TopicWorking in Groups

Making change is a collective endeavour that can bring many challenges! One of the biggest stumbling blocks can be the group itself: passionate individuals trying to work together. These resources will help you set a group up well, tune it up if it already exists, make decisions together, navigate conflict, and develop skills to be an effective participant and facilitator.

birds eye view of desk with office paraphernalia including phones
  • Two women sit together in conversation.

    Active Listening Roleplay

    A process guide for training workshops focused on working in groups, communication, conflict resolution, community organising and conversation frameworks. The objective of the session is to practice active listening and assertive communication.

  • Cover of Original Power's Building Power Guide - features a drawing of a turtle in red.

    What Makes a Good Leader for Social Change?

    A training process guide to provide a space for people to think about the role and qualities of leaders in social change. Leaders for social change model the way; inspire a shared vision; challenge the process; enable others to act; and encourage the heart.

  • Cover of Original Power's Building Power Guide - features a drawing of a turtle in red.

    Community Resistance Timeline: A Training Guide

    This is a training process guide to introduce participants to each other, connect their own history to a larger history of social change, identify local tactics, and to rethink what success looks like. It is an excerpt from Building Power: A Guide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Who Want to Change the World.

  • Over a dozen hands reach into the middle of a circle

    Consensus Decision Making

    Consensus is a nonviolent decision-making process that aims to create the best possible decision for the group. The input and ideas of all participants are gathered and synthesized to arrive at a final decision that is acceptable to all. Through consensus, we are not only working to achieve better solutions, but also to promote the…

  • |A view of from a vantage point in Mount Buffalo

    Work Less: You’ll Get More Done

    Overwork has heavy costs. Working longer hours is dangerous and ineffective. But poor management, the subconscious, workplace culture, and work volume, can each be a barrier to better workplace practices. Thankfully though, these barriers can be overcome.

  • The Tyranny of Structurelessness: Book Review

    Joel Dignam reviews Jo Freeman’s “The Tyranny of Structurelessness” which explores some of the key structural problems facing groups. Recognising that power dynamics are present in all groups Freeman proposes formal structures, transparency and accountability.

  • Photograph of two people standing on pavement

    Retain Volunteers with Intrinsically Motivating Work

    Civic associations depend upon volunteers to get their work done. Joel Dignam distils insights from Ruth Wageman and Richard Hackman’s “Designing work for individuals and for groups” from Perspectives on Behavior in Organizations.

  • |table

    Team Effectiveness Conditions Framework

    A 7 page handout about the six conditions needed to create a great team based on the work of Richard Hackman and Ruth Wageman.

  • A diagram with three organisers at the centre. From each organiser arrows go to a Leader

    How to Structure Teams for Organising

    Joel Dignam reviews Marshall Ganz’ treatment of structure as a craft of organising. As Ganz notes “Developing leadership requires structuring the work of the organization so it affords as many people as possible the opportunity to learn to lead.”

  • Cover of 'Launching a Leadership Revolution'.

    Launching a Leadership Revolution: A book review

    Joel Dignam reviews Launching a Leadership Revolution by Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward. Joel distills the key lessons that are relevant to social change organisations.

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