Our focus this week was on teamwork and it was marvellous to see the group engage with this skill and then apply it to the discussion and debate of the day.
The group identified: cooperation; support for each other; and communication, as vital tools in teamwork. We looked at examples of when teamwork is not working, for instance the Government and cabinet are struggling to message in a coherent and united way at present; we also recognised the importance of legal teams working in unison to best represent their clients, particularly in the court room.
Having discussed the skill of the day and the aims of referring to each other and building on arguments we turned to the motion: 'This House thinks that the language politicians use, matters'. This topic arose out of the words and subsequent actions of Donald Trump and his supporters with the Capitol Hill riots; and Nicola Sturgeon's recent comments about the 'Tories', that has faced considerable criticism.
We took an initial vote: with the group unanimous that words do matter.
The debate centred on examples and the importance of getting the job done - outcomes - rather than words. One of the reasons people do not trust politicians it was argued, rested on their consistent failure to deliver. It was a high energy and closely fought debate.
In the second telling: there was a small shift away from the motion. It was great to see active listening and the use of body language when presenting.
Well done all!
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