Discussion 5: Ethical & Cultural Considerations in Group Management
Hi everyone, I hope you are doing well. This is the last coursework post of the Group Dynamics Course
Navigating the Ethical Compass:
This discussion delves into the vital role of ethics, cultural sensitivity, and proficient group management in cultivating strong and supportive environments. While good intentions pave the way, ethical competence takes it a step further, requiring knowledge and adherence to professional codes and guidelines.
Guiding Principles, Inside and Out:
- Privacy and Confidentiality: Members trust group leaders with their stories, often shared in the intimacy of one-on-one sessions. As a leader, respect these boundaries. Never divulge information shared in private unless explicitly brought up by the member in the group setting.
- Leading by Example: Be the embodiment of your community guidelines. Intervene to ensure respectful interactions, but remember, you are the model. Follow the rules you uphold and demonstrate the conduct you expect from others.
- Unwavering Impartiality: Treat every member with equal respect and fairness. Avoid favoritism or bias, even if you connect with some more personally. Make decisions based on objective criteria, earning trust as a leader who stands against negativity and champions inclusivity.
Embracing Diversity and Harmony
Embracing diversity and harmony involves a variety of factors and considerations but the following two are one of the most impactful.
- Celebrating Cultural Differences: Acknowledge and appreciate the unique backgrounds of your group members. Recognize diversity as a strength, facilitating connections across cultural boundaries by highlighting shared human experiences. This fosters a sense of belonging and encourages open communication.
- Navigating Conflict with Skill: Misunderstandings and disagreements are inevitable in group settings. Be prepared to step in as a mediator, promoting a calm and respectful resolution. Listen to all perspectives, address the issue fairly, and guide the group back to a healthy and supportive dynamic.
Diversity Among Members in the Group
Lets talk about diversity in groups!
Sure, groups might share broad themes like "anxiety support" or "relationship issues." But within these categories lies a kaleidoscope of individualities. Think of members grappling with social anxiety, test anxiety, or health anxiety – each a distinct thread in the tapestry.
Our understanding of identity and difference stems from complex roots. Biases, social categorizations, and power dynamics all play a role. As leaders, acknowledging these influences is crucial to creating a truly inclusive space.
- Stepping into Each Other's Shoes: Imagine a member struggling with mental health while navigating cultural or religious aspects. Our empathy and understanding can bridge these gaps. By sharing diverse experiences and fostering open dialogue, we build a foundation of trust and connection.
- Tools for Inclusive Leadership: Beyond mere acknowledgment, let's equip ourselves with tools to actively leverage diversity. This means embracing constructive conflict, encouraging diverse participation, and celebrating unique contributions. Remember, every voice adds richness to the group's symphony.
- From Leaders to Community Weavers: Think of ourselves not just as leaders, but as weavers, skillfully blending individual threads into a cohesive and vibrant whole. By embracing diversity, we create groups that are not just supportive, but also innovative and resilient.
Question for reflection - Think of a time you have facilitated a group chat or discussion (you can imagine/assume if you have yet to facilitate), and share an ethical, cultural, or group management issue you observed. How would you address it using the principles discussed, ensuring a safe and enriching space for all?
This post is part of the Group Dynamics Course's requirements. More information on the course can be found here. (Not yet launched)
@Hope
Not encountered an ethical issue yet.
Let's imagine an ethical issue related to privacy and confidentiality. One member shared personal information about their struggles with mental health, including sensitive details about their family dynamics and past traumas. Another member unintentionally started probing for more details and asking questions, compromising the privacy and comfort of the individual who shared.
To address this issue, I would intervene, reminding the group of the importance of respecting each other's boundaries and maintaining confidentiality. I would gently redirect the conversation away from probing questions and request the members to offer support and empathy instead.
Using the principles discussed, I would emphasize the following:
- Reiterate the importance of respecting the privacy of group members and refraining from prying into personal matters shared in confidence.
- Leading by Example
- Ensure fairness and impartiality
Question for reflection - Think of a time you have facilitated a group chat or discussion (you can imagine/assume if you have yet to facilitate), and share an ethical, cultural, or group management issue you observed. How would you address it using the principles discussed, ensuring a safe and enriching space for all?
