What decisions can I take?

What decisions can I take?


What decisions can I take?

As a Mentor, you can decide at any point during the 100 days to abort, or “pull the plug” on the 100-Day project. 

This is a decision that should not be taken lightly. And it is best to be taken in close consultation with the Ambassador, the Team Leaders, and other members of the Leadership Group that commissioned the project. But ultimately, it is the decision of the Mentors to make. 

This decision would be appropriate when the following situations arise, AND all other avenues to deal with the situation have been exhausted: 

  • It becomes clear that the project is dragging along, but there is no real motivation on the part of most team members to complete it. These projects are referred to as the “walking wounded”. It is more merciful for all concerned to abort these rather than letting them bleed to death.
  • The project is pausing serious legal or ethical risks that could cause harm to GBVF victims or to the reputation of the organisations represented on the team. 
  • The contextual and strategic circumstances changed during the 100 days in ways that make the goal of the project less relevant for the long term objectives and aspirations related to preventing and ending GBVF in South Africa.

There are many other decisions that the team takes and that you can influence through asking questions, challenging assumptions, and so on. But you should avoid the temptation, or the invitation, to make these decisions yourself. These include:

  • How high – or low – to set the bar of success of the 100-day goal 
  • What to include, or exclude, from the work plan. One exception to this is an action in the work plan that creates serious legal or ethical risks that could cause harm to GBVF victims or to the reputation of the organisations represented on the team. 
  • Who to endorse or elect as a Team Leader

Thought starter reflection questions

Jot down thoughts on these questions – to the extent they are relevant to your experience at the session:
  • When did the mood in the event shift from “why are we here?” to “this could be interesting – I am excited to be part of this.” What triggered this shift? 
  • When did you have to go “off script” on the agenda or to change the agenda? What triggered this? What did you adjust? How did it go?
  • What was most surprising to you at the event?
  • What new insights did you gain about the issue at hand, and about the way leaders in the system interacted with each other?
  • Where did the conversation get stuck? What got it unstuck?
  • How would you characterise the level of trust among participants in the meeting? To what extent did this shift as the meeting progressed? To what do you attribute this shift, if indeed it happened?

Thought starter...

Reflection Questions 

Jot down thoughts on these questions – to the extent they are relevant to your experience at the session:

  • When did the mood in the event shift from “why are we here?” to “this could be interesting – I am excited to be part of this.” What triggered this shift? 
  • When did you have to go “off script” on the agenda or to change the agenda? What triggered this? What did you adjust? How did it go?
  • What was most surprising to you at the event?
  • What new insights did you gain about the issue at hand, and about the way leaders in the system interacted with each other?
  • Where did the conversation get stuck? What got it unstuck?
These are 100-Day Challenge Mentors. 

They did some work before you received the Challenge Note. This included:

  • Writing the Challenge Note, and making sure that the leaders of all the organisations represented on the team are comfortable with it – and committed to supporting the work of the team
  • Helping the leaders of these organisation recruit you and your colleagues to the team
  • Gathering some baseline data and other information that will help you and your teammates set your 100-Day goal and develop your plan.
  • Making sure all the preparations are made for a successful Lift-Off workshop, when you and your teammates will meet and get your 100-Day Challenge started. This includes venue, facilitation support, food, swags, comms, travel arrangements and whatever else is needed.

 

Mentors will participate in all or part of the Lift-Off Workshop, mostly at the start to provide context and answer questions, and at the end to give you and your teammates feedback about the goal and plan you develop.

During the 100 days following the Lift-Off Workshop, here’s what the Mentors will do:  

  • They will check in every two weeks with the team leaders to see how the team is doing and what support they and the team need.
  • They will keep other organisational leaders informed and engaged during the 100 days, and pull them in to help as needed.
  • They will participate in the last part of the Refuelling Workshop, halfway through the 100 days, to see what additional support the team needs, and to begin to plan with the team for sustainability and scale-up.
  • They will work with the team at the Sustainability Workshop to finalise recommendations on sustaining the results and building on the work of the team.