DEMONSTRATING HIDDEN AGENDAS

Goal

^? To illustrate the effects of hidden agendas on task accomplishment in a work group.

Group Size

Fifteen or more participants.

Time Required

Approximately one and one-half hours.

Materials

^? Copies of the Committee Meeting Problem Sheet and the Instructions for Playing a Role for all participants.

^? One copy of the Committee Meeting Role Briefing Sheet, cut into strips to separate the role descriptions. Give one role to each committee member in some way that prevents members from knowing each other’s “hidden agendas.”

^? A copy of the Committee Meeting Role-Play Observation Sheet for each role-player observer.

^? A copy of the Committee Meeting Process Observation Sheet for each group-process observer.

^? Pencils for all observers.

Physical Setting

The five role players are seated in the center, with all other participants seated around them. (A table in the center for the role players is optional.) Each of the five role-player observers sits directly across from the committee member whom he or she is observing. Group-process observers sit behind the role-player observers. The total setting takes the form of three concentric circles, as illustrated.

1. The facilitator forms a committee of five people as role players and distributes to each of them a role description strip, a copy of Instructions for Playing a Role, and a copy of the Committee Meeting Problem Sheet. These five people are taken to an area outside the hearing range of the remaining group of participants. They are given five minutes to study their roles and problems independently. The facilitator instructs the role players not to reveal their hidden agendas to anyone.

2. While the committee members are studying their roles, the facilitator chooses five participants to be observers of role players. Each observer is assigned to observe a specific role player. The facilitator distributes Committee Meeting Problem Sheets and Committee Meeting Role-Play Observation Sheets to them.

3. The remaining participants are designated as group-process observers. They receive Committee Meeting Problem Sheets and Committee Meeting Process Observation Sheets.

4. The role-player observers and the group-process observers are seated as suggested above.

5. Then the role players take their places. They are instructed by the facilitator to introduce themselves by their new names and titles only. They are told that the other participants are observers. The group of role players begins the meeting under the direction of Marion Turner, chairperson.

6. After fifteen minutes the role playing is terminated, regardless of whether the group has completed the task.

7. The group-process observers are asked to report.

8. The role-player observers are asked to report.

9. The facilitator asks the role players to read their roles aloud to the group. Sam Simon reports last.

10. The facilitator informs the group that the purpose of this activity was to demonstrate that “what goes on underneath the table” interferes with task accomplishment. He or she leads a discussion of the effects of hidden agendas. The following questions may be asked:

^? How do hidden agendas affect group problem solving?

^? How do they affect the participation of individual members?

^? What are some indications that group members have hidden agendas?

^? When is it appropriate for group members to acknowledge their hidden agendas?

^? The content of the exercise can be adapted to local issues. Other committees, such as a student council awards committee, a task force of middle management charged with recommending personnel policy changes, or a vestry committee, can be simulated.

^? Role players can be seated as a panel in front of all of the other participants.

^? The task of the committee can be made more complex.

^? Two rounds of the committee meeting can be held, with observers’ reports after each round.

1. Marion Turner, shoe-store owner and operator

2. Robin Stevens, parent of five children, receiving government assistance

3. Terry Haber, dentist

4. Sam Simon, Chamber of Commerce vice president

5. Tracy Stone, social worker, Department of Welfare

Problem

You are at a meeting of a special fact-finding committee of the Community Action Agency (CAA) Advisory Board. Your committee was established to study the suggestion that the CAA revise its procedure for electing representatives from poverty groups to the Advisory Board. At present, representatives are selected for three years, through a general, area-wide election. Your group has been authorized to come up with specific recommendations for the Board to act on at its next meeting. The Board has advised your committee to consider two points:

1. What would be the best procedure for selecting poverty representatives?

^? The present system (general, area-wide election) should be maintained.

^? District elections should be held.

^? Neighborhood elections should be held.

^? The present term should be maintained.

^? The representatives should serve for one year.

2. Read your description carefully and play the role conscientiously.

3. Put yourself into the role that you are given, but do not overact.

4. Be natural, but emphasize behavior aimed at fulfilling your role.

You are a social worker with the Department of Welfare, and you would like some of your clients to become active in the CAA. You think that if you help some of your clients get on the Board, this will impress your department head and you can achieve more power in the CAA program. Because your work area covers a district, you want the district form of election to be recommended. You prefer that the term of office be three years.

Marion Turner

You are a shoe-store owner and operator, and you are an ambitious community leader. You want the poverty representatives on the Board to show a lack of unity and goals, so that the professional and governmental members can run things their way. You think that poor people are just “lazy.” You support general election procedures for the whole area. This should result in electing more representatives who do not have support from a specific group of people in a small area and who do not have many specific goals in mind. You also support one-year terms to get as little continuity among members from poverty as possible.

Robin Stevens

You have five children, and you are receiving government assistance for child support. You want a greater role for poverty representatives on the Board. You would also like different people from poverty to have a chance to get on the Board. You support the concept of neighborhood or small-unit elections for one-year terms. You also want more representatives from poverty on the Board than there currently are, to counteract some of the professional, governmental members.

Terry Haber

You are a dentist and you are on the City Council. You think that local government leaders as well as professional people “who know what they are doing” should have a larger say on the CAA Board. Therefore, you want a weaker voice from the poverty representatives. You support general area elections for one-year terms.

Sam Simon

You are vice president of the Chamber of Commerce, and you are not really concerned with the work of the committee. You joined for one reason, to meet and get to date Tracy Stone. During the meeting you plan to agree with, and support, every point that Tracy makes. Your behavior is guided by your desire to impress Tracy Stone.

2. How committed was the member to the task of the group?

3. How effective was the member as a listener?

4. To what degree did the member seem motivated by personal concerns?

5. What approach did the member take in attempting to influence the group?

1. To what degree were committee members cooperating with each other?

2. What was the feeling tone of the meeting at various stages?

Participation

3. Who were the high and low participators?

4. What was the relationship between level of participation and the accomplishment of the task?

Commitment

5. To what degree were members committed to a common goal?

6. What motives did you infer for each of the members?

DEMONSTRATING HIDDEN AGENDAS