WIDER KEY SKILLS LEVEL 3
WORKING WITH OTHERS
INDEX
Introduction
p2
Agreeing Objectives
p3
Allocating Responsibilities
p4
Roles And Responsibilities
p5
Evaluating The Planning Process
p8
Responsibility
p10
Co-operative Working Relationships
p11
Maintaining Co-operative Working Relationships
p13
Reviewing Your Work
p15
Harassment
p18
Health And Safety
p22
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
INTRODUCTION
This unit encourages you to consider the factors which affect your work with other
people.
The first element of this unit is concerned with agreeing
objectives and working arrangements when working in a
group or team. Working through this element will enable
you to:
Offer suggestions in order to agree realistic objectives.

Identify the resources needed to achieve the objectives.

Agree responsibilities which will contribute towards a
successful outcome.

Agree suitable working arrangements.
The second element of this unit is concerned with working toward agreed objectives.
Working through this element will enable you to:
Meet your
efficiently.
responsibilities
effectively
and

Seek to establish and maintain co-operative
working relationships.

Reach agreements on ways to overcome any
difficulties.

Exchange information on how your work is
meeting expected timescales and quality.

Agree and make changes that are necessary to
achieve objectives.
The third element of this unit is concerned with
reviewing your work. Working through this unit will
enable you to:
Agree on the extent to which work has been
successful and objectives have been met.

Identify factors that have influenced the outcome.

Agree ways of improving working with others in the future.
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
AGREEING OBJECTIVES
When groups of people are working together on a task, the
outcome is much more likely to be successful if the group
can agree on realistic timescales and quality of
outcomes. The key to a successful outcome from
a group activity starts with successful PLANNING.
Remember, objectives should be:
Smart
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Timed (have short deadlines)

Make sure objectives are in the order in which they need to be done

Beside each objective, put down the duration – how long it will take

Schedule each objective using a diary. Take account of other tasks you need to achieve
and allow time for them

Compare the dates you have for completing your goal to the completion date in your
diary. If they are different, you must adjust your plan – or the original completion date
TO MAKE YOUR GROUP PLANNING MORE EFFECTIVE:

Agree objectives and responsibilities based on people’s preference and competence.

Prioritise.

Estimate how long things will take.

Set time limits collectively.

Make room for problems and contingencies and be prepared to change your plan if
necessary.

Reschedule if you need to.

Provide information on progress to the group.

Bring any difficulties to the attention of the group.

Cross off completed tasks.

Transfer uncompleted tasks to another date.

Where appropriate, reflect on how you may have done things differently to achieve a
more successful outcome.
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
ALLOCATING RESPONSIBILITIES
Before your group allocates responsibilities to individuals, each of you should think about
your own abilities in relation to the group’s project.
Now compare your notes with other members of your group. Your group is now ready to
discuss and plan your task. When you have reached the point of allocating responsibilities,
you must put into the discussion at the appropriate time, information on your skills and
What are your strengths?
Have you done this before?
Do you work well in a group?
What role do you play?
What are your
weaknesses?
Do you find it difficult to
phrase letters, speak on the
phone etc.?
What
are
you
competent to do?
Have you experience from a
similar project?
experience.
Working arrangements
Your group must organise goals, responsibilities and working arrangements for everything to
move ahead smoothly. The arrangements cover timescale, health and safety considerations
and how you will feedback progress to each other. Complete the chart indicating factors you
must consider when planning working arrangements.
Working
Arrangements
Where will you work?
Health and safety requirements
Method of keeping each other
informed
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Before agreeing responsibilities, your group should consider the following theory.
Role theory is concerned with the roles that individuals
act out their lives and how the assumption of various
roles affects their attitudes to other people. An individual
for example may consider himself to be a father (when
with his children), a husband (when with his wife) and a
scientist (when at work).
Group roles generally fall into two categories:


