Code of Conduct Exercise – Trainer’s Notes



Code of Conduct Exercise – Trainer’s Notes

Effective teams often develop an explicit set of agreements to guide their process of working together. The product of this activity will be just such a tool. A good Code of Conduct must:

• Be short and easy to remember (try for a maximum of six items);

• Be comprised of very specific, behavioral items;

• Be agreed to, without questions, by all members of the group;

• Be thought of as an organic document (it should evolve as the group evolves);

• Be clearly focused on the internal process of the group, not on external issues.

The Code should start with the words, “We will…”

These steps outline the process of generating a Code of Conduct with a group.

Step 1. Individuals generate suggested items.

The first step is for individuals to generate one or two items they believe are important and worthy of consideration. By asking for a limited number from each person, you encourage them to identify what is most important and avoid ending up with a huge list which will need to be distilled. With groups of seven to ten people, ask for two items per person; for larger groups, ask for just one item.

Step 2. Compile a long list of suggested items.

Put all the suggested ideas on one flip chart or if you would prefer, have each individual write their idea on a separate flip chart and post them on the wall. It is important at this step not to get into a discussion about the merits of an idea. You may need to work with people to clarify their item or put it into behavioral terms. Number the items so they will be easy to refer to throughout the exercise.

Step 3. Identify overlap in suggestions.

The next step is to review the list with the group to identify overlap and to group like ideas together. Ask them to identify similar items and cross off duplicates. Always check for agreement when combining like items and crossing others off the list. The objective is to reduce the list to the six most important items to the group. Do not combine dissimilar items in order to sneak something extra on the list. Each item should be clear, concise and distinct.

Step 4. Multivoting.

Use this step if the list resulting from Step 3 includes more than six items. Give each person three votes that they can use in any way they want. They can vote for three separate items or use all their votes on one or two. You can give each person stickers to put next to the ideas they think are most important. Total up the votes and use the top five or six choices. The top choices should be written up, distributed to the team and if possible, posted in the meeting room. Some teams use a poster or flipchart to post the code of conduct.

Step 5. Commitment to the Code.

The code is intended to be a set of agreements. The list begins with the words, “We will…” Before you are done, write the Code of Conduct on a clean flip chart page and ask participants to take a good look at it. Ask a few questions, such as “is anything missing from the list?”; “do you like what we created?”; “how should violations of the code be handled?” etc.

The last step is to ask if everyone in the group can commit to supporting the Code of Conduct. You should get a verbal response from each person. If anyone has any hesitations about committing to the list, now is the time to say so.

Don’t let the group put the Code under glass. It should be an organic document, reviewed frequently, and changed as the group evolves and develops.

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