WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION REGIONAL COMMITTEE N i n t h Session nila 26 September - 2 October 1958 M a
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC TECHNICAL DISCISSIONS WP/kC9/TDA-2 5 September 1958 ENGLISH ONLY
SUGGESTED GUIDE FOR GROUP DISCUSSION LEADERS
Administrative Suggestions 1. Announcements Time, place, duration o f group discussion sessions Start and end group meetings on time Role of resource people i n attendance 2. Selection of Group Rapporteur a. b. 3. Duties and r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s Assistance he w i l l be given by the group
F i n a l Group Reporting a, b. Purposes and differences between w r i t t e n and o r a l r e p o r t s Those responsible f o r preparing reports (no W H O secretarial assistance except f o r d u p l i c a t i o n ) c-. Nature of f i n a l report presentation and- those responsible d. Deadline f o r w r i t t e n reports - 7.00 p.m., Monday, 29 September ( d r a f t of w r i t t e n reports can be presented t o any member of WHO S e c r e t a r i a t )
Group leadership Suggestions 1* 2. 3. 4. 5. Arrange group i n c i r c l e , so each person can see every other person. Let a l l stay seated during discussion, including leader. S t a r t by making everybody comfortable. Keep i t informal,
Check v e n t i l a t i o n and l i g h t i n g .
See t h a t everybody knows everybody else, Learn names of a l l as soon as you can,
6. Have blackboard, chalk, and eraser ready f o r use i n case o f need. Appoint a "blackboard secretary" i f the subject matter and occasion make i t desirable. 7. S t a r t on time, and close a t pre-arranged time.
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I n opening, emphasize: Everyone i s encouraged t o take part.- I f one member s view f a i l s t o get out i n the open, the discussion f a l l s short i n i t s permissiveness. Toward t h i s , emphasize: monopoly, No speeches, by leader or group members. No
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Help group t o c l a r i f y i t s objective so t h a t the purpose of the meeting i s clear. Let the group b u i l d the agenda out o f i t s own needs, but keep i t l i m i t e d t o the task upon which i t i s working. Aim a t the outset t o get a sharply defined question before the group. Have three or four a l t e r n a t i v e s put on board i f you t h i n k t h i s w i l l help: "Which do you want to s t a r t with?" " I s t h i s question clear?" I n general, don't put questions t o p a r t i c u l a r group-members, unless you see t h a t someone i s t r y i n g to say something "Dr. Juan, you were about t o say something," Otherwise use, "Let's have some discussion of t h i s question..." "What do some o f the r e s t of you t h i n k about t h i s ? " "What's been the experience of you people i n the northern part of the Western P a c i f i c Region i n t h i s connection?" I n t e r r u p t a "speech maker" as t a c t f u l l y as possible. "While we're on t h i s p o i n t , l e t ' s hear from some of the others. Can we save your other p o i n t t i l l later?" Keep discussion on the t r a c k ; keep i t always d i r e c t e d , but l e t the group l a y i t s own t r a c k t o a large extent. Don't groove i t narrowly yourself. Remember; The leader's opinion does count i n the discussion, but keep your own view out o f i t as much as possible. Your job i s to get the ideas o f others out f o r an a i r i n g . Keep the s p i r i t s high. Encourage ease, i n f o r m a l i t y , good humour, l e t everybody have a good time, Foster f r i e n d l y disagreement i f i t occurs. L i s t e n w i t h respect and appreciation t o a l l ideas, but stress what i e important, and t u r n discussions away from what i s not. Take time every t e n minutes or so to draw the loose ends together: " l e t ' s see where we've been going." Be as f a i r and accurate i n summary as possible. Close discussion w i t h summary — your own or the secretary's.
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