for Individuals and Organizations
SEVEN STEPS TO
CREATE
A
PEER SUPPORT GROUP
The overall objective is to allow employees in a transient society to develop corporate or organizational roots, collegial closeness, and enhancement for both individuals and their organization.
THE STEPS:
1. Announce to your colleagues that, as part of holistic management awareness, you are seeking support for the creation of a Peer Support Group (PSG). Colleagues can represent your immediate division, or, an entire department or organization. The primary objective of the exercise is to develop team cohesion and collegiality with support in both professional and personal employee concerns and challenges.
2. Stress the volunteer nature of the involvement.
3. Clearly identify available non-paid times such as lunch hour when you can meet. Eventually, your organization will see the merit of the group and may be prepared to pay for the time. In the interim, do not damage that possibility by meeting in working hours.
4. Commence meetings. Begin by drafting an initial compact of collegiality and confidentiality, identifying which personal/professional issues will be up for discussion. Areas successfully tackled in other groups include addictions, parenting, technological change, personal relationships, working with problem people, strategies for career and organizational advancement.
5. The key is the sharing together of colleagues' ideas, experience, information and ideals.
6. Keep all sessions positive in focus. These are not gripe sessions, but, growing sessions.
7. Evolve a structure that is liquid and open to change, respectful of the value of each participant, and leadership-shared. No voice predominates in a PSG.
(Enquire about the purchase of our detailed organizational plan)