Navigating Conflict with Skill: Misunderstandings and disagreements are inevitable in group settings. Be prepared to step in as a mediator, promoting a calm and respectful resolution. Listen to all perspectives, address the issue fairly, and guide the group back to a healthy and supportive dynamic.
I feel it is important to make sure that newer hosts understand how to contact the CommunityMods, Schedule Here, or have the backup of a chat room moderator to help support them. It can be very confidence-shaking to be faced with a situation and be out of depth not fully understanding de-escalation skills, or how to handle conflict.
Often when moderating I have come across members using languages other than English. They may be talking in their own language and so exclude those that are adhering to the chat rules. This can be a difficult situation to moderate smoothly but by giving general reminders that English is the language of 7 Cups so please bear this in mind at all times.
As a moderator, I can warn those if need be after following the set rules. At the same time, it is important to keep the room conversations flowing so that the discussion does not suffer. Once everyone is back on track then it is crucial to make sure that everyone is included and not feeling left out or picked on, especially those that were choosing to use a different language.
Using good practice tools and drawing on my experience and knowledge of hosting I would encourage the discussion forwards. Understanding that not everyone has English as their first language is important too, especially because each individual has a story to tell and unique experiences that they can share to enrich the overall responses.
Listening - One Step At A Time!
1 for more than 5 words of chat detail or sharing username. I would gentle reminder that we do not share that information to protect the privacy of members. If it on going chat I would give them the listener request form to request cs or if it after hard I would do same but ps this time. Then I would get the mod to delete the message,
@Hope luckily, I have not encountered that issue just like we earth hasnt but I would say the most important thing for me would be stepping into the other person position and understanding where they're coming from using tools for exclusive leader ship, and getting help from community to help out with certain issues with diversity if they came about
@Hope
Question for reflection - Think of a time you have facilitated a group chat or discussion (you can imagine/assume if you have yet to facilitate), and share an ethical, cultural, or group management issue you observed. How would you address it using the principles discussed, ensuring a safe and enriching space for all?
I think so one rules in sc really helps
1 putting a tw at start of share to give people time to leave if neeced
2 if the sharer wants to share without interruptions it can give space to share with out questions also
@Hope I have encountered issues where members claim other members are allowed to break rules and the like. I think showing a lack of favouritism and being firm in implementing rules no matter the person is important in dealing with such issues.
@Hope
During a group discussion in my school on improving team collaboration, I noticed an imbalance where a participant from a culture with less direct communication was overshadowed by a more assertive colleague. To address this, I set ground rules promoting active listening and equitable participation, invited quieter members to share their thoughts directly, and provided cultural sensitivity training to foster understanding and respect. Additionally, I modeled active listening to validate all contributions and sought anonymous feedback post-discussion to continually improve the facilitation process, ensuring a safe and enriching space for everyone.
@Hope
Think of a time you have facilitated a group chat or discussion (you can imagine/assume if you have yet to facilitate), and share an ethical, cultural, or group management issue you observed. How would you address it using the principles discussed, ensuring a safe and enriching space for all?
I have facilitated nearly 2000 groups within 7 cups. I will share a management issue I observed. I have observed that there are sometimes people who are deliberately disruptive to the functioning of the Sharing Circle. This is how I would manage it. I would give three warnings, clearly stating the behavior I would expect of a participant. If necessary at that point, I would issue a warning to the participant. If there would be continuing necessity to engage, I would attempt to communicate with the participant 1:1. If the participant still attempts to disrupt the flow of the group, then I would issue another warning and other warnings as necessary.
✨❤︎✨@Hope✨❤︎✨
Question for reflection - Think of a time you have facilitated a group chat or discussion (you can imagine/assume if you have yet to facilitate), and share an ethical, cultural, or group management issue you observed. How would you address it using the principles discussed, ensuring a safe and enriching space for all?
✨✦✨❤︎✨✦✨❤︎✨✦✨❤︎✨✦✨
When I was the District’s Club Extension Chair of the public speaking organization I am a member of, I got the opportunity to facilitate group discussions. As the District’s Club Extension chair, a representative of the District, I lead by example and upheld the District’s ethical principles and convictions. My District is culturally diverse, representing people from various countries, religious backgrounds, and spoken languages. It was important for me to be respectful of the differences between members, often maintaining an open line of communication. My dream is to be able to use this experience from this course to facilitate group chats and discussions in the 7cups community.
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