One of the activities that participants enjoy in our IAP2 training is the virtual World Café where they discuss the benefits and challenges of Advisory Groups. We learn about the many shared experiences of working with Advisory Groups, including what works well with this method, as well as the limitations and what could be improved when implementing them.
Advisory Groups (or committees) are often formed to address a specific issue, challenge, or opportunity. They can be invaluable to an organization as they include a diverse range of individuals who can provide unique insights and expertise in areas where there may be knowledge gaps within an organization or where an organization seeks to connect more directly with those they serve. As the name suggests, Advisory Groups or Committees provide advice on how an organization can achieve a particular scope of work or focus, so it is important to manage expectations by clearly defining the committee terms of reference. This includes identifying the scope of decision-making authority, the duration of the committee, and other key considerations for working together.
For the last 12 months, I have had the opportunity to facilitate and support an Advisory Group for a large municipality with a focus on event planning and we have just concluded our final meeting. Throughout the process, I was reminded of the time, wisdom, and experience that participants shared, and the insights, ideas, and collective wisdom they have imparted through our many advisory group meetings. This group was diverse in their profile in the community, depth of experience, and in their expectations for the initiative. Each one added value and was key to achieving the objectives of creating a more effective and cohesive path forward.
Through my experience on this Advisory Group, I learned that the following steps contributed to its success:
- Co-Design the “How” – I found it tremendously beneficial to include Advisory Group participants in developing the process design and how they will work together. Whether it was deciding their meeting frequency, if they want to meet virtually or in-person, if a meeting can be skipped or needs to be added based on evolving circumstances, engaging participants in co-designing how they will work together provides a strong foundation.
- Create Connection – Take time at your first meeting, and at the start of each meeting, to create connections among your members. You are often bringing people together who would not usually work together, and who come to the project with very different, sometimes opposite, perspectives. There may be varying perspectives and alternate points of view throughout your term, but maintaining relationships and a collaborative dialogue will be key to achieving objectives and to the overall success of the committee.
- Detailed Meeting Agenda – Ensure that you create a detailed agenda for each meeting that allocates time for each item. This will help your facilitator stay on track and your committee members to stay on task. Distribute the agenda one week in advance of the meeting so that all members can prepare to participate in the discussion.
- Periodic Summaries – To acknowledge the work being done by the committee, it is important to keep members updated on the collective discussion, milestones, ideas and insights shared throughout life of the group. Preparing a periodic summary of meeting notes (for example, quarterly in the case of a committee with a term of a year or more) will provide members with a timely reference to key discussions and insights. This can also create a sense of achievement and build positive momentum as committee members are acknowledged and made aware of what they are accomplishing.
Advisory Groups are a lot of work but can generate significant value and wisdom to support decision making. What’s more, Advisory Groups are a method that help to generate buy-in for change, generate new ideas, and invite diverse perspectives into the organizational decision making.