Leaders
Followers
Within these two broad categories there are many other roles that people fulfil. All are
successful to the performance of the group.
Some roles are taken because a member wants that particular role either because they feel
most comfortable in it or it fits in with their personal agenda for being in the group.
Other roles are taken by members subconsciously because their temperament or personality
best suits them for the role.
R M Belbin in ‘Management Teams’ identified nine roles that an effective team can be made
up of:
1. The Co-ordinator – is the leader of the group. Co-ordinating the group’s efforts. This
person is an organiser, self-disciplined, a good communicator and is able to work with all
group members.
2. The Shaper – is second in command to the co-coordinator and will take over in their
absence. They can turn plans and ideas into action. Someone with an outgoing and
dominant personality who is commited.
3. The Plant – is the innovator, intelligent and imaginative. They come up with original
ideas, suggestions and proposals. Maybe someone who is introverted and needs
encouraging to contribute.
4. The Motivator-Evaluator – analyses the ideas and plans of the group to point out
anything that is flawed.
5. The Resource Investigator – identifies and locates the resources needed to complete
the task, suits an extrovert person.
6. The Implementer – usually a good organiser and
administrator, they see to the practical planning
and time-keeping.
7. The Team Worker – encourages the other
members. They don’t need to take a lead role but
support others by listening and helping, they will
often smooth over things if there is a
disagreement.
8. The Completer – ensures the group meets its
targets both in terms of time and quality, usually
finicky about details.
9. The Specialist – has the specialist knowledge and skills required for the task.
TASK 1
Which role do you think you fit into?
TASK 2
In your group of people each person should write down the nine basic roles as described
above and try to match a role to a member. Compare the results and see if people have
come to the same conclusions about each other or if one person stands out.
TASK 3
List five ‘types’ of people that you would not want to have on a project team, involved in
organising a end-of-term party and explain the reasons for your choice.
EXAMPLES OF STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Strengths
Responsible
Loyal
Mature
Good listener
Good at sport
Musical
Good appearance
Outgoing personality
Sensitive
Assertive
Tactful
Weaknesses
Unsociable
Insensitive
Immature
Ignorant
Computers
Scruffy
Argumentative
Demanding
Doesn’t listen
Bossy
No tact
TASK 4
1. Ask eight people that you know (friends, work-mates, family etc) to list what they think
your strengths and weaknesses are. List five of each in a list as above.
Strengths
Weaknesses










Then write down what you think your strengths and weaknesses are.
Strengths
Weaknesses








KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
EVALUATING THE PLANNING PROCESS
This activity is designed to make you think about the way you see yourself and if there
are any areas that stand out that you could develop or improve.
2. You can write the areas that you think need improving and ways in which you would do
it.
3. Are there any strengths or weaknesses that someone has written that you totally
disagree with? Explain why.
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
EVALUATING THE PLANNING PROCESS
By now your group has gone through the planning process for:
Agreeing objectives.

Allocating responsibilities.

Deciding working arrangements.
Confirm your understanding of your responsibilities and working arrangements by
completing the table below and checking what you have written with your group.
The group’s main objective
Target Date
My specific objective(s)
Target Date
My responsibilities
The working arrangements
Additional support
structures / people
Monitoring progress
Write a brief report on the planning process for your project. Comment on:

How was the meeting conducted?
How well was the main objective of the project
understood?




How well did everyone know their role?
How well did everyone know ‘your’ role?
How were the timescales made clear?
How would you have changed this stage of the project?
Now you have completed your group activity you need to
go through the same process for an activity where you
work with just one other person.
You could use the same sort of sheets to record this or you could write it up in
a different form.
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
RESPONSIBILITY
Your responsibilities are those things that you are held accountable for such as (at work)
receiving deliveries, good housekeeping, cashing up the till etc. Responsibilities can also be
spoken of as your duties such as keeping records of information, checking time cards etc.
Authority goes hand in hand with responsibility.
responsibilities.
It is the power you need to carry out
Responsibility is usually handed down/delegated by bosses, managers, supervisors,
leaders.
There is a distinction between authority, responsibility and accountability. For example, as
your boss, I might be held accountable to higher management for the way in which supplies
are conserved in my department but I can delegate this responsibility to you and grant you
the authority to take any steps to protect these supplies. If you were to mis-use these
supplies or lose them, I might discipline you for failing to be responsible. I would still be held
accountable to higher management and I would be disciplined for what happened, no matter
which one of us was at fault.
Who Can Delegate Authority And Responsibility?
Any member of management, leader, supervisor can usually delegate some
responsibility and authority.
For example, a supervisor, who has responsibility for seeing that proper
records are kept in the department may delegate that responsibility to a records
clerk.
What Should You Tell Team-Members / Employees About Jobs Delegated To
Them?
Give them a clear statement of what they have to do, how far they can go and
how much checking you intend to do. Let them know how important the job is
so they can judge how much attention they give it.
Tell them why you gave them that job/responsibility. It shows you have confidence
in them.
When Can Delegating Responsibility Go Wrong?
If you try any of the following when delegating, things can go horribly wrong:

Delegating dirty, trivial or boring work onto one person.

Giving a person too much responsibility when they have not got the time
and ability.

