When I'm at work: Working on a committee - Trainer's guide
Chapters
- Aim of the 'When I'm at work' series
- Introduction
- Using the resource
- Key resources
- Topic 1 - What is a committee?
- Topic 2 - Why do we have workplace committees?
- Topic 3 - How are workplace committees chosen?
- Topic 4 - What roles are there on workplace committees?
- Topic 5 - What does it mean to represent other people?
- Topic 6 - What happens during committee meetings?
- Topic 7 - Who can you talk to about getting the skills to be a committee member?
- Appendix
Topic 5 - What does it mean to represent other people?
What you will need
You will need:
- this trainer's guide
- to invite representatives from workplace committees to talk about how they represent other people
- computer/data projector to play the CD-ROM
- whiteboard or butcher's paper to record responses
- whiteboard markers or felt-tipped markers.
It is vital that everyone's viewpoints are valued and comments are allowed to be made in an open discussion. You will need to focus on issues relating to the learning objectives of the topic.
Note: Text in boxes replicates the information in the learner's workbook.
What learners will need
Learners will need:
- their learner's workbook
- something to write with.
Learning objectives
After taking part in this topic, learners should be able to describe:
- what it means to represent people
- and demonstrate some of the skills involved in representing people.
Delivering the topic
Show slide 34
What does it mean to represent other people?
Ask learners to talk about what they think it means to represent other people, and the skills involved in doing that well.
List these on a sheet of butcher's paper.
Show slide 35
Compare the points on the list with those on the slide.
What does it mean to represent other people?
Representing other people on a workplace committee carries lots of responsibility with it.
To represent other people means that you:
- are a good listener
- talk with co-workers about issues to take to meetings
- talk with co-workers about issues raised in meetings
- tell co-workers about decisions made in meetings
- keep co-workers up to date with any actions or planning from meetings
- make sure to bring the team's voice to the meetings
- are well prepared for committee meetings (have read minutes and reports, know about team issues and comments to raise)
- ask questions during meetings
- participate in meetings and in the work of the committee.
Show slide 36
Ask learners about the skills they will learn and develop if they represent other people on workplace committees.
Ask learners to suggest some of those skills. Record them on butcher's paper. Compare the points on the butcher's paper with the slide.
Seek agreement from learners that all the points discussed are things committee members need to be able to do well, with training and experience.
Committee members learn how to:
- represent other people's opinions and ideas
- ask questions
- take turns at talking at the right time
- share information and ideas
- solve problems
- listen to other people's ideas
- respect other people's ideas and suggestions
- discuss ideas
- make decisions.
Engage learners in the following problem-solving activities that involve the types of skills people develop when they are working on committees. Activities like these give learners the chance to practise the skills required without actually being on a workplace committee.
- Boxes are being emptied in the mailroom and being left in the hallway. People are tripping over them, and hurting themselves.
Ask learners to discuss as a group how they would go about solving this problem. Ask them to present their solutions back. Make sure learners cover the following points.
- Maybe a different worker is chosen each hour to clear the hallways and take boxes to the bin.
- Maybe clearing the hallways and taking boxes to the bin becomes the responsibility of a particular worker.
Invite members from one of your workplace committees to talk with learners about what it means to represent other people, with specific application to their workplace committee. Ask your guest speakers to discuss with learners the skills they needed to represent other people well, and how they learned and practise those skills while they are working on a committee. Encourage discussion of specific examples and applications, if possible and appropriate.
Show slide 37
Summarise the previous discussion by asking learners the following focus questions and discussing their responses.
Focus questions
- What does it mean to represent other people?
- What skills do you need to represent other people well?
- What skills will you learn more about and be able to practise when you are actually working on a committee?
- How will learning these skills help you to represent other people well?
Show slide 38
Listen to Louise's story.
Louise's story
Louise attends the meeting of the quality committee each Tuesday morning. At the meeting she is asked to raise any issues from her work area. Her response is always that there are no issues.
When she returns from the meeting, her supervisor asks her to tell the workers in her area what was discussed and any decisions made at the meeting.
Louise's response is often that she has nothing to report.
Show slide 39
Discuss these questions about Louise's story with learners. Encourage them to record their responses to the questions in their workbooks, in the spaces provided.
Questions for discussion
- What would you have done differently if you were Louise?
- How would you have represented her work area?
- What can Louise do now to better represent her work area?
- How can Louise's supervisor help her?
Show slide 40
Listen to Carl's story.
Carl's story
At the last meeting of the DB Services safety committee, Bill reported that someone was nearly hit by a forklift because they hadn't used the safe walkway in the warehouse.
The committee talked about the best way to make sure people used the safe walkways. Sally, the safety officer, said she would get some new posters and put them up. Bill knew that some people in his team didn't notice the posters. He thought that part of the problem was that the markings on the floor had worn off. He suggested getting a painter to come in and put the markings back.
Carl listened and spoke up next. He said that he agreed with Bill and Sally. His idea was that the people who worked in the warehouse could repaint the floor markings and put up the posters. Then they would know where the safe walkways were and what was on the posters.
The committee agreed that his idea was a good one and that is what they would do.
Show slide 41
Discuss these questions about Carl's story with learners. Encourage them to record their responses to the questions in their workbooks, in the spaces provided.
Questions for discussion
- How did being on the committee help Carl get his idea?
- Can you think of a time when you got a good idea from hearing what other people had to say?