Learner Guide:
Possible responses:
o Reframe hostility as fear to depersonalize
it.
o Remain calm, and polite. Keep you
temper in check.
o Don’t disagree, but build on or around
what has been said.
o Always allow him/her a graceful retreat
from the confrontation.
o Allow the person to solve the problem
being addressed. He or she may not be
able to offer solutions and will sometimes
undermine his or her own position.
o Talk privately.
Behavior #8:
Griping –maybe legitimate complaining.
Learner Guide:
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Possible responses:
o Point out that we can’t change policy
here.
o Validate his/her point.
o Indicate time pressure.
o Say you will discuss the problem with the
participants privately.
Module 3: Activity 10
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Instructor’s Guide
Behavior #9:
Side Conversations – may be related to subject or
personal. Distracts group members and you.
Learner Guide:
Summary:
Possible response:
o Don’t embarrass talkers.
o Ask opinions on subject being discussed.
o Ask talkers if they would like to share
their ideas.
o Make eye contact with the talkers.
o As a last resort, stop and wait.
 Unit meetings, when well planned can be a
useful tool to help new supervisors deal with
difficult situations.
 The key is to decide on its purpose, set an
agenda, begin and end on time, handle difficult
situations promptly, and maintain an
atmosphere of respect for all.
 When you notice unproductive behavior, nip it
in the bud.
 Manage unwanted behavior utilizing the
strategies above before you become irritated,
impatient or upset.
 Allow others a way to save face.
 Remind yourself that if supervising was easy,
everyone would be doing it.
Appendix A
Behavior:
Rambling – wandering around and off the subject. Using far-fetched examples or
analogies.
Possible responses:
o Refocus attention by restating relevant point.
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Module 3: Activity 10
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Instructor’s Guide
o Direct questions to group that is back on point.
o Ask how comment(s) or topic relates to current topic or discussion.
o Say: “Would you summarize your main point please?”
Behavior:
Shyness or Silence—lack of participation
Possible responses:
o Give strong positive reinforcement for any contribution.
o Involve by asking a question directly.
Behavior:
Talkativeness—knowing everything, manipulation, chronic whining.
Possible responses:
o Acknowledge comments made.
o Give limited time to express viewpoint or feelings, and them move on.
o Make eye contact with someone else and move towards that person.
o Say: “That‘s an interesting point. Now let’s see what other people think.”
Behavior:
Sharpshooting -- trying to shoot down or trip you up.
Possible responses:
o Admit that you do not know the answer and redirect the question to the
group or the person who asked it.
o Acknowledge that this a joint learning experience.
o Ignore the behavior.
Behavior:
Arguing—disagreeing with everything you say; making personal attacks.
Possible responses:
o Redirect question to group or supportive individual.
o Acknowledge positive points.
o Recognize participants feelings and move on.
o Say: “I appreciate your comments, but I’d like to hear from someone else,”
or “It looks like we disagree.”
V3: 4/09
Module 3: Activity 10
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Module 3: Casework Management
Instructor’s Guide
Behavior:
Grandstanding—getting caught up in one’s own agenda or thoughts to the detriment of
other learners.
Possible response:
o Say, “You are entitled to your opinion, belief or feelings, but now it’s time
we moved on to the next subject,” or “Can you restate that as a question?”
or “We’d like to hear more about that if there is time, later.
Behavior:
Overt Hostility/Resistance – angry, belligerent, combative behavior.
Possible responses:
o Reframe hostility as fear to depersonalize it.
o Remain calm, and polite. Keep you temper in check.
o Don’t disagree, but build on or around what has been said.
o Always allow him/her a graceful retreat from the confrontation.
o Allow the person to solve the problem being addressed. He or she may
not be able to offer solutions and will sometimes undermine his or her own
position.
o Talk privately.
Behavior:
Griping –maybe legitimate complaining.
Possible responses:
o Point out that we can’t change policy here.
o Validate his/her point.
o Indicate time pressure.
o Say you will discuss the problem with the participants privately.
Behavior:
Side Conversations – may be related to subject or personal. Distracts group members
and you.
Possible response:
o Don’t embarrass talkers.
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Module 3: Activity 10
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o
o
o
o
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Instructor’s Guide
Ask opinions on subject being discussed.
Ask talkers if they would like to share their ideas.
Make eye contact with the talkers.
As a last resort, stop and wait.
Module 3: Activity 10
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