Controlling the person too much be being on their backs all the time, stand aside and let
them get on with it.
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
CO-OPERATIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
TASK 1 - ‘WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY DO’?’
Read the scenario below of a leisure centre manager.
Question: What roles and responsibilities do they have in one day?
‘I do everything, apart from cleaning the lavatories. My office is also the ticket
office for entry into the centre. If there is a big queue at the snack shop I’ll help
serve and I’ll show people to the changing rooms if we are really busy. Sometimes
I go into our reception area and tell people about special events such as a
swimathon.
I get in around 7.00 am, deal with messages and ensure lights and heating are
working.
I write orders for equipment and food and deal with all the
correspondence for the 3000 centre members. I’ll brief the lifeguards, instructors
and catering staff at about 10.00 am and the first customers start to arrive. In the afternoon
we have a lot of elderly people in the swimming pool and I help them with their coats etc. I
count the takings in the afternoon, brief the evening staff and try and get something to eat.’
TASK 2
Now your group has allocated responsibilities, take a closer look at the tasks you have been
given and break them down.
Work to be done
Others Affected
Resources
Required
Target Date
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
CO-OPERATIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Here are some examples of difficulties which can arise in a working relationship. Try to think of a
solution in each case.
Problem
The responsibilities of people have
not been made clear. They keep
getting involved in each other’s
work which irritates everyone.
A person is not capable of doing the
tasks they have been given.
A member of the group becomes
very bossy and interferes with other
work
Two people do not get on well.
They argue and cannot agree on
what should be done.
The person in charge interferes with
people carrying out their tasks.
They do not feel they are trusted to
carry them out alone
Solution
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
MAINTAINING CO-OPERATIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Here are some examples of difficulties which may arise during the duration of your group task. Think
about how you would deal with them. Write your solutions below:-
Possible Difficulty
A group member is always
absent. Their task(s) do not
appear to be making any
progress.
One member of the group is
unable to get the information
they require.
The information you have
requested by post has not
arrived. The deadline is getting
near.
You do not think you will
complete your individual task in
the stated timescale.
You cannot access the
resources you need.
Your group is lacking in
motivation.
One group member is
harassing another.
Possible Solution
Some difficulties may need to be dealt with by the group
as a whole. The group must meet and agree actions
which should not affect the overall objective. If the
agreed solution does affect the overall objective, then
the level of impact must be assessed. Sometimes
alternative solutions must be considered.
List any problems / difficulties your group has encountered and note the change you made to
your plan.
Activity / Project
Problems
encountered
Actions taken / amendments to plan
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
REVIEWING YOUR WORK
In order to improve your work performance next time you need to review what you did. You need to
be critical and assess whether the objectives were met and how successfully.
The group will be able to improve ways of working with others in the future if they can identify factors
that have influenced the outcome.
Review your group project answering the following:-
Agreeing
objectives
Were the group
motivated to achieve the
objectives?
Did the group understand
the objectives?
Did the group agree
realistic objectives?
Were group members
asked their preferences
towards tasks?
Were the group
members’ competences
taken into consideration
when allocating tasks?
Did the group identify
resource requirements?
Did the group agree
timescales?
Did the group agree
responsibilities?
Did the group agree
working arrangements?
YES - Comment
NO - Comment
Where you have answered no, what would you do differently next time?
Where you have answered no, what would you do differently next time?
In reviewing
progress
YES - Comment
NO - Comment
Did you agree on the
extent to which
objectives had been
met?
Did you identify factors
which have influenced
the outcome?
Did you agree ways of
improving your working
with others skills?
Where you have answered no, what would you do differently next time?
REMEMBER! – Never change the goal because the plan did not work,
CHANGE THE PLAN!
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
HARASSMENT
WHAT IS HARASSMENT
Behaviour which could be interpreted as harassment










