Talking it out the Concerns Exercise

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Talking it out the Concerns Exercise

• A practical session on addressing the issues
• Mandy Callow, On Campus Services Coordinator, USQ
  Library

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The Concerns Exercise What is it?

• Chance for key stakeholders to raise any issues
  or concerns
• Focus on issues or concerns over which
  stakeholders have an influence
• Devise action plans to address concerns

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How it works 4 steps

• Brainstorm
• Rate concerns Power, Influence or Concern
• Rank concerns
• Devise action plans to address concerns

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Before you start

• Define issue or problem
• Involve all relevant staff
• Prepare staff
• Allow adequate time
• Create area for staff to record anonymous concerns

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Step 1 - Brainstorming

• Include managers and supervisors
• Prepare them well
• Set rules
• Respect others opinions
• No talking over others/interrupting
• No disagreement or arguing
• No concerns rejected
• Record all concerns as they are expressed

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Your turn - Brainstorming

• Situation
• Your Library has decided to create one service
  desk which will handle all loans, reference and
  IT enquiries.
• Set rules
• Record all concerns
• Time allowed 15 mins

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Step 2 Rating Concerns

• All concerns are allocated a Power, Influence or
  Concern rating
• Power you have complete power to do something
  about the concern
• Influence you have some influence over the
  concern but not total control
• Concern you have no control over that concern.

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Your turn Rating concerns

• Assign a P, I or C rating to each concern.
• P - Power
• I - Influence
• C Concern
• Time allowed 15 mins

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Step 3 Ranking Concerns

• Starting with Power concerns, the concerns are
  ranked in order of importance, that if addressed
  would make life easier.
• Thew same is then done for the Influence
  concerns.
• To make this easier, you may want to group like
  concerns.
• As you cannot action those with a concern rating,
  these are not ranked.

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Your turn ranking concerns

• Starting with the Power concerns, rank the
  concerns starting with 1.
• Do the same with the Influence concerns.
• Time allocated 5 mins

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Step 4 Action Plans

• Starting with the number 1 ranked concern, devise
  an action plan to address it.
• Start by identifying the stakeholders. Remember
  to include external stakeholders as well.
• The action plan should specify what needs to be
  done, who is responsible and by when.
• You may not have time to do an action plan for
  all concerns.

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Your turn Action Plans

• Choose one concern.
• Draw up a list of stakeholders.
• List various actions that need to be undertaken
  to address the concern.
• Assign a responsible person and completion date
  for each action. (Dont worry too much about this
  part.)
• Time allowed 15 mins

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Actioning the actions

• Dont waste all of the hard work.
• Forming working parties ensures actions will
  occur. Have working parties report back at
  section meetings.
• Schedule a date to follow up. Include
  achievements to date and future plans.
• Conduct another concerns exercise after 1 or 2
  years.