CRMP HANDBOOK 

Evaluate your group’s effectiveness and diagnose any problems using the following checklist:

• Are the goals clear and understandable to the members?

• Are the goals perceived by the members as meaningful, relevant and realistic?

• Are the members helped to resolve concerns about their roles? (What is expected of them? How much responsibility do they have?)

• Does the group have appropriate resources for dealing effectively with tasks? (member knowledge, background material, access to outside resources)

• Are basic issues discussed openly and directly or is the conversation guarded and “safe”?

• Do members communicate effectively? Do they listen with the goal of understanding? Do they test their understanding by rephrasing?

• Is there dysfunctional competition for leadership and dominance?

• Does the group have effective decision-making mechanisms and has it agreed upon them? (consensus, voting, etc.)

• Is the interaction evaluative and judgmental, or is it oriented toward objective data-gathering and problem solving?

• Are conflict and disagreement confronted openly and worked through, or evaded?

• Is there adequate opportunity for individual members to meet some of their own needs? (recognition, belonging, status, appreciation)

• Are there “hidden agenda” items which are detracting from the group’s effectiveness? (unspoken personal concerns, conflicting purposes, outside interests, animosities)

• Does the group spend part of its time focusing on its own process as well as the assigned task? (how is it working, are their problems in how the process functions)

• How would you describe the climate? (cold/friendly, supportive/antagonistic, relaxed/tense)

California Coordinated Resource Management & Planning Council

contact: 916-447-7237, staff@carcd.org

site location: www.crmp.org/download/hb/apend-c1.html