includes:
Leering
Ridicule
Gesture
Embarrassing remarks or jokes
Unwelcome comments about dress or appearance
Offensive use of badges, posters
The offensive use of graffiti
Physical contact
Physical assault
Verbal abuse
TASK 1
Write a sentence or statement for each of these areas to show your understanding of each
behaviour:
 Leering
 Ridicule
 Gesture
 Embarrassing remarks or jokes
 Unwelcome comments about dress or appearance
 Offensive use of badges, posters
 The offensive use of graffiti
 Physical contact
 Physical assault
 Verbal abuse
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
HARASSMENT
Examples of fairly common and persistent forms of harassment include:
Sexual
harassment is defined as unwanted verbal or physical advances of a sexual nature,
sexually explicit advances of a sexual nature, sexually explicit statements or gestures,
sexually discriminating remarks which are offensive to the person involved and which
cause the person to feel threatened, humiliated, patronised or harassed.
Racial
harassment is defined as derogatory statements or discriminatory remarks, verbal or
physical abuse including attacks on property or persons suffered by individuals or groups
because of colour, race, nationality or ethnic origins and which cause the individual or
group to feel threatened, humiliated, patronised or harassed.
Here are two case studies:
Sexual
Case Study (1)
Sally is a 32 year old secretary who shared an office with Mark, a male colleague of
similar age and status. They had similar interests which they regularly talked about, both
were enthusiastic about their work which they discussed regularly over lunch. One day
Mark suggested they should meet in the evening for a meal. Sally politely declined as
she explained she had a regular boyfriend with whom she had a serious relationship.
After this Mark frequently touch her arms and legs and stood very close to her,
persistently asking her out. Initial polite requests for him to stop went unheeded and,
indeed, the unwanted attention increased. Sally became more and more anxious and
irritated by the situation that was developing. She began to ‘dress down’ at work, wearing
trousers instead of skirts and using very little make-up. Eventually Sally confronted Mark
about his behaviour, although the situation worsened until eventually Sally felt she had to
change her job.
Racial
Case Study (2)
Raj is an Asian student studying law in England. He relates well to his peers except one
student called Chris. Chris is white and also studying law. Chris regularly makes racist
jokes and comments at Raj’s expense. This usually happens in front of his peers and
other students, several of whom have told Chris that his comments are not funny and that
he should stop. Raj tried to laugh off the comments at first, going along with the jokes.
Eventually it all became offensive and Raj asked Chris to stop. Chris did not stop, Raj can
only see the situation getting worse. He has to decide whether to make a formal complaint
at the risk of turning other students against him. He is unhappy, distracted from his
studies and unsure of what to do next.
TASK 2
Write a paragraph on each of these case studies to describe how you feel the victims’ lives have been
disturbed and how this affects them physically and mentally.
Case Study (1)
Case Study (2)
DEALING WITH HARASSMENT
Most organisations now have written policies relating to harassment so that any formal complaints
can be followed up using specified investigation procedures.
There are several things that an individual can do to stop harassment before having to make a formal
complaint (a formal complaint can sometimes cause unpleasant or embarrassing outcomes). Often a
victim sees a formal complaint as a last resort for fear of making the situation worse.

Ignoring the behaviour by doing nothing or avoiding the person/persons who are harassing.

Reacting against the behaviour or asking the person
to stop.

Making a joke of the behaviour or going along with it.

Threatening to tell others or actually reporting the behaviour to a supervisor.

Taking legal action.
Resigning from job or seeking a transfer.
KEY SKILLS
WORKING WITH OTHERS – LEVEL 3
HEALTH AND SAFETY
One of the responsibilities to yourself, your work colleagues and customers is to be aware
of hazards that may arise due to either you or others not taking enough care when carrying
out tasks as required in your working environment. Therefore, when negotiating working
arrangements this has to be taken into account.
There are Health and Safety Acts and Regulations that have to be taken into account and that are the
Law:




The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992
The Factories Act 1961
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
The workplace regulations deal with matters that have been statutory requirements for many years in
the UK under legislation. The following provisions are made and should be taken into account when
organising your working arrangements:

Equipment – all equipment should be properly maintained.

Ventilation – all air should be clean.

Temperature – must be reasonable – should not be less than 16 C where people are sitting down
or 13 C if moving about.

Lighting – should be suitable and sufficient and natural if practicable.
unobstructed.

Cleaning – floors, walls, ceilings, furniture, fittings must be kept clean.

Room dimension and space – each person should have at least 11 cubic metres of space.

Floors must be properly constructed and maintained (no holes, not slippery).

Falls or falling debris – should be prevented by putting in physical safeguards like fences, nets,
rails etc.

Glazing – windows should be made of safe materials and open safely.

Drinking water – an adequate supply should be available.

Clothing – suitable accommodation for outdoor clothing, protective clothing be offered for
dangerous materials.

Rest facilities/eating facilities must be provided.
Windows should be
If your project/job involves using materials that can be a risk of injury, eg chemicals, electrical
equipment etc, an assessment of risk should be made.
TASK 1
List the resources (materials or equipment) you may be using for your project.
responsibilities when negotiating working arrangement?
Resource
Responsibilities
What are your