Action within a group

We surveyed a lot of folks, and we see a familiar pattern: People are not getting enough value from the groups they are part of.

Sometimes, the reason is a lack of actions being undertaken; other times, it’s because a group member monopolizes the discussions. Many times, it’s due to the group format being a constraint: you need to follow procedures as in the current system. Some other folks do not like to be under a branded group. There are several reasons why People aren’t pleased with existing groups.

All this is no surprise. A group of People is something very complex.

The idea that you must gather some People to achieve whatever you want is untrue. It’s what you see on TV shows, in fiction, but not in the real world. We must understand this because otherwise, we don’t understand what is really happening in a group and how to get a group to succeed.

Hereinunder are a few ideas to build a successful group that will move towards action.

First things first: Am i in the right group?

It may sound like a trivial question, but many folks are not in the right group in the first place. Before thinking about going into action, you must ask yourself the following question: am i in the right group? Let me rephrase the question: what is your intuition about this group? Do you belong there or not?

It’s a question everyone in the group should ask themselves.

Ask yourself how you end up here in the first place. Did you enter this group willingly, or did someone push you into it?

If you feel you are not in the right group, please do not stay in this group. We understand that you may need to belong to a group, but belonging to a group you do not align with is even worse than not belonging to any group!

If you are not in the right group, PLEASE GET OUT!

Why?

You are wasting your time. Every minute you spend in this group is a minute of your life that you have lost. You could be spending your time doing things that create more value for you. You can use our “Connect with other People” page to find other groups.

Also, staying in the wrong group wastes other People’s time. It’s unlikely you will contribute much to the group.

Why am i in this group?

A group of People exists because there is a need for it. There wouldn't be any group if there were no need for a group.

For example, some People gather around “food autonomy” because they need to discuss food autonomy. If food autonomy is no longer a problem, the group will disappear. It may take some time for it to disappear, but ultimately, the group will disappear or need to be repurposed (find another purpose).

The need you want to address should be clear if you are in a group. Let me ask you, for each of the groups you are part of, what need(s) is being addressed?

Let me give you an example to help you to get started:

  • I am in this painting group because it fulfills my need to be among creative People and helps me relax. It releases me of my stress from work.

  • I am in this discussion group because i can express myself without being judged. If you do not know why you are part of a group, it is likely that the group isn’t working well. Consider having this discussion with other group members or just leaving the group.

What is the group about?

Many times (many, many times), it happens that the group's purpose is unclear. People join a group, are unsure why they are part of it and do not dare to ask questions. Well, you have to ask questions. If you are joining a group and what the group does is unclear, please ask.

A lot of inertia in groups comes from the fact that People assume other People know or understand. A lot of inertia in groups comes from the fact that People do not dare to ask questions! They are scared about what other folks will think of them that they prefer to stay clueless than to dare to ask questions such as:

  • Guys, what are we doing here?

  • Guys, what outcome are we after? Are we trying to fix a problem? If yes, what is the problem?

  • Guys, how do we plan to achieve the outcome we are after? Are we all aligned on a method?

I have been in countless groups where People had no clue what the group was about. It seems to be a trend to join groups for the sake of joining groups. Come on, dare to ask the right questions. You are responsible for your time. If it is okay for you to waste it, be my guest and waste your time, but if you have a little respect for your time, please consider asking the right questions.

Capture the answers to the above question and make sure these answers are easy to reach by you and any new person joining your group. You should put this information on your front door (it’s an image) so that other People know what the group is about. The clearer you will be, the more you will attract folks who resonate with what you guys are doing.

Example:

“Our group, Mess with the Soil, is located in the canton of Durban. We join to work on our food autonomy by developing our gardening skills. Our goal is to reach a food self-sufficiency of around 75%. We develop our gardening skills by sharing best practices.”

Pretty straightforward, right? We know what they do, how they do it, and what is their objective. We know the name of the group and where it is located.

Go ahead and do the same for the group you are part of. All members must be involved in the creation of